PTDA hosts first Virtual Trade Show
PTDA is hosting its first Virtual Trade Show on March 16, giving power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) manufacturers and distributors the opportunity to focus on PT/MC product knowledge and channel partner relationships. During the virtual trade show, PTDA manufacturer and associate members will showcase their products through virtual exhibit booths, technical sessions, and product demos. Exhibitors can fully engage with virtual show-goers, network with booth visitors, exchange valuable contact and other information in real-time. Exhibitors are able to choose from multiple booth designs and customize them to fit their specific needs. This one-day event is free for distributors to attend to learn about PT/MC products. Throughout the event, exhibitors and distributor attendees will be able to connect through various chat options, including pre-scheduling chat sessions. Attendees will be able to download unlimited materials and information from exhibitors. “With the travel restrictions many companies are still under, it’s been a challenge to get in front of the people who need to know about the products that will assist their customers in reducing their operating costs and increasing their efficiencies. The inaugural PTDA Virtual Trade Show lets companies like mine reach distributors at a much broader level, connecting with everyone from the procurement VP to the branch manager in one creative, accessible way,” said Bill Fuentes, RBI Bearing Inc. Access to the show and materials will be available following the event’s conclusion, so attendees will have ample time to gather information and exhibitors will have the opportunity for additional exposure to new and returning customers.
Kaman Distribution Group announces new Executive appointment
Kaman Distribution Group (“KDG”), a leading value-added distributor of bearings, power transmission, automation, and fluid power products, has announced the appointment of Chris Henson as the Vice President of Business Development. Most recently, Chris served as a Vice President in The Timken Company’s Industrial Bearings business leading product management and engineering. In addition, Chris held the position of Vice President of Corporate Development & Strategy at Timken. As a member of the KDG Executive Team, Chris will be critical in driving our growth strategy, with a particular focus on executing key acquisitions. Chris holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Virginia. He received his MBA, with High Distinction, from the University of Michigan. “The addition of Chris to the Kaman Distribution team is a significant step in the evolution of our acquisition strategy,” said Ben Mondics, President and CEO of KDG. “Chris’ well-rounded experience and his knowledge of our industry coupled with his passion for winning, will be critical in helping build KDG into the premier platform in the industrial distribution industry. This hire demonstrates our commitment to our acquisition growth strategy and our continuing commitment to investing in talented and experienced team members. We look forward to his contributions as we continue to execute our strategic plans for growth.”
Motion Industries CEO wins CEO of the year award
Motion Industries, Inc., a distributor of maintenance, repair, and operation replacement parts and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Company, is pleased to announce that Randy Breaux, Motion Industries President, is a 2020 award recipient of CEO of the Year, from the Birmingham Business Journal. The presentation honored winners and finalists – elite leaders from a range of industries – at a virtual event on December 3rd. The CEO Awards recognize excellence among top executives in the Birmingham metro area for businesses of all sizes. Mr. Breaux was named CEO of the Year in the category of Companies with more than 300 Employees. Mr. Breaux has four decades of experience in the industrial manufacturing and distribution markets. Previous to becoming the company’s President in December 2018, he played a key role in setting corporate strategy, key acquisitions, growing supplier relationships, advancing marketing activities, and overseeing corporate operations, as Executive Vice President. He joined Motion Industries in May 2011 following 21 years with ABB/Baldor Electric Company, a leading manufacturer of industrial electric motors, drives, and mechanical power transmission components, based in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Mr. Breaux currently serves on several nonprofit boards in the Birmingham area. He has held committee and board positions in numerous industry associations, including past chairperson of the manufacturing council for the Power Transmission Distributors Association.
