March 2019
AHTD Strategic Business Partner Program
AHTD is proud to have a growing community of Strategic Business Partners. These companies offer strategic products or services in the industrial automation distribution industry as well as having shown a significant commitment to the industry.

This month, we take a closer look at some of our business partners. Don't miss the chance to visit their booths at Spring Meeting 2019.

Strategic Business Partners Identify Key Trends for Automation in 2019
By Winn Hardin, TECH B2B MARKETING
From tax incentives to technology, AHTD Strategic Business Partners offer services and products to enhance members’ businesses. These partners share how they help members and identify critical factors informing industrial automation for 2019. Read the full article .
KYKLO Corporation
The Long Tail and Why Distributors Need to Understand the Value

Selling the long tail of extended product offerings has been outside the reach of all but a few distributors. Humanly impossible, financially impractical and outside the realm of AHTD members, the concept has largely been written off by good distributors. Technology changes everything. Advancements in software technology opens the door to a fast growing source of revenue and puts automation distributors on an even footing with monoliths like Amazon. Invest four minutes to understand why.

Epicor Software
Technology is ever-evolving. For software providers, staying idle is not an option—it’s a continuous journey of research, discovery, and advancement. At the risk of over-simplifying a complex issue, the easiest way to make the most out of your ERP investment is by dedicating time to understanding the improvements that have been created for the system since your initial implementation. However, this simple task can involve a daunting amount of information. Faced with this and innumerable other demands on your time, where do you begin? Here are five ways that Epicor users—and all software users—can make the most of their ERP investment.
MRA - The Management Association
Tips from the Trainer: Take the Time to Train Well

You’ve hired a great new employee who will help you immensely with your ever-growing workload, and you can’t wait to get started. There’s just one problem—training is needed.

Do you have time in your schedule to train this new person (and train well)? Of course, you don’t! You hired a new employee because you have too much work and not enough people. But, it’s incredibly important that you make the time to train your new hire well, because if you don’t, you’ll be retraining to fix the mistakes that happened when you were rushing though it the first time around.
We look forward to seeing you at the
Welcome Reception on Wednesday, April 10.
For more information, including hotel, product showcase,
and optional tours, visit our website .
AHTD is proud to welcome the following companies to our association family. Do you know of a company that might like to learn more about membership in AHTD? Please contact Leigha Schatzman .
Carlo Gavazzi's Capacitive Proximity Sensors
Buffalo Grove, IL – CARLO GAVAZZI is pleased to announce the launch of our Capacitive Proximity Sensors with Integrated IO-Link Communication. Based on our 4th generation of TRIPLESHIELD™ sensors, the CA18CA and CA30CA Series represent the ideal solution for automation applications where sensor flexibility or sensing performance needs to be constantly and accurately monitored and logged. Read the full article.
Piab Introduces piLIFT® SMART
Hingham, MA – Piab is proud to introduce piLIFT® SMART, offering a genuine breakthrough in vacuum lifting. Smarter, more energy-efficient, quieter, ergonomic by design, and utilizing the same principles of physics as all vacuum lifters, Piab’s piLIFT® SMART represents a paradigm shift as the market’s first Industry 4.0 ready vacuum lifter. piLIFT® SMART takes ergonomic vacuum lifting to a new and higher level, essential for meeting our customers’ needs and to ensure the continued development and success of their industries.

RG Group Names New Board Members
YORK, PA – RG Group is pleased to announce the appointment of two new members of the Board of Directors, effective March 1, 2019. The newly appointed Board members are Stephen M. Earley and Michael J. Groft.

Centro, Inc. Acquires Machine Automation of Knoxville, TN
We are pleased to announce that today Centro finalized our acquisition of Machine Automation of Knoxville. Machine Automation https://machineautomation.com/ Mike Messer who has owned and operated the company for 23 years will remain with Centro. Machine Automation is a solutions provider with an emphasis on the Automation & Robotics market. Read the full article.
L to R: Jamie Jessee, Tim Gregory, KC Frew, Mike Messer
Notice to Membership: Change in By-Laws
In order to streamline the application process for our future Manufacturer members and to remove the sometimes confusing distinction of “Preliminary Manufacturer” member type versus “Manufacturer” member type, the Board of Directors has approved a change to Article IV of our by-laws (the Membership section) to retire the designation of “Preliminary Manufacturer.” AHTD will now have four (4) member classes instead of five (5). The Preliminary Manufacturer member type has been removed; all current and potential future Preliminary Manufacturers will simply be classified as “Manufacturers.”  
Spring Meeting 2019

Wednesday, April 10 -
Saturday, April 13, 2019
 
Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort, Amelia Island, FL
Fall Meeting 2019

Wednesday, October 9 -
Saturday, October 12, 2019
 
Marriott Orlando World Center, Orlando, FL
Promotions
Please share your company milestones, news, and events with us by emailing promotions@ahtd.org to be in an upcoming newsletter. We'll publish one article per member company each month. Don't fret if you don't see your article right away. We publish articles in the order received.
 
Questions?
Contact Leigha Schatzman, Executive Director at 262.696.3645 or email Leigha.Schatzman@ahtd.org .