Top Ten Reasons to Attend the Supply Summit & Showcase
10. Education: Attending will help you make good business decisions. Would you like some insight into the current and future economy for business planning? Are you curious about incentives and grants available for manufacturers? Do you need information about multi-jurisdictional taxes or product safety programs? Or, are you an entrepreneur learning how to professionally manage a growing business? Our Supply Summit speakers will inspire, educate, and energize.
9. Perspective: Good things come when you can step away from the daily grind. Matt Westendorf, an Association board member and general manager at Westendorf Manufacturing, says it is tough to make the time, but “as soon as you get to a meeting, you realize that when you take a break from day-to-day work, important things come out. Your mind clears, you hear what others in the industry are doing … it just gives you a broad approach and a bigger picture.”
8. Fun: Destin offers something for everyone. It features pristine white sand beaches, emerald waters, upscale shopping, vibrant nightlife, and is often referred to as the “World’s Luckiest Fishing Village.”
7. Solutions: You’ll find solutions to problems. We hear stories every year of a manufacturer meeting a supplier at the product showcase and stumbling onto a game-changing solution. Former Association president John Tye with Lubbock Fastener Supply describes it like this: “You walk by a table and look at something, and you say, ‘That’s the sort of thing we are looking for, but it needs to be like this. Can you make it like this?’ In most cases, the answer is ‘If you want to buy it, we can make it.’”
6. Golf: Let’s be honest, your golf game needs work. What better place than the Raven Golf Club in the Sunshine State to practice your swing while you discuss the price of steel, supply chain challenges, or finding the best people in a competitive labor market.
5. Networking: Relationships are the key to success, and this meeting is about relationships. “Networking is so important, and we have forged relationships at the Summit that go back decades,” said Ben Hellbusch, Association President with Duo Lift Manufacturing. “You see people that you’ve known for years, and you also meet new people. I always leave with a fresh perspective and new ways to problem solve.”
4. Value: The Summit provides unmatched value. Association member Nick Jensen from Edney Distributing and a former Association president, said that attending gives you a leg up on your competition. “We always learn something new about distribution law at these meetings, which in the long run, has more than paid for the price of the meeting and membership fees.”
3. Productivity: There is no better place to maximize your time. This is your chance to meet with supplier companies that represent parts, materials and service providers worldwide, all in one place. It will save you time— seriously. In three days, you can take a tour of a manufacturing plant, meet suppliers, learn from industry experts, and get ideas from a couple hundred industry colleagues.
2. Growth: It can drive growth. John Brown from Myers Spring, a member of the Supplier Board of Governors, said the company’s business has grown as a result of the Summit. “We’ve met a lot of decision makers here. Myers Spring is a larger part of the ag market because of the Association.”
1. Innovation: This is a moment in the industry and nation when a little creative thinking may lead to a breakthrough. With changes in tax law (we’ll cover that), emerging energy technologies (learn more about that, too), and techniques for turning your company into an innovation machine (on the agenda). And, with the agriculture economy poised for recovery — this is a good time to pursue innovations not only in product development but workplace strategies. You just may find your “aha moment” in Sandestin.