Committee to Discuss Integrating AMT, AMTDA

Sept. 1, 2011
AMT, AMTDA exploring strategic partnerships for products, services

The trade associations representing domestic machine shops and their suppliers indicate they are looking for ways to pool their activities. The AMT-The Association For Manufacturing Technology and AMTDA-The American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association have formed a committee “to explore ways to integrate their products and services,” a change they state will serve members of both associations better.

The exploratory committee will be comprised of staff and board members from both organizations. They will discuss strategic partnerships and a joint approach to important manufacturing issues, as well as consolidated services. No examples were provided of the latter.

“AMTDA has always been focused on strengthening the collaboration between the product manufacturer (OEM), the local distribution firms, and the final customer,” stated the group’s president, Peter Borden,. “We believe that a greater integration of our two associations’ constituencies and products can further enhance the performance of each of these groups at a critical time for our industry.”

AMTDA includes as its members 250 machine tool distributor s and 150 builders and marketers, and collectively they represent over 80 percent of all U.S. machine tool distribution sales.

The AMT supports and promotes the U.S. manufacturing technology industry by providing U.S. builders of manufacturing systems with information on technical developments, trade, and marketing opportunities, and economic issues.

Their exploratory meetings are expected to begin this month, and a report of their conclusions will be delivered later this year.

“It has always been my goal to find better ways to serve the manufacturing industry,” stated AMT president Douglas K. Woods. “This exploration, which we expect will lead to a very close cooperation with AMTDA, is a natural partnership that will help both organizations as they seek to advance manufacturing in the United States.”