Season's Greetings. On November 21st our 60th Annual General Meeting was held at the Toronto Board of Trade Country Club in Woodbridge, ON. Some 90 members and guests were in attendance to hear the various committee reports and financial status of our association. The statistics report indicated the 2002 was a difficult year for the machine tool industry with a drop of sales of approximately 9% from 2001. Due to the effort of our Directors and Jim Burrows, our membership has grown to 74 members.

In addition to the reports, Ralph Balbaa, president of Hite Engineering , made a presentation on "Health, Safety and Machine Tools." Bob Mathieu from Reed Exhibitions reviewed the Canadian Fabricating and Stamping Machinery Show and announced the integration of CMTS with CSFM for Fall 2003. Bob also presented a cheque to Jim Burrows for the CMTDA sponsorship of CSFM. Thanks to Bob and Reed Exhibitions. A special thanks to Darren Carroll for his work in preparing the compensation survey. The results should be forwarded to participants very shortly.

2003 will be a very challenging year for all machine tool distributors. The demand for new machines will be limited and offers on new and used machines will continue to exceed the demand; it will be time to be creative to maximize the margin on every transaction. Again I am asking all members to become more involved with the association. We need new ideas, suggestions and to hear your concerns. Thanks to all the directors for their input and help and a special thanks to Jim Burrows for his constant dedication to this organization.

Have a healthy and happy holiday season.

Best Regards,

Albert LeBlanc, President

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by CMTDA Executive Director Jim Burrows 

All machine tool distributors are continuing to feel depressed business conditions with no end in sight. However, conditions in Canada show better results than in the United States showing a 25% decrease from 2001. The average order size is slightly lower with lathes averaging $218,000, vertical machining centers, $172,000.

Horizontal machining centers are higher at $419,000. Horizontal and vertical boring machines averaged lower at $720,000, however there were 25 machines total sold rather than 37 for 2001 at this point. CNC EDM machines were 7% lower than last year at $191,000 but increased their unit numbers from 65 to 83.

CNC grinding average order was up 13% to $352,000 and units up 10% compared to 2001 at this time last year. Coordinate measuring machines averaged $169,000 down over 10%.

Non CNC metal cutting machines maintained an average order of $18,000 but were down 11% from last year. Fabricating machines are down by 5% with profile cutting suffering 41% lower units and 16% lower dollars. The average sale in fabricating has decreased by $4,000 to $55,000. Metal stamping kept a similar number at $28,000.

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Reed Announces Changes to 2003 Show Schedule

Bob Mathieu of Reed Exhibitions was a guest speaker at the CMTDA Annual General Meeting on November 21. Mathieu presented the CMTDA with a sponsor cheque for the recent Canadian Fabricating and Stamping Machinery Show.

At the same time, Mathieu announced several changes to Reed's show schedule for 2003 and beyond.

These changes include the postponement of both the Moncton, NB show and the London, ON show and the Canadian Fabricating & Stamping Machinery show has been discontinued and integrated into the Canadian Machine Tool Show.

According to Mathieu, Reed will concentrate on two major shows - CMTS in Toronto and the Montreal Fabricating and Machine Tool Show in Montreal.

The Western Manufacturing Technology Show which will be held in Edmonton, AB in 2003 and an Vancouver, BC in 2004 will proceed as planned.

During the question period, the possibility of a May date rather than October for 2005 was suggested. Reed are looking for input from CMTDA regarding any change of date. CMTDA will proceed with a survey of their members.

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The CMTDA’s Purpose and Objectives

The Canadian Machine Tool Distributors Association was founded in 1942 as a trade association dedicated to the marketing of machine tools and services in Canada through distributorship companies. 
Its aims are: 

• To promote friendly business relations among its members
• To provide means whereby problems affecting the industry can be readily discussed and to co-operate, as a group, to further the interests of the industry by all desirable and lawful means
• To stimulate growth in the use of machine tools and secure wider markets for these tools
• To advertise the industry and the specific advantages attainable through the use of machine tools
• To make available information which will assist users and prospective users to obtain properly selected machine tools
• To collect and disseminate statistics on market capacity and other pertinent matters
• To exchange information among members for the purpose of reducing distribution costs and eliminating waste and duplication of efforts
• To enable the members, as a group, to discuss with the government, if need be, tariff problems and other issues relating to machine tools.

