FPDA establishes strategic objectives

The Fluid Power Distributors Assn. adopted a three-part strategic plan to guide its board and committees for 2003-2004. The association plans to enhance membership, address product technology evolution and enrich distributor/supplier relationships.

A membership task force will recruit new distributor members and a products-and-technology group was formed to address issues and produce a new product technology showcase at the 2004 Fall Meeting. Joint meetings are scheduled to address relationship issues between distributors and suppliers.

For more information, contact FPDA at (856) 424-8998. ISSA hosts training sessions The International Sanitary Supply Assn. will host several educational sessions and courses this year. R. John Monoky will present Effective Sales Management, Feb. 20-21 at the Westin Los Angeles Airport Hotel, Los Angeles, Calif.

John Walker of Managemen, Inc. and Janitor University will present The Official Cleaning Industry Train the Trainer course, Feb. 27-28 at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Fla. The course includes sessions on motivation, group involvement, presentations, role-playing and case studies.

Cleaning System Design: Systems That Help You Succeed! will be presented March 27 at the DoubleTree North Shore Hotel in Skokie, Ill. Industry consultant Dave Frank presents the program.

For more information, contact ISSA at (847) 982-0800. PTDA offers electronic stock checking The Power Transmission Distributors Assn. released an Internet-based tool recently, the inventory request & response format, which is a computer standard that allows distributors to verify inventory at suppliers' locations in real time. Created by PTDA's E-commerce Standards Dynamic Product Identification Task Force, the program lets distributors link quickly and affordably to manufacturers' inventories, PTDA said.

Research shows that over half of suppliers' incoming calls are to check stock. The standard, which automates the process and eliminates phone calls, could save time for all users. The format can be downloaded at www.PTDA.org.

For more information, contact PTDA at (312) 876-9461. NIBA names new officers NIBA-The Belting Assn. named officers for 2003. They are: president, Charlie Vickers, McLeod Belting; first vice president, Bruce Dieleman, Sparks Belting Co.; second vice president, Ted Lushch, Jerry Bros. Industries; and treasurer, Tom Richardson, Conveyor Accessories, Inc. Immediate past president Ron Roalsen, Rubber & Plastics, Inc., will also serve on the executive committee.

SMMA offers courses

SMMA-The Motor and Motion Assn. has Motor & Motion College courses for presentation at corporate facilities. Courses include: basic motor theory, operation and application; fundamentals of electric motor design; feedback devices; motor fundamentals for non-technical professionals; PMDC motor design; and BLDC motor design.

SMMA staff can work with company managers to customize content, depending on the audience. Substantial benefit in holding in-house meetings include savings on employee travel, but SMMA notes that meetings are most beneficial when five or more employees attend.

For more information, contact SMMA at (508) 655-4409.

Send Association News to associate editor Al Tuttle, 275 Washington St., Newton, Mass., 02458; call (617) 558-4770; fax to (617) 558-4327; or e-mail to atuttle@reedbusiness.com.