More than 1,300 participants from the belting and power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) industries came together September 27-30 in Hollywood, Fla., where tools and information for Powering Thoughts/Conveying Ideas were delivered through relevant presentations, the latest in business and market information and a venue to help build the networks that are so critical to business success.

The NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit, held at The Diplomat Beach Resort, is now legend, with many predicting the conference will have a lasting impact as industry leaders take home what they learned and implement new ideas in their industrial distribution and manufacturing businesses.
“This meeting has been three years in the making, and it’s the biggest event either organization has had in a while. This convention added more value from the perspectives of personal growth, business growth and industry growth,” said Vernon Smith, president, Universal Belting Resource (Carmichaels, Pa.) who is currently serving as president for NIBA-The Belting Association.

The outcome of the meeting was in some jeopardy as Hurricane Irma devastated south Florida just two weeks prior to the event. But rather than washing out, the event was heralded a success, thanks to the diligent efforts of the dedicated hotel staff, first responders and others in Florida who quickly got business moving after the September 10 landfall.

Tom Clawser, who served as PTDA president said, “Wind and rain couldn’t stop us. Fortunately, the quality of the weather while we were in Florida was perfect, as was the quality of the networking events which were second to none. Every year, I am pleased and amazed by our Association meetings, but this year really surpassed my expectations,” he said.

NIBA/PTDA Joint Industry Summit at a Glance
• Held September 27-30, 2017, at The Diplomat Beach Resort, Hollywood, Florida
• Theme: Powering Thoughts/Conveying Ideas
• International participants attended from 27 countries
• Joint MD-IDEX/Expo, the signature networking component of the conference, was well attended with over 835 pre-scheduled meetings during the four-hour formal networking program, and countless unscheduled and impromptu meet-ups during the day-long expo featuring over 200 exhibiting manufacturers, fabricators and service providers
• The ICP Golf Outing, in support of efforts to attract right-fit individuals to careers in industrial distribution, raised more than $17,000
• Spouses/companions and delegates donated over 50 pints of blood and 5 of plasma to help those injured during Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria
• Next Gen (those aged 40 and under) held a special event with more than 75 participants
• Almost three dozen women participated in a meet-up to help women connect and network with other women working in the power transmission and belting industries
To celebrate a week of great work, the event closed with a Havana Nights themed reception and dinner where participants enjoyed networking in Cuban attire and fedoras with Cuban cigars and cuisine.

Looking to 2018
The 2018 NIBA Annual Convention will be held at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Ariz., September 12-15, 2018. The PTDA 2018 Industry Summit will be held October 17-20, 2018, at The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Colo.

PTDA
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