ATLANTA When the Power Transmission Distributors Assn. holds its annual convention here in October, attendees will have plenty of information to bring home to their offices, according to Stephanie Kaplan, PTDA's director of marketing and communications. The association expects about 950 distributors, manufacturers and their guests to attend, Kaplan said.

At the three-day event, Oct. 4-6, organizers will concentrate on presenting a multi-pronged approach to members' needs.

"In general, I'd say that business conditions have been poor for most of the year and many members remain pessimistic about when the turnaround will come ... Some end-use industries are bright spots in the overall picture, including the four we will be featuring in market briefings at the convention," Kaplan said.

End-use markets briefings combine an overview of the industry with a major customer's perspective on technology trends. Topics include a synopsis of the state of the North American industry. The four end-use market briefings are food processing, unit/parcel handling, aggregate/cement and wastewater treatment.

Robert Nadeau, managing principal of the Industrial Performance Group, will present "Improving Your Working Relationships." Distributor and manufacturer members will present "Applying B2B Technology Tools." The manufacturer-distributor idea exchange, rated the most valuable feature of past conventions, will be held Saturday, Oct. 6.

"Independent Distributor Forum: Finding the Money to Grow" is an open forum for networking and brainstorming. It includes a panel of distributor members providing case studies of their tactics to find the resources to grow through acquisition, expansion, new markets or new technology. Joe Kunzon, vice president and finance manager of Merrill Lynch Business Financial Services Inc. will provide "how-to" information.

The Manufacturer-Distributor Idea Exchange is rated the most valuable feature of the convention from year to year, Kaplan said. The idea exchange is a forum for dialogue between manufacturers and distributors.

Motivational speaker Dan Clark of Dan Clark and Associates, will speak to members about who they are as opposed to what they do. He will discuss the way attitude, shared vision, mutual respect and support can help distributors lead, overcome obstacles, think clearly under pressure and excel.

Other events include a welcome reception, golf outing and gala reception. There will be scheduled tours of the Atlanta area. The convention is for members only.