April is National Welding Month, dedicated to the professionals who have helped build America’s skyscrapers, planes, rockets, and manufactured goods. We’re talking about the pipe welders, the aerospace welders, the military support welders, and everyone else who has donned a welding helmet.

These professionals have been around since ancient times, and without their dedication and skill, modern society wouldn’t be possible. It’s for this reason that everyone is encouraged to celebrate this month, especially if one of their friends or family members works in the welding profession. Let’s show these skilled trade workers that we appreciate what they do day in and day out.

The History of National Welding Month

This month was established by the American Welding Society in 1996. The organization established this holiday month to not only recognize the achievements of the tradespeople who work hard every day to deliver us the welded products that we need but also to encourage young people to consider welding as a profession. After all, welders are in demand, and a variety of different industries rely on their expertise.

Some Interesting Facts About Welding

Although most people probably don’t give much thought to welding and all that it entails, we thought we’d take a few moments and share some welding-related trivia. Below are some of the facts we uncovered while covering National Welding Month. We hope everyone finds them as entertaining and informative as we did.

• Welding has existed since the Bronze Age.
• Over 50% of man-made products require some type of welding, from farm machinery to personal computers.
• Space welding has been done since the late 1960s.
• The U.S. Navy set the record for deep-sea welding in 2005. The weld was done at 2,000 feet below the ocean’s surface.
• Some of the different types of welding include cold welding, deep-sea welding, and explosion welding.

Observing National Welding Month

National Welding Month can be observed by learning more about welding, by thanking a welder in person or through social media using the hashtag #NationalWeldingMonth, or by simply taking the time to watch a movie or television show that prominently features welding in its plot.

Some of our favorite welding movies include No Country for Old Men (yes, Llewelyn Moss was a former welder), Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (Chewbacca had to weld the Millennium Falcon), and Flashdance (about a steel town girl who wants to be a dancer but works as a welder).