As I write this, I have just returned from ARM’s Summer Board meeting. This is the Board’s longest meeting of the year and it is typically used for planning. As a result of the Association’s success over the last few years, we were able to spend a lot of the meeting talking about ways to invest in value for all of our members.
The various ideas for adding for members can be separated into three categories:
- Making rotomolding more productive
- Promoting for the rotomolding process
- Providing research into the rotomolding market
Some of the ideas are bold long-term projects that we will study before we move forward. One project we have acted quickly on, and I hope we can announce within the next few weeks. And the other ideas are somewhere in the middle.
One of the drivers of these discussions is a new ad hoc committee focused on Productivity Improvement, this project of ARM and the Roy Crawford Rotomolding Education Foundation has been driven by ARM Past President Corey Claussen and Vice President Rick Carlsen. The group spans our industry and supply base. Their goal is to research, experiment, document and make available methods to improve the industry’s productivity. They have wide-ranging discussions on automation, robotics, material development, and mold building methods. They’re focused on identifying areas that we can invest in advancing our process and communicating valuable productivity improvements that already exist.
Over the past year, ARM has seen an uptick in new members. This is one of the reasons we’re able to invest in new value for members. In the first five months of 2019, these companies have joined ARM:
- Alpha Systems
- Aquaplastica
- Bergen International
- CIPSA Industrias
- Crane Resistoflex
- Ecotank
- Fibeco
- Houry Design Services
- Legend Brands Dri-Eaz
- Progen
- Rock Lake Robotics
- RPS Corporation
ARM just finished our Spring regional meeting schedule. We held two regional meetings on Warping Parts in California and South Carolina. Our final regional meeting will be held in Minneapolis on June 18. Also, I personally had the pleasure of presenting a two-day hands-on rotomolding course at Penn College in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. All of these meeting attendees will tell you just how valuable face-to-face meetings can be. I hope we’ll see all of you at our Annual Meeting in Houston this October 27-30. It will be well worth your time.
Dru Laws is the President of ARM and the Senior Vice President of Seljan Company in Lake Mills, Wisconsin.
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