How to Join the CMTDA

Any individual, partnership, firm, company or corporation may be elected to membership in the CMTDA by an affirmative vote of not less than 2/3 majority of the current directors of the Corporation. A regular member is one which maintains an office or other recognized place of business, represents at least one recognized manufacturer of machine tools on an exclusive basis in a designated territory, carries its own accounts, is established and actively engaged in the distribution of machine tools in Canada for at least one year at the time of application, does at least 51% of its business in new machinery and provides monthly orders booked data in the format set out by the Corporation. 
Contact the CMTDA at P.O. Box 262, Minden, ON K0M 2K0. Phone (705) 286 6921 or fax (705) 286 6905.

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CMTDA Holds 2nd Annual Golf Classic

CMTDA held its second annual Golf Classic on Thursday, August 29th at the beautiful Pheasant Run Golf Club just east of Newmarket, ON. As last year , the weather was a perfect late summer day. Pheasant Run is a per 72 course and is a pleasant challenge. Scramble format rules were observed. A total of 11 foursomes joined fellow CMTDA members. The winning foursome came in a 5 under par and was comprised of Don McDonald and Peter Richardson of Advanced Fabricating Machinery and their guests, Wally Gardner and Andy Pavletich.

Second place honours went to Joseph Robb of Forward Precision, Stan Krajewski of Commerce Brokerage, Robert Fletcher of Top Tech and Gary Moore of Matcom Industrial, who came in at 3 under par.

Brian Donnelly of Ferro Technique, Margaret Binns of Neiman Machinery, Gord Valley of Canadian Industrial Publishing and Mark Vreugdenhil of Metalworking Production & Purchasing cane in third place at 2 under par.

The prize for longest drive went to Don McDonald of Advanced Fabricating Machinery, and Peter Turton of 600 Group Equipment was presented with the closest to the pin award. Many thanks to Margaret Binns of Neiman and Jim Burrows of CMTDA for organizing the event. A special thanks goes to our sponsors; Reed Exhibitions, Citi Capital, The National Trade Centre, Canadian Industrial Publishing, Metalworking Production & Purchasing, Canadian Machinery and Metalworking and CMTDA. Thanks to all! After the game, we all enjoyed drinks on the patio and a delicious dinner in the dining room. A draw for fabulous prizes concluded the fantastic event. Next year's CMTDA Golf Classic is scheduled for August 28, 2003.

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CMTSE Program A Success

CMTDA co-sponsored an exam site in Toronto with AMTDA to have local participants accomplish their test without the travel expense.

We were pleased to have seven Canadian graduates who are now proudly advertising the qualifications os a Certified Machine Tool Sales Engineer.

For some of you who are not familiar with this program, CMTSE (a program created by AMTDA) has been embraced by many of Canada's machine tool distributors.

THroughout North America, the CMTSE credential is increasingly recognized as the benchmark for professional capability in machine tool sales.

To become a CMTSE, you have to study and become proficient in a wide range of topics (from manufacturing, mathematics, dales and marketing, a detailed knowledge of machine tools, metrology, ethics, etc,) and then take the exam.

Congratulations to Greg Falsetti, Ryan Haydar and Scott Lowen of Eliott-Matsuura, Robert Fletcher of Top Tech Machinery, Bob Kanarek, Richard Martin and Richard White of A.W. Miller Technical Sales.

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CMTDA Statistics Report

CMTDA Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Machine Tool Distributors' Association held at the Toronto Board of Trade Country Club in Woodbridge on November 21, 2003 was well attended by 89 members and guests.

The agenda covered a warm welcome and update from Albert Leblanc and various committee reports covering Trade Shows, Statistics, Membership and AMTDA.

Attendees were treated to two speakers during the meeting. Bob Mathieu of Reed Exhibitions covered show changes and Ralph Balbaa, M. Eng., P.Eng., President of Hite Engineering Corp. spoke on "Health Safety & Machine Tools".

After the meeting, participants were treated to refreshments compliments of Canadian Machinery & Metalworking, Canadian Industrial Publishing and Metalworking, Production & Purchasing. An excellent roast beef dinner followed.

CMTDA Board of Directors 

President
Albert Leblanc, A.W. Miller Technical Sales Canada 

Past President
Robert Dunbar, Toshiba Machine Co. Canada Ltd.

Vice President and Trade Shows
Kurt Neiman, Neiman Machinery Sales Inc. 

Statistics
Darren Carroll, Ossco Machine Sales 

AMTDA Liaison
Michael Carr, Elliot-Matsuura Can. Ltd.

Government Relations
John Manley, Machine Tool Systems Inc. 

Membership
Brian Donnelly, Ferro Technique Limited 

Education
Juergen Moeglich, UBJ-Boehringer Inc.

