PTDA 2009 Industry Summit Participants Focused on Moving Their
Businesses Forward
Chicago, Ill. – November 12, 2009 – Nearly 700
of the top executives in the power transmission/motion control (PT/MC)
and fluid power industries gathered to network and build business
relationships at the co-located Power Transmission Distributors
Association (PTDA) Industry Summit and The FPDA Motion + Control
Network’s Fall Networking Symposium held Oct. 22-24 in San Diego,
Calif. Themed “What’s Your Next Move?”
participants gathered critical information needed to position themselves
to take advantage of the opportunities as the economy climbs out of the
recession.
Highlights of the 2009 Industry Summit
- Inspirational opening keynote address by Dean Kamen, president of
DEKA Research and Development Corporation and founder of US FIRST (For
Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). Kamen,
holder of over 440 U.S. patents, began his presentation by highlighting
several of his company’s innovations, many of which incorporate
power transmission and fluid power products including the portable
insulin pump, the Segway and the DARPA prosthetic arm. The most
powerful message Kamen delivered was on behalf of the US FIRST
program. “There are six billion people out there who really
need healthcare and energy in a realistic, sustainable, environmentally
rational way. The solutions to those problems are not going to
come from politicians or lawyers or bankers. They’re going
to come from the next generation of really smart kids,” said
Kamen. He encouraged attendees to get involved with FIRST as
mentors, supporters and suppliers of products that make up the kits
students use to build robots for the annual FIRST Robotics
Competition.
- Insightful macroeconomic update by Dr. Robert Genetski. Dr.
Genetski provided a framework of classic economic principles to explain
the current economic climate and forecast the business environment for
the coming year. According to Genetski, the downward cycle has
ended, and the recovery is slowing beginning. However, due to a
proposal by the FDIC to require banks to prepay their insurance,
Genetski cautions that the recovery may be temporarily
“short-circuited.”
- Three workshops to help industry executives plan their next
move:
- New and growing markets are an opportunity for growth. Adam
Uhlman and Joe Calvello of Cleveland Research presented findings from
their survey of PTDA’s members. Members reported six
end-user markets as experiencing net strength; nearly 70 percent of
those surveyed cited flat prices during the third quarter. Uhlman
and Calvello also presented results with respect to inventory, order
activity and credit availability.
- Dr. William R. McCleave stressed using knowledge, information and
data to analyze trends and developments that will affect your success in
pursuing new opportunities. Specifically, McCleave gave
participants the tools needed to assess six areas (owner, market,
customer, competition, supplier and resource) in determining a
company’s ability to make the next move.
- It’s a whole new economic environment, and the rules have
changed. Mike Marks presented models in the areas of business
development, pricing, organization and risk to help participants exploit
emerging opportunities.
- Open forum and idea exchange for the top-level management of
privately-held distribution companies. The two-hour
invitation-only forum, facilitated by Mike Marks, generated instantly
implementable ideas for reducing costs and improving profit. Many
participants stated that the ideas garnered from this one session more
than offset the cost of attending the Industry Summit.
Manufacturer-Distributor Idea Exchange (MD-IDEX) Builds
Channel Partnerships
Once again this year, the Industry Summit featured its signature
table-top booth program—the Manufacturer-Distributor Idea Exchange
(MD-IDEX). MD-IDEX offered a time-and cost-effective opportunity
for members to conduct one-on-one, senior management discussions with
current and potential business partners. With nearly 120
manufacturer and service provider participants, hundreds of appointments
were held in addition to the 90 minutes of open time that allowed for
impromptu conversations.
Motion Control Technical Conference and Showcase Reinforces
PTDA Members’ Position as Motion Control Experts
Helping members find new channels to market and grow their businesses
stood out as a key element of the PTDA Industry Summit.
Held prior to the Industry Summit, the Motion Control Technical
Conference featured four presentations on the latest trends, technology
and advances. Owners, managers and technical specialists from both
distributors and manufacturers participated in sessions to increase
their knowledge of the motion control field that will help them deliver
the technical services customers demand.
For the fourth year, the Industry Summit hosted the Motion Control
Showcase, featuring exhibits from 26 motion control suppliers.
PTDA members sell more than $800 million in motion control
products annually and, through the Motion Control Showcase, were able to
learn more about the products that will help their customers increase
productivity.
More than $2,500 Raised for San Diego Affiliate of Susan G.
Komen for the Cure
As October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, spouses and companions
of delegates attending the Industry Summit participated in a fundraising
walk to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Sandy Rabourne,
director of community development and outreach for the San Diego
affiliate, was on hand to accept the donation. Participants also
took part in a wellness program led by fitness professional Sara
Holliday.
For more information on the PTDA Industry Summit, visit www.ptda.org/IndustrySummit.
The PTDA 2010 Industry Summit, celebrating PTDA’s 50th
anniversary, will be held on Oct. 21 -23 at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge
in Phoenix, Ariz.
Founded in 1960, the Power Transmission Distributors Association
(PTDA) is the leading association for the industrial power
transmission/motion control (PT/MC) distribution channel. A
U.S.-based trade association, PTDA represents 195 power
transmission/motion control distributor firms with over 3,500 locations
throughout North America and 11 other countries, as well as 182
manufacturers that supply the PT/MC industry.
PTDA is dedicated to providing exceptional networking, targeted
education, relevant information and leading-edge business tools to help
distributors and manufacturers meet marketplace demands competitively
and profitably. For more information, visit www.ptda.org.
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