Industrial Talk is onsite at FABTECH 23 and talking to David Klotz, President of Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) about "PMA's commitment to helping members succeed." Here are some of the key takeaways from our conversation:
Scott MacKenzie and David Klotz discuss PMA events and how to get involved, with a focus on networking, advocacy, and training.
Scott MacKenzie encourages listeners to reach out to PMA and attend Fabtech for metal forming industry insights.
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Welcome to the Industrial Talk Podcast with Scott MacKenzie. Scott is a passionate industry professional dedicated to transferring cutting-edge industry focused innovations and trends while highlighting the men and women who keep the world moving. So put on your hard hat, grab your work boots, and let's get
00:21
ed to put on your calendar in:
01:20
How you doing, Scott? Well, man. Well, excited. Good seeing you again.
01:24
It's good to be seen again. I'm telling you, man, you haven't a good conference. We are
01:29
and I appreciate the support on your behalf and interviewing and talking to as our members that's great.
01:35
I'm telling you, I've had some great I call them technology Sprint's so we go to the PMA members and we just like what are you doing? Well, why is that important? That's cool stuff. You know, it never gets old. There's a lot of cool stuff out there
01:51
there is the Metalforming area that we have here is like PMA is part of partnering with the fab tech group. So there's, you know, five partners and PMA is a puts on the whole Metalforming area. And these partners that have exhibited here have exhibiting with PMA, and for many, many years, and you've been in existence for 81. But it was FABTECH. For the last, ever since we've been partnered with them.
02:16
What always fascinates me is when I look at, if it's been in existence since 81, there's a lot of changes that have happened. And it just never stops to change is always the case. And it's just I just love that energy. And then when you could walk through the venue, and you're looking at all of the parts that people are like, Hey, check this out. This is a cool part this, they're very excited about what they can do.
02:42
Well, and yeah, we used to do our own show on our own. It was just a state Metalforming conference and we just in Chicago, you get it up in Rosemont. And we would do in Nashville and all that. And then in Oh 809 is when we partnered with the fact that affected our hearse. And it was a great partnership, because members get you know, attendees could come and see the stampede side. But then they can also go see the the robotic side the welding, fabrication has all these manufacturers are doing all those processes. Yes, throughout the present. Now they can go to one show, and here in Chicago is always every year of the year in Chicago. It's awesome. And it's a must see, like you said it is yeah,
03:21
I mean, I look at it, I'll sit there and I'll just watch a machine run. And just think to myself going, God, how do they do that? How do they make that thing?
03:32
informed? And then that part? Yes, it's it's it never ends.
03:35
It never ends. Let's level set real quick. Give us a little background on who David is.
03:41
So, again, my name is David Klotz, President of Precision Metalforming Association. We're full trade association based in Cleveland, Ohio. We have a staff of about 30 people, our membership, we oversee and covered 950 member companies all around the country, and Canada, and Mexico as well. And then we have some members overseas in Asia and in Europe as well. But 950 Total companies all doing Metalforming fabrication, Metal Bending type process, most of our numbers, our family on companies, sometimes second, third generation. Yeah. And then we have some larger companies that are tier ones and our tier twos, companies. Most of our members are automotive suppliers, but then some are off highway and then get into defense, medical and navy telecom. And then association we put on about 60 events a year all the way from executive level annual meeting all the way down to the shop floor and everything in between. So all forms are kind of training that we pride produce for our members to help educate them because they're always they're hiring people. They've never been in a plant for before or especially a metal stamping. And so we've got to get them up to speed and a lot of our train Adding tools, either online or in person, we provide those to our members.
05:04
So let me sort of put it in my my verbiage. I'm a manufacturer I need. But I'm a, let's say, I'm a small manufacturer, and I just need to train. I don't have the bandwidth to do that. I just don't. Right. And so I can be a part of your organization and sort of take care of that whole training side, right? Correct. Would you work with me on that?
05:32
Yep. So we can we actually have two individuals on our team that can come in and look at your training program. And if you don't even have one, we can create one for you. Or look at and revamp the one you've got if you need help with that. And then what we do is we implement, either that training needs to be in person, or we have an online platform that we can introduce as well. So it's kind of a mixture of both what may or may fit the needs for that member. And because they're busy, they're running farts, and they, you know, they may be very limited of how much time they can, you know, spend on training. Yeah, that's very important as they can grow in the organization. At trainings and quarterback, yes, we can do that.
