Latest News and Application Notes

It remains impossible to predict the future accurately, no matter how much we try. While market forecasts and trends tend to illustrate the future of products, reality always has a chance to throw a curveball. Between the global COVID-19 lockdowns suppressing most markets and a trend toward renewable energy sources, coal was expected to start decreasing in market value. Instead, a war between Russia and Ukraine and the lifting of lockdowns has actually driven a higher demand.

Pet ownership has increased over the last few years, when an explosive boom during the COVID-19 lockdowns showing no signs of stopping. Over 70% of American households have at least one pet, with most of those homes having at least one cat or dog. As pet ownership continues to rise, so too does the demand for pet food.

As global industrialization has increased, so too has global waste. Over 2.6 trillion pounds of waste are generated worldwide each year. Energy demands continue to grow year over year, and the Earth's population is looking toward greener solutions. Those 2.6 trillion pounds of trash may be waste now, but some of it may be suitable as biomass.

There is something satisfying about watching all of the numbers on the clock and the calendar roll over to a fresh start in a new year, and that sense of a fresh start and a chance to begin anew is celebrated the entire world over. Many of these celebrations include hopes and wishes for luck, fortune, and longevity and are underlined by offerings of food and drink. After all, you should always start a new year in the way you hope it to continue!

Proper maintenance is more than just an annual checkup. Whether it's for your body or your instrument, a comprehensive support plan will bring you peace of mind about your health. That's why LECO has launched comprehensive maintenance plans for most* of our Cornerstone instruments in the United States.

Got milk? The infamous advertising campaign started in 1993 for the California Milk Processor Board and was an instant success. The strength of the advertisements stays true even today, with 90% of all Americans aware of the slogan. Though the campaign has been retired in all but California these days, the dairy industry is continuing to grow around the world. A huge part of this forecasted growth comes from the growing interest in dairy protein.

Farmers are fortune tellers. In so many ways, they must predict what will happen in the future. What seed do they plant? How many? Will there be a drought? What will their yields be? What will the market be like? Everything science can do to give farmers an edge in their predictions can help make their futures more secure. One such advantage arises from carbon and nitrogen determination in soil, fertilizer, and plant tissue.

Carbon is an essential building block of life on our planet. The amount of carbon present is an important factor in soils and agriculture. Carbon levels can help determine the quality of soil or the location of natural hydrocarbon fossil fuel deposits that may affect the quality of raw building materials. These levels can be determined by a Total Organic Carbon (TOC) determination. LECO's line of instruments includes several that can determine TOC in different ways.

How do you know what is in your food? If you're like most consumers, you take a look at the information on the back of your food packaging to know the ingredients and nutritional value. But how can you trust that information is correct? Where does that information come from? Someone like Jonathan Griffin, Public Analyst and Lead Analytical Services Manager at Kent Scientific Services in the UK, answers that question.

Where does hope come from? For Dr. Jason Streubel, Senior Director of the Center for Agriculture & Food Security for the Convoy of Hope, hope comes from being able to feed yourself, your family, and your community. Hope comes from the security of knowing where your next meal is coming from and the ability to turn your focus to the future instead of the immediate present. Hope comes from agriculture.