Upcoming Events

April 6-9, 2003
AMTDA Spring Meeting, Carlesbad, CA

June 2, 2003
CMTDA Spring Meeting & Cruise, Toronto Harbour

June 17-19, 2003
Western Manufacturing Technology Show, Edmonton, AB

October 20-23, 2003
Canadian Machine Tool Trade Show, National Trade Center, Toronto

600 Machine Tools
A.M.T. Machine Tools Ltd.
A. W. Miller Technical Sales Canada
Acme Saw Ltd.
Advanced Fabricating Machinery Inc.
Akhurst Machinery Ltd.
Amada Canada Ltd.
Amcan Machine Tool Technology Inc.
Barer Engineering Co.
Cahmac Int’l Machinerie Inc.
Canadian Hardinge Machine Tools
Canadian Measurement-Metrology Inc.
CIT Financial Ltd.
Citicapital Commercial Corp.
Compumachine Canada Inc.
CML Machinery Inc.
Cutting Systems Inc.
DMG Canada Inc.
Elliott-Matsuura (Canada) Inc.
Ellison Machinery Company
EMEC Machine Tools Inc.
Fagor Automation Canada
Ferro Technique Limited
Forward Precision Tools Ltd.
G.E. Capital Canada Equipment Financing
Gilbert C. Storey Machinery Ltd.
Graham Machine Sales & Service Inc.
Gross Machinery Group
Haco Canada Ltd.
Hartford Technology Ltd.
Hascotech Inc.
H. H. Roberts Machinery Ltd.
Heinman Machinery Ltd.
Hitachi Seiki U.S.A. Inc.
Huron Canada Inc.
Ian Jones Sales Ltd.
Industrial Machinery Exchange Inc.
Iscar Tools Inc.
KBC Tools & Machinery Inc.
Key Equipment Finance
M. Jahn Machine Tools Inc.
MF Technologies Inc.
Machine Tool Systems Inc.
Machineries BV Lt’ee
Machinery Canada
Megatel Inc.
Matcom Industrial Installations Inc.
Megatel Inc.
Mitutoyo Canada Inc.
National Leasing Group Inc.
Neiman Machinery Sales Inc.
Omnitrade Machinery
Ossco Machine Sales
Paine Machine Tool Inc.
Parpas America Inc.
Phoenix CNC Tech.
Powermaster Machinery Ltd.
Quickmill Inc.
Royal Products
Sirco Machinery Co. Ltd.
SMS Machine Tools Ltd.
Sparquetec Inc.
Stan-Canada Inc
Swiss Instruments Ltd.
TTL Inc.
Thomas Skinner & Son Ltd. 
Toolmex Corp., Machine Tool Division
Top Tech Machinery Ltd.
Toshiba Machine Co. Canada Limited
Ultra Machine Sales Ltd.
Upton & Sullivan Co. Limited
UBJ-Boehringer Inc.
Wells Fargo Equipment Finance Company
Westway Machinery Limited
Yervant Industriel/AL Inc.

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CMTDA Annual General Meeting
November 21, Toronto Board of Trade Country Club

CMTDA President Albert Leblanc addresses members
of the association at the recent general Meeting.

Brian Donnelly, director of membership, welcomes
new member Robert Arthur of Ultra Machine Sales

Darren Carroll, director of statistics with CMTDA,
updates members on machine tool sales during the
past year.

Jim Burrows (left) executive director of the
CMTDA receives a cheque from Bob Mathieu
With Reed Exhibitions.

Brian Donnelly, director of membership for the
association welcomes new associate member
Harsh Bibra of Fagor Automation Canada

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News Update

The CMTDA recently welcomed two new regular members and two associate members. Joining the association as regular members are TTL Inc., Toronto, On, Fabrizio Burroni, president and Ultra Machine Sales Ltd., Woodbridge, ON, Robert Arthur, president. The new associate members are National Leasing, Burlington, ON, Vee Venne, manager and Fagor Automation Canada, Mississauga ON, Harsh Bibra, general manager.

Twenty-five member companies participated in the CMTDA's 2001 compensation survey. The information will enable participants to evaluate their particular situation and allow them to talk with authority regarding the industry standard. The members that submitted the information have the option of receiving the results electronically which will enable them to modify their copy to suit their needs. The CMTDA plans to conduct the survey again in two years.

Assembly and design of the CMTDA Newsletter courtesy Action Communications, publisher of MP&P and The Dealer. Editor: Jim Burrows