06:13
How does in light of training, how does PMA stay current with all of the changes that are taking place out there? I mean, you just walked the floor. And it's a completely different world out there, and two years ago, or whatever, and it's just different how to how do you keep current,
06:33
so we'll focus is obviously will focus in some areas that will speak on but a lot of the times we bring subject matter experts from these companies that are exhibiting here, to come in and speak on on that technology or that process. And so you're getting the latest and greatest of what equipments out there, or the latest and greatest process out there, how to, you know, so you can stay ahead, it's a reality, we bring our subject matter experts in so we were the organizer, and will help train up some part of it. We're also a facilitator to bring that everybody together
07:06
outside of the education, which is priceless, because things are changing so drastically. What other benefits would I receive as a member of your organization?
07:20
So I think the biggest one people say is the networking aspect, we are members, I've never seen an organization. And I've been part of organizations in the past and never seen an organization where they help each other out. So we have six networking groups, all different levels, and they help their peer to peer, it's kind of like a YPO. But in your industry, and they go visit each other shop, some of them are competitor each other and then go visit each other shop, they see you there as a shop floor, how they're running, and they help each other be successful. And and then they'll visit the another person plant, but it's a network where you can reach out to people and say I have an issue, you can reach out to this, your, your networking group, and ask them for advice and how they can help. You know, and so I've never seen anything like that. So competitors helping each other out. It's unbelievable that networking is the biggest thing. So as as we put on these events, great way to network and say, a lot of times a member will get an opportunity to code a job. And that's why it's not it doesn't fit our needs. But I know, ABC company can do this. Yeah, I'll hand they'll they'll let them know, vice versa, they get they get maybe a job at ABC, they can't do it, they'll give it back to ya. So that networking is really strong. And it's always been 81 years or even existence. 81 years they've been around real Association and in the network. That has always been the number one reason people are numbers.
08:48
With all that said, with everything that's taking place, where do you see it going, David? I mean, what, what? How, what do you see it? What what's what, what are the people talking about? I
08:59
think I think the need as it as this age is less and less people communicate and everything's going by electronic and text message, you know that the need for networking is even more important now than it was. And so I see a continued growth, our meetings and events are always sold out and great attendance. You know, we've added 250 new members over the last three years. And already we've gotten some great leads here of the show. So I think companies need that direction, because there have been a lot of people that are new to manufacturing special Metalforming, that they need help and assistance either by networking training, or as our third arm we lobby in DC. Oh, we're arrival once the six a week. Yeah. And on behalf of our members, there's a big issue right now the r&d expensing. Right now it's a big issue our members and we're fighting then in DC to get that relief. So they have to amortize their expenses and Passing, you're able to write those expenses off for any r&d. Now they have to arm it and amortize it. Yeah. And it really reduces the RE inhibits no companies to invest in r&d. Yeah. And so we're fighting that in DC saying, No, we got to bring this back to where they can expense that and not have to amortize that. And then OSHA. You know, when OSHA comes out with regulations and standards, we try to fight some ones that are, you know, that makes sense that help our benefit for our members.
10:34
I don't see how you can be sort of an island out there, it just seems to me that I need to, I need to be involved in an organization such as yours.
10:46
I just had a member came up to us, they're a fourth-generation member out of Connecticut, and they're not a member, I was actually there a prospect, fourth generation stamper in Connecticut, very successful company, families, they've never been involved. The PMA in their fourth generation son just came up and says, I need your help. I need to be part of PMA because I don't have all the answers. And we had a great conversation. And he's heard benefits of reason why and the, you know, either past generations were didn't want to share and, you know, somewhere, yeah, somewhere close LePen you can't be on that island anymore. There's too much competitive industry and, and the market that you got to be share ideas,
11:28
it just on a side note, you know, it's I look at all the processes of the machines out here that are doing what they're doing, and they're pressing, and they're doing the buzzing around for me, because I know, I'm a neophyte, it's hard for me not to see that as so. What makes that press better than that press? What's that application over there? Versus the application that looks the same? You know, right. I just because it's so competitive. You just need that help.
