Jeff Rufener - economy is limping along

Leaders of the Washington, DC-based Industrial Truck Association (ITA) and colleagues from Europe and Asia pored over critical industry issues during meetings on 22-25 September at The Breakers oceanfront resort in Palm Beach.

In remarks during the ITA annual meeting, president Jeff Rufener characterised the US economy as "limping along with numerous predictions for almost no growth, and many are warning of a double-dip recession. The continuing high unemployment rate, the lack of an increase in housing starts, the inability of the House of Representatives, the Senate and the White House to deal effectively with our fiscal integrity and the impending 2012 national election all are major concerns. We do need to get our houses in order (and focus) on repairing the economy instead of party politics and re-election."

At the same time, Rufener noted, "the naysayers' predictions are out of step with what we are seeing in the material handling industry. Our predictions, based on past performance and our best estimates about the future, are positive; in fact, far more so than what we see in general industry and the economy." Rufener is vice president of marketing with Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America Inc in Houston, Texas.

In addition to ITA, meetings involved members of the Alliance of Industrial Truck Organizations (AITO) including the European Materials Handling Federation (FEM) industrial truck section, the Japan Industrial Vehicle Association (JIVA) and the China Industrial Truck Association (CITA).

Management committee members from each of the four AITO groups held their 2011 annual meeting in Palm Beach in conjunction with the ITA gathering. Rufener characterized the AITO event as "a gathering of leaders that is increasingly important to our industry in our ever-shrinking world." The 2012 AITO annual meeting will take place in Japan.

ITA has worked through AITO "to develop a memorandum of understanding, asking each of the members to call on their governments to eliminate tariffs," Rufener noted. "We continue to believe that this is a requirement of fair as well as free trade. The issue proved more contentious than we anticipated. If the AITO cannot reach agreement, we will circle back and work with China and the (European Union) individually and hope that we can achieve an acceptable solution for our respective countries."

State of the Association

"We expect to end 2011 within budget" with plans to reduce the budget for 2012 by about 9%, Rufener noted. ITA incurred one-time charges "in negotiating a contract with Brian Feehan as Bill Montwieler's replacement as well as expenses relating to ITA hosting (the AITO annual meeting)".

The ITA board approved returning dues for associate members to the 2009 level of USD6,000 and that rate will be in effect for 2012, Rufener reported. "Likewise, the executive committee was asked to consider the possibility of raising the rate for purchasing additional statistics above the USD0.50 per USD1,000 of sales currently in effect. The executive committee rejected that suggestion but decided to recommend that the board increase the application fee for new members from USD1,500 to USD10,000 for forklift manufacturers and from USD1,500 to USD2,500 for associate members." The old rates have been in effect for more than 30 years.

Rufener said ITA had approved the application of LiuGong Machinery Co Ltd of Liuzhou, Guangxi province, China for regular membership. "We look forward to having our first member from China and fully integrating it into the association," Rufener noted. "Dave O'Dell, perhaps known to you from his earlier experience on the (ITA) executive committee on behalf of Hyster, will be LiuGong's representative to the board of directors." O'Dell is affiliated with the company's North American unit, LiuGong Construction Machinery NA LLC of Katy, Texas.

"I am also pleased to say that Aisin (World Corp of America), Michelin and Nuvera (Fuel Cells Inc) have all rejoined ITA," Rufener confirmed. "We are happy to welcome them back."

The ITA executive committee has invited Scott Johnson, vice president of business development for Clark Material Handling Co, to attend its January meeting. The committee wants members who are thoroughly familiar with the association's primary statistical and engineering services and are able to commit the member's resources to the work of the association.

ITA sponsored three compliance officer training seminars in which 50 inspectors of the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) were educated. "While the board debates the possibility of continuing our alliance with OSHA, we fully expect these training seminars to continue during the coming year," Rufener said.

Attendees heard presentations from Steve McDermitt of Crown Equipment Corp for the general engineering committee; Meredith Stone of Nacco Material Handling Group Inc for the lawyers committee; Payman Shabback of Toyota Material Handling USA Inc for the statistics committee; Mark Kemper of Cascade Corp for the suppliers committee; and Mel Griffin of Lift-Rite Inc for the Canada committee.

Rufener presented special industry awards to outgoing chairs McDermitt and Stone in recognition of each person's service to the ITA.

The ITA represents the makers and distributors of 25 forklift manufacturing entities and 42 auxiliary suppliers doing business in Canada, the US and Mexico.

