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Last Updated: Oct 23, 2008 - 7:41:48 AM |
More than 1,700 people, more than 270 exhibiting companies and an unlimited supply of business enthusiasm and optimism gathered in Kansas City at the end of June for the Twenty-First Annual International Fuel Ethanol Workshop and Expo. IBT was a first-time exhibitor at this event.
All segments of the industry were in attendance and at least 26 countries - from every continent except Antarctica - were represented. This year's record-setting turnout marks a continued steep increase in interest and attendance, impressively up from the forty original pioneers who made it to St. Louis in 1985 for the first ever event.
Plenary sessions and breakout workshops dealt with state and federal legislation, world developments, plant management, feedstocks, technology, risk management and leading edge processing issues.
There was also time built into the schedule for fun, including a golf tourney, a banquet with entertainment at Benjamin Ranch, and for some, NASCAR and Indy Car races on the following weekend. Plant tours on both sides of the Missouri-Kansas state line were also on the schedule.
IBT used the occasion of the FEW event to launch a dedicated new website: www.ibtethanol.com. Equipped with access to searchable databases of parts and equipment, the website is also enabled for true ecommerce.
With a booth staffed by IBT managers from electrical products, safety products, material handling and by various branch sales representatives, the company hosted old friends and customers and made some new friends as well.
"Ethanol as a marketplace has a great past and a strong future for us," electrical products marketing manager Jim Ryan noted. "There is tremendous interest in renewable fuels. The cost of production has been decreasing. Political support for ethanol is greatly increasing. The problems with other fuel additives are becoming overwhelming. And, as IBT, we find ourselves right at the heart of the US agricultural region - where the crops suitable for ethanol production are all around us. We are very eager to work with the ethanol industry."
Selected comments from IBT customers in the ethanol industry reinforced Ryan's positive outlook: "Our plant buys a lot of stuff from IBT," one offered. "Their knowledgeable people, their easy to work with attitude and their attention to customer care make me a big fan. I hope that other people in my industry get to know them as well as I do."
Another buyer had a slightly different twist: "I like the fact that IBT offers both products and services. With their lubrication help and their vibration analysis and other technical support, they can help us increase our reliability and lower our maintenance costs. And, their safety products and consulting services are very attractive to us."
"It was very interesting to look at the other exhibitors at FEW," Jerry Hayes, VP marketing admits. "Our product lines overlap with a number of parts of other companies' offerings - but I did not see any direct competitors for our full range of products and services. I actually located some exhibitors who could possibly become our customers."
"Once we identified ethanol as an important area, we got moving quickly," marketing services director Gary Hense reported. "We had to create a web site, construct a trade show booth, get literature together and make sure that we were showcasing ourselves to the industry in the best way. And, we had to do it quickly. Based on the response we received at FEW Expo, we are operating on target. The proof will be, obviously, in seeing how much greater our recognition and penetration into the industry has become by next year's meeting."
IBT offers motors, drives, bearings, power transmission products, industrial rubber, fluid power, conveying equipment and material handling system products - as well as industrial maintenance, lubrication, engineering and media services. The company provides consulting in safety, including OSHA compliance, and has a new Integrated Services group for supply chain integration and management.
To learn more about IBT, contact Gary Hense.
© Copyright 2005 by IBT PrimeMOVER
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