A RECORD-BREAKING attendance of 304 individuals attended the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) 2011 Industry & Economic Outlook Conference (IEOC).  Feedback from attendees has identified the diverse speaker and topic content, exposure to the future workforce and multiple networking opportunities as the highlights of this year’s IEOC.

Student Poster Presentations gave attendees an opportunity to interact with engineering students.  The IEOC hosted 31 students and 13 educators from 12 NFPA member schools. Together with NFPA and the Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power, the students exhibited 32 posters, highlighting their work in fluid power education and research.

The event, held August 15 – 17, offered attendees presentations on micro and macroeconomic topics, fluid power market forecasts, and featured a Macro-Economic Speaker Forum – giving members a chance to ask the “experts” their most burning questions during this interactive session.  This year’s conference was filled with presentations from guest speakers including:

Economics

  • Global Economic-An American Perspective, Alan Beaulieu, Institute for Trend Research (ITR)
  • Global Economics-A European Perspective, John Walker, Oxford Economics

Market Forecasts

  • Steel and Metals Industry Outlook, Robert DiCianni, ArcelorMittal USA
  • Heavy Truck Market Forecast, Eric Starks, FTR Associates
  • Construction Machinery Forecast, David Phillips, Off-Highway Research
  • Agriculture Machinery Forecast, Vincent Malanga, LaSalle Economics
  • Industrial Markets Overview, Cliff Waldman, MAPI, Inc.
  • Material Handling & Metalworking Machinery Forecast, Ken Kramer, Global Insight
  • Oil & Gas Industry Outlook, Ruchir Kadakia, CERA
  • Fluid Power Customer Markets Overview, Eli Lustgarten, ESL Consultants, Inc.
  • Fluid Power Industry Forecast, Jim Meil, Eaton Corporation

Special breakouts included:

  • Macro-Economic Speaker Forum – Members were able to ask the “experts” their most burning questions during this interactive session closing out the first day’s program.
  • Supply Chain Strategies Networking Breakfast – gave members the chance to talk openly at table discussions on issues related to supply chain strategies.
  • Wednesday Lunch Presentation – Future Customer Needs & Technology Trends in the Construction Industry, Brian Rauch, John Deere.

 
NFPA Supplier Council Helps Support Foundation with Golf Invitational
The NFPA 4th Annual Foundation Invitational Golf Tournament was a HUGE success with over $11,000 raised to benefit the NFPA Education and Technology Foundation. Gordon Weiler from Daman Products Company, Inc. liked the new additions to the tournament, "Kudos to the Future Leader golf volunteers - There is clear energy and excitement that I have not sensed in the past."

The Supplier Council would like to thank all of the Sponsors and Golfers for their support. A special thanks goes out to Frank Abruzzo, Dura-Bar and Jon Goreham, Alro Steel the tournament Co-Chairmen; Tricia Fulton, Sun Hydraulics, Rick Guidish, Deltrol Fluid Products, George Haithwaite, Enfield Technologies, Krista Billert, Dura-Bar, Paul Heney, Design World Magazine, our tournament volunteers; and Jeff Hand of ROSS Controls who took on all contenders on Hole 13 in the first-ever Beat the Future Leader competition.

Click here for the full recap of 2011 Industry and Economic Outlook Conference.