Honours for Bill Montwieler

The ITA recognised and honoured Bill Montwieler, the association's executive director who will retire on 31 December after 28 years of service.

"It is especially fitting that so many representatives from our sister associations are with us this evening to help celebrate Bill's career," Rufener said. "Bill's profound and positive influence on our associations and industry in North America and globally is immeasurable, and we want to properly thank him."

Rufener went into detail: "All those who have served as ITA presidents have had the opportunity to travel with Bill and witness first-hand the respect that our peers here and abroad have for him. For a guy who thought he'd only be around about five years when he started, that is a real accomplishment and one that Bill can be truly proud of."

Rufener characterised Montwieler's style: "Bill does a lot of background work ― helping to prepare the board and the executive committee for meaningful discussions ― but he has always done it behind the scenes, which is his style. Bill made us shine, and it helped make ITA into the successful organization that it is today. Whether you're dealing with statistics or standards or just trying to find out whom we can get to volunteer to do something, Bill's influence is there."

Rufener arranged for a video "history of Bill's work with us over the years" and then introduced several senior ITA members and past presidents for comments about Montwieler, including Mac Dunaway with Washington, DC law firm of Dunaway & Cross PC.

"ITA's success is due in large measure to the outstanding leadership and vision that Bill has provided during his tenure as executive director," Dunaway said.

Dunaway began serving as ITA general counsel in 1979 and, in 1983, was assisting the association's search committee in conducting an initial interview before Montwieler was hired as ITA's first executive director.

On ITA's behalf, Jim Malvaso, president and CEO of Toyota Material Handling North America, presented a gift to Montwieler.

Montwieler added his perspective.

"Over the course of the last 28 years, I've written exactly 342 speeches for ITA presidents to give on various occasions. I think that's an unusually large number, but I note that only one of those speeches was given exactly as it was drafted and delivered in exactly the way that I intended."

Montwieler was referring to a 2007 speech during a CITA meeting in China. Stan Simpson, ITA president at the time, was unavailable, and Montwieler delivered the remarks on Simpson's behalf.

Montwieler recognised the contributions of ITA presidents, committee and subcommittee chairs and members, "our friends from China and Europe and Japan" and ITA counselors and staff members. With so many people standing, he likened the audience movement to a wave.

"While all this justifiably recognises the contributions of the past, a wave is the right symbol for tonight because a wave moves toward the future - a future that you all will create in working with one another to take advantage of the opportunities and solving the problems that the future will undoubtedly present," he noted.

As Montwieler's successor, ITA has appointed Feehan as executive director effective from 1 January. "I cannot think of a finer person to help you ride that wave than Brian Feehan," Montwieler said. Feehan is "bright, dedicated, hardworking, convivial and, dare I say it, a better golfer than I will ever be."

Montwieler and his wife, Nancy, will observe their 44th wedding anniversary in January.

Sympathy for the Japanese

ITA took note of the 11 March 2011 Tōhoku mega-thrust earthquake and tsunami.

"We want to express to our friends in Japan the great relief we share in learning of your recovery from the earthquake and tsunami that struck Fukushima," Rufener said. "The loss of life and destruction of property are even today unbelievable. The civility and resilience of the Japanese people in the wake of such a tragedy has likewise been unbelievable and sets an example for human behavior to be followed by all nations and cultures. We wish you a continued speedy recovery."

Montwieler commented: "I need to take a moment to convey my family's personal sorrow to our friends from Japan whose disaster caused by the great earthquake of east Japan in March destroyed so many lives, disrupted so much commerce and filled us all with a dread of the uncontrollable ... (The situation) helped to nurture in us a resonant faith in a hard-pressed people to be resilient. We pray for your family and your friends and promise to return to Japan."

Transition of ITA presidency

Effective 1 January, Jim Moran begins another two-year term as ITA president. Moran, senior vice president of Crown Equipment in New Bremen, Ohio, served as ITA president in 1993 and again during 2002-2003.

Moran presented a "special industry award" plaque to Rufener in appreciation for his service as the 2010-2011 ITA president.

"During Jeff's tenure," the plaque says, "in conjunction with the efforts of sister associations abroad, tariffs were eliminated on member products exported to Japan and discussions regarding tariffs applied to US goods shipped to Europe and China were intensified, compliance officer training seminars for OSHA inspectors were expanded, the annual meeting format was revised to meet the requests of associate members for expanded opportunities for networking, the presidents' forum returned as part of the ITA meeting, and succession planning was finalised to provide a smooth transition of association staff and executive committee members during 2012."