AMTDA/AMT joint meeting draws record turnout
By Industrial Distribution Staff -- Industrial Distribution, 6/1/1999
Orlando, Fla.--The fourth joint meeting of the American Machine Tool Distributors Assn. and the Assn. for Manufacturing Technology drew a crowd of 822 attendees representing 116 distributors and 111 builders.The theme of the meeting, held April 11-14 at the Walt Disney World Swan, was "The Magic of Creative Leadership." Speakers Dr. Lance Secretan, who gave the keynote address, and John Cassis provided the inspiration for distributors to face the challenge of being creative leaders in their own businesses.
In his chairman's address, Allan W. Chartier, president and chief executive officer of Midwest Industrial Tools in Omaha, Nebr., stressed his concerns regarding builder-distributor relationships in the machine tool industry.
"I am concerned about our business relationships," Chartier said. "Together we must make sure these relationships are solid enough and flexible enough to meet the fast-changing needs of our customers."
Chartier cited a study recently conducted by the Industrial Performance Group, in which more than a third of the manufacturers gave poor or failing grades to their distributors' sales capabilities, and gave similar ratings to distributors' leadership abilities and commitment to selling manufacturers' products.
The "Forum on Future Trends in World Markets" was well received. The forum's four panelists addressed issues including the impact of technology on the manufacturing, sales and service of machine tools and related products; the sensitive balance of intertwined national economies; the effect of consolidations, mergers and acquisitions on customers; and "best practice" strategies to be prepared for future trends.
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