As you might have noticed from the cover of this issue, we’ve combined our May and June issues into one. We decided to follow your lead and take the necessary steps to keep costs in line to help ensure our long-term success. We’ll also be combining the August and September issues, though we fully expect to return to our usual 12-time frequency once the economy recovers.

Please keep in mind that the CI website at www.ceramicindustry.com includes the latest industry news, technological innovations and new product announcements. Updated daily, the site also features Online Extras that are not available in print, as well as informative videos, expanded news/product details, up-to-date calendar listings and current job postings. In addition, our weekly e-newsletter, CI CyberNews, can deliver updates directly to your e-mail box. (If you’re not currently a subscriber, you can sign up for the free e-newsletter via the CI homepage.)

You can now also find Ceramic Industry on Facebook^®. Become a fan, get updates on the latest industry goings-on and interface with colleagues. It’s free, easy and fun—three of my favorite words! LinkedIn offers yet another vehicle to interact, and my page is located at www.linkedin.com/in/susansuttonci. I’d be happy to connect with anyone in the ceramic, glass and related industries. You can also keep up with the various industry goings-on through Twitter by following my tweets (twitter.com/SusanSuttonCI).

Of course, we’ll continue to provide focused and practical editorial in print, and this issue is no exception. In this difficult economy, it’s easy to forget that manufacturers and suppliers are actually looking to the future by continuing to innovate. I love hearing stories about how the industry is creating expanded opportunities, and we’ve got several to share here.

The cover story, “Hard Times Call for Harder Cutting Tools,” details some of the history behind the use of materials such as alumina and silicon nitride in cutting tools, as well as current opportunities and potential future developments. Another feature article illustrates how dilatometry can be used to help manufacturers optimize material development. “Exploring Sintering Behavior through Dilatometry” details the relationship between particle size and properties changes in barium titanate.

Additional articles in this issue discuss alumina’s use in a new membrane for hemodialysis (“A Better Membrane”), ferrous material removal for clay tile slurries (“Case Study: Reducing Ferrous Content”), the process of glass formation in glaze development (“Understanding Glass Formation”), tips for brick manufacturers as they navigate the economic recession (“Brick News”), and powder compaction presses (“Product Profile: Powder Compaction Press”).

We’re also in the process of exploring several new online vehicles to expand our ability to provide you with the latest news and information you need to succeed in your business, and I’d love to get your feedback as we move forward. How do you prefer to receive news from CI? What are we doing that works for you, and what falls short? Please send me an e-mail at suttons@bnpmedia.com or give me a call at (330) 336-4098 to share your thoughts and suggestions.