Cherry Hill, NJ — The Fluid Power Distributors Assn. will hold its Fall Meeting September 21-24, in San Antonio, Texas. Among the formal presentation topics are profitability, obstacles to financial performance and better marketing.

Mike Joyce, president and chairman of FPDA, said there would be plenty of informal discussion about the economy and saturation of markets, subjects that concern every member of the group.

"Try as we might to differentiate ourselves, we are all in the linear and rotary motion business," Joyce said. "For going on two years, customers' budgets have not been what they used to be. How, in our business, do we find that niche that enables us to survive with existing customers as they are now?"

Joyce, principal of Advanced Industrial Products in Plain City, Ohio, said the only way to solve these problems is through discussions with peers. He also said that integrated supply would continue to pressure margins for independent distributors because buying strictly on price will not go away. Customers' willingness to pay for separate services they perceived as being free with past purchases is an area Joyce said will surely be discussed.

"What's unique about the board at FPDA is we are trying to determine the best way to treat our members as our customers," he said. "So, the opportunities to network at the fall meeting are meant to help manufacturers and distributors develop solutions to various business problems."

That's one reason the theme of the meeting is "Putting the pieces together: solving the profit puzzle." It will address problems unique to fluid power distributors, too.

"Only your peers in the business can help you determine how to sell lubrication systems to General Motors, for instance. They can help decide how to market — not your friends or family, or your lawyer or doctor," he said.

The program also includes the first Companion Products Technology exhibition. According to Joyce, 86 percent of fluid power distributors apply companion products — PC's, PLC's, software, stepper motors — that are outside their core competency.

"Distributors need to learn all they can about what exists, what's a better product and see the bigger picture to position their businesses for success," he said.