Nearly 300 CEOs and executives from the global power transmission and motion control (PT/MC) industry are to meet in Malta this September for their annual convention. Themed Our Future, the convention is organised by the European Power Transmission Distributors Associations (EPTDA). IVAN CAMILLERI, our correspondent in Brussels, recently spoke to EPTDA's executive vice- president, HANS HANEGREEFS, to get an insight into the upcoming event and why Malta was chosen as the convention's location.
What is EPTDA's role in the power transmission industry?
EPTDA, European Power Transmission Distributors Association, is the leading association for the industrial distribution channel in Europe, setting the commercial, environmental, social and ethical standards. Our mission is to advance distribution and strengthen our members to be successful, profitable and competitive in a changing market environment. We are a premier community for qualified members through open dialogue and mutual respect; acting with integrity, honesty and fairness; and ensuring continuous growth and learning.
It seems that EPTDA's members are some of the most influential names in their business.
EPTDA currently has a membership of nearly 200 leading companies across 25 countries worldwide representing over €22 billion in annual sales turnover. Our members are primarily distributors and manufacturers from Europe and North America. In the past few years we have also had the privilege of welcoming members from South Africa, Israel and Japan with representation offices in Asia and the Middle East.
The EPTDA member companies employ nearly 190,000 people worldwide. More than 80 per cent of our distributor members are privately- or family-owned businesses, while 33 per cent of our manufacturer members are publicly listed companies. So we are playing quite an important role directly and indirectly in the future growth of the European economy, and creating new jobs.
How has your industry been influenced by the ongoing crisis, and what steps have your member companies undertaken to combat the recession?
2009 was undoubtedly the most challenging year for our business and industry. From credit crunch to the most severe financial recession ever, we have all dealt with shock, denial, guilt, frustrations, anger, depression and now finally some hope. Throughout 2009, our member companies have all gone through severe cost containment programmes, shifting business models, and eyeing emerging markets to come out of the recession as fit as possible.
Consolidation has become a tough reality in our industry - it is challenging but can also be greatly opportunistic. So by bringing our members together for an active and open dialogue, we are helping them to find solutions that will define a stronger and stable future for our industry.
One thing that this recession has taught all of us is the power of relationships, the power of hope and the power of a human being to go on. As a leading organisation, our biggest role is to help inspire our members to go on, and we are working extremely hard at it.
Why did you choose Malta for your annual convention?
EPTDA has built up quite a reputation in hosting its annual conventions at some of the most desirable destinations across Europe.
Over the past few years we have taken our members to some very exclusive spots: Barcelona, Vienna, Monaco, Brussels and Rome. As the world changed its face dramatically in 2009, and as businesses around the globe looked for answers to new problems, we wanted to look back on our history to learn a few valuable lessons to define the course of the future.
Malta's glorious history, breathtaking beauty, strategic location, efficient, qualified and young workforce, world-class infrastructure and the mysterious image were more than reasons enough for us to choose Malta as our next hot-spot.
Themed "Our Future", the EPTDA annual convention in Malta aims at drawing up innovative strategies for a better economic future, helping the member companies to address today's on-going and new challenges.
We are bringing together some of the most thought-provoking speakers, industrialists and economists to share lessons from the past and help us make tough decisions for the future. We are gathering together in this historical destination to learn more about where we are all coming from and where we are headed.
In our endeavour we found strong support from Malta's authorities and business institutions, particularly from Malta Enterprise, Hilton and Air Malta. We hope that Malta will become an important destination for our CEOs, particularly in business terms.