PTDA’s Industry reports positively adjust 2021 Outlook
The third quarter 2020 Sales History & Outlook Report (SHOR) released by the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) indicates the severity of the year-over-year decline in U.S. industrial production and in the PTDA Distributor and Manufacturer Total Sales Indices are easing relative to tentative second-quarter lows. The PTDA Distributors Total Sales Index in the third quarter was 7.5% below the same quarter a year ago, halving the severity of the second quarter’s 15% year-over-year decline. Therefore, the PTDA Distributors Total Sales Index annual average is up 7.2% and 5.0% for 2020 and 2021, respectively. The PTDA Business Index for distributors rose in the third quarter of 2020 to 69.8 while the manufacturer Business Index rose to 50.1, indicating both PTDA distributor and manufacturing activity picked up in the latter half of the year. As the PTDA Manufacturer and Distributor Business Indexes are leading indicators to the PTDA SHOR Indexes, the upward momentum in both is consistent with the expectation of early-2021 business cycle lows in the SHOR Indexes. However, renewed shutdowns in several European countries and recently implemented restrictions in several U.S. states may negatively impact activity in the near term. PTDA members participating in SHOR receive the results and forecasts through 2022 at no charge after the close of the calendar quarter. For more specifics on the forecast for power transmission/motion control sales through distribution as well as forecasts for manufacturer sales, purchase the 3Q2020 SHOR at ptda.org/SHOR. The PTDA Business Index is modeled after the widely respected PMI and tracks the change in business activity, new orders, employment, supplier deliveries, inventories, prices, and backlog in the PT/MC industry to arrive at an overall index. The entire 3Q2020 PTDA Business Index report is available through PTDA’s website at ptda.org/Index. The Power Transmission Distributors Association is the leading global association for the industrial power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) distribution channel. Headquartered in Chicago, PTDA represents power transmission/motion control distribution firms that generate more than $20 billion in sales and span over 2,700 locations. PTDA members also include manufacturers that supply the PT/MC industry.
PTDA welcomes three new members
The Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA), the association for the industrial power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) distribution channel, welcomed three new member companies. New Distributor Member: TBC, Inc. Texas Bearing Company (Amarillo, Texas) is an independent distributor of bearings, power transmission equipment, fluid power components, and a full line of screening, crushing, washing, and material handling equipment. Their ability to consistently provide unsurpassed service and quality products has helped establish long-term relationships with Texas operations and beyond. With seven stocking locations across Texas, they are able to service a wide array of industries. All locations are on call 24/7/365 for after-hours service. “We have joined PTDA in order to help strengthen our relationships with our existing manufacturers, pursue new relationships and to build on best practices in this ever-changing world we are doing business in,” said Berry Smith, president. Learn more at www.texasbearing.com. New Manufacturer Member: Ewellix USA LLC (Center Valley, Penn.) is a manufacturer of linear motion components providing state-of-the-art linear solutions designed to increase machine performance, maximize uptime, reduce maintenance, improve safety and save energy. Their focus is to provide high-quality products manufactured in the U.S. as well as other factories around the world for a wide range of industries including medical, mobile machinery, auto assembly, and many more. They have over 50 years of experience with an engineering team that is always developing new, innovative products with their customer’s individual needs in mind. “At Ewellix, we want to be close to our customers no matter where they are. We joined PTDA to connect with a network of industry leaders to build powerful and long-lasting relationships,” said Tarek Bugaighis, president. Learn more at www.ewellix.com. New Associate Member: BackboneAI (New York, N.Y.) builds frictionless data networks through intercompany automation, a completely new category of automation. It transforms supplier and customer relationships through real-time data synchronization, fast API connectivity, and third-party application and database integration. Founded in 2019 by serial entrepreneur Rob Bailey, BackboneAI helps companies work together more efficiently by automating their intercompany data processes and optimizing communication through technology. “It is an honor to be a part of such a prestigious institution,” states Rob Bailey, CEO and Co-Founder of BackboneAI. “We look forward to helping PTDA members in bringing new digital transformation solutions to industrial suppliers and distributors.” Learn more at www.backbone.ai. The Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) is the leading global association for the industrial power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) distribution channel. Headquartered in Chicago, PTDA represents power transmission/motion control distribution firms that generate more than $20 billion in sales and span over 2,700 locations. PTDA members also include manufacturers that supply to the PT/MC industry. PTDA is dedicated to providing exceptional networking, targeted education, relevant information, and leading-edge business tools to help distributors and manufacturers meet marketplace demands competitively and profitably.