12:02
Right? And that's why that networking side and be able to talk to somebody within your peer group and say, Hey, why did you buy that piece of equipment or the manager? You know, what were the reasons and you know, and then you can say, well, and then another one, why did you buy that brand? I mean, it's just it helps takes out some of the learning game, and the miscues and less miscues.
12:23
Yeah, to run a business, it's always nice to hear somebody say, Yeah, I did that. Don't do that. I look for that. People ask me Don't do that. Don't chase after that. That's a problem. So with that said, what's on the horizon for PMA? What are you looking at?
12:42
So we obviously the fall is very important. busy time for us, our districts, we have 16 districts around the country that are all volunteer ran by our members. So obviously, that's gearing up for a lot of fall events, we do reveal plant tours, some golf outings and supplier nights. And then on the national level, we've got our automotive conference, it's going to be in Greenville, South Carolina, very good turnout. That's our 30th year of doing this automotive conference, we'll obviously talk about where the industry is at. But we'll get into electric vehicles, and we'll talk about hydrogen, I will have an industry forecast person talking about the forecast of the number of vehicles being produced in the next, you know, four or five years. So that's those are kind of our signature events. And then we get lead into right into stamping conference, and then our annual meeting in March. So, you know, this is a busy time coming through, oh, that's exciting. And then one of the last things is we just bought, we just bought a new software and internally to run our business and we just launched it, we have an input that we're going to start implementing it. And it's a big project for us internally it's called it's an AMS solution is called associate management system basically manages our association with on the front end, the member when they log in, I want for that member experience to be easy to register for events fees and and and have an app and so we're going we're going to be implementing new software and that's going to be the main goal to improve the communications with the number and how they register and that front facing
14:20
that don't don't don't bring him to me friction. Because I know I've experienced it in the past and it's like gosh, I I'm struggling here am I and I always blame myself it's like yeah, you're just not skilled enough but then like it doesn't have to be so difficult now it doesn't have to be that difficult. It's that important. Yeah, well
14:40
some calls I sorry, okay. And I had proud I wanted to register head couldn't and we just said you know, this way this new software is going to help us and and be more efficient internally. So that's a big project internally that we're going to be
14:51
doing. So with that said, How do I What's the best way to get involved in PMA what is the Best way to reach out
15:01
to us@pma.org. There's all our events and, and and information on there on the website. And there's a sales team with a lineup and meeting with sales. And we can go through all the different benefits because everything's something unique for each member that they want to get out of PMA, could be networking could be advocacy, it could be training, and that's what we'll focus on.
15:20
Can I Can I pick and choose, can I really just say, Hey, I'm, I'm over here, and I just want
15:27
to work. So some of our members do. Yep. Really? Yep.
15:30
So let's cafeteria. Exactly. That's pretty cool. Yeah, I like that. So I'm always excited about this. I am I'm always excited about attending this event, just because I it's, it's it's its economy. It's the economy in one place, and you get to see it all. And you get to see the passion that exists with all of these individuals. I love this conversation
15:55
and manufacturing so much reshoring is coming back. Yeah. And there's great opportunities for our members and that it's a it's a great week to be here.
16:05
Yeah. All right, reach out to pma.org. That's what you want to do you because you want to be able to be a part of that organization. It's, it's a must if you're in manufacturing, at least find out what's going on over there. Because they've got your back. They definitely have your back. All right, we're broadcasting from FABTECH. Once again, it is a must attend event. Orlando next year. Make it happen, Captain. All right. We're gonna have all the contact information for David out on Industrial Talk. So stay tuned. We will be right back.
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You're listening to the Industrial Talk Podcast Network.
16:45
All right. David Klotz PMA, Precision Metalforming Association. If you're in the business of Metalforming, that is the association you need to be with. You need to connect with that team. It is important, especially today, we were at FABTECH. As you could tell by the sound in the background, and it was in Chicago, you need to put it on your calendar. I mean, it was a spectacular effect. Massive. You need to attend if you're in manufacturing. Yes. A must attend. It's going to be in Orlando next year. Can't complain about that Orlando. So look, for that information. Go out to Industrial Talk. We're gonna have all the contact information for David, as well as next year's FABTECH. Because we're big, big fans of the event. All right. We're building a platform that needs to include you. So reach out to me go out to Industrial Talk.com Say Scott, I want to talk to you. Be bold, be brave, daring greatly. We're gonna have another great conversation coming from FABTECH shortly so stay tuned.
