NASHVILLE, TENN. — Like many of their contemporaries, NIBA-The Belting Assn. members face problems with economic conditions, supplier and customer consolidation, and increasing market share in their respective regions. When members gathered here for their annual convention in September, those topics led a list of long-term and short-term concerns.

During the meeting, NIBA president Ron Roalsen said that several issues have come to a head. Customer loyalty is a difficult proposition today as the quality of competitive goods rises and factors like delivery and belt life even out. Consolidating belt lines and point-of-sale issues continue to be industry problems, as well. In addition, a distributor from New Zealand remarked that vendor consolidation is so all-encompassing that distributors may not know who makes the various belts, drives and components they are selling from month to month and year to year.

Distributors also said they are concerned about IT issues and getting a useful online presence.

"We have yet to find the system that can fill all our needs," Roalsen said.

To that end, Webmaster Andy Risser of MRA-The Management Assn., Inc. addressed members' Internet problems. He presented a seminar that discussed concrete methods of doing business over the Web, rather than theories about e-commerce.

"The distributors who ask my opinion are concerned about the direction to take their Web sites," Risser said. "They need to define a goal for the site and then dedicate time and money to achieving that goal."

Nearly everyone has some kind of Web site, but few know how to use it to best benefit their businesses. That is distributors' main concern, Risser said.

NIBA leaders were pleased with the convention overall, which attracted 516 attendees. Cie Motelet, association services manager, and Roalsen agreed that the yearly convention is the place for distributors and manufacturers to make contacts and talk face-to-face – in both good and bad economic times.

Scott Kesner, COO of Jerry Brothers Industries of Richmond, Va., echoed those sentiments.

"Despite the problems that continue in the business, like manufacturers who sell direct, we had a good year and continue to grow," Kesner said. "It's nice to come to the convention for a few days, put aside those kinds of problems and see the big picture."