Michael Ference Fluid Power Marketing

What is pneumatics?  That is a good question and at Design World, we have the answers, just click here .  This important technology powers many industries such as medical, automation, and packaging. We have a really great new website  +Design World  titled Pneumatic Tips  and if your company uses pneumatic technology for OEM or in-plant applications, please check it out for lots of great pneumatic technology updates. If your company makes and sells pneumatic components, I invite your company to participate in Pneumatic Tips  by simply sending me your product press releases or simply product reviews.  We are also interested in your application stories.  Your information makes our website better.

Our new website, HoseAssemblyTips , features product information as well as application briefs on the use of hose, fittings, and couplings as they apply to fluid power hydraulic and pneumatic applications. If your company is a manufacturer or distributor of these products, used to move fluid through a fluid power system, then please send us your product information for posting on our website.  Our audience is very interested in knowing more about your products. We also have a video channel on our websites, so if your company has how-to hose assembly video, send us that for posting as well.  If your company is a user of hose assemblies and related products, please refer to our new website a source of reliable information.  Please contact me with any questions at mference@wtwhmedia.com

In June, WTWH Media will publish our annual Fluid Power Handbook .  This is the first part of our 2014 Fluid Power Pack.  It will be an excellent tutorial reference source on fluid power components.  The issue will be published in print in June and online in June as well.  If your company is interested in advertising, we can still take your reservation until 6/3/14. The second part of the 2014 Fluid Power Pack will be our first issue of Fluid Power World .  This brand new launch will focus on mobile and industrial hydraulics as well as pneumatics.  The closing date will be in mid-July. I invite your company to participate in our inaugural issue with an ad that will be seen by fluid power experts around the US in print and around the world digitally Part three is our second issue of Fluid Power World that will be published in October.  It too will have a digital component sent out to opt-in subscribers. Add to this our vertical fluid p...

If your company makes components for mobile hydraulic systems, send us your press releases for publication on our  Mobile Hydraulic Tips website.   If building mobile machinery is what your company does, send us your success stories. Users of machinery driven by mobile hydraulic systems such as construction machinery, agricultural equipment, mining, or any off- or on-highway machinery, send us your application stories. This is a website for mobile hydraulics, for product reviews, application stories, and industry news.  Since mobile hydraulics make up about half of the fluid power industry, this is a very important market segment.  By supplying us with product information, your company will be helping us to make this website even more robust. We also have an accompanying e-newsletter titled Mobile Hydraulic Tips.    Click this link  to review one of our latest editions of the e-newsletter.  It contains the same great mobile hydraulic in...

On Wednesday, May 21, 2014, the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) held their annual Detroit Regional Meeting and Breakfast Roundtable.  By all measures, it was a success.  The attendance was very good, the networking great, the food excellent, and the presentation interesting. The featured speaker was David Littmann, Senior Economist from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.  In his assessment of the economy, David reviewed the acceleration of the automotive market, appreciation of housing, and the growth in Michigan's population of the past few years. David revealed three aspects of an economic forecast including: 1.  Assessment of momentum 2.  Leading indicators 3.  Overlay of fiscal policies In his very interesting and insightful presentation, David also reviewed fiscal policies as they affect the local economy, composite leading indicators, and the effects of keeping interest rates low. Overall, the meeting was enjoy...

Check out this video from the editors of Design World where they address the topic of a shortage of engineers.  This is a new feature from Design World  is called Editors on Topic where our panel of experts review various topics relating to engineering. The comment that I find of particular interest is by our Senior Editor, Mary Gannon, who reflects on the overall shortage of technical workers.  I hear this comment from manufacturers as I visit their plants.  In trying to expand a manufacturing operation, one of the most difficult tasks is hiring qualified machine operators. For fluid power, the National Fluid Power Association has addressed this very topic through a variety of job training initiatives.  For more information, go to their website at www.nfpa.com and click on the Education & Careers tab. Having a shortage of workers sounds like a good problem for our nation's workforce situation.  However, it does hurt in the area of reshori...

The National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) hosts its annual Industry and Economic Outlook Conference every year in August and this year, it will be held on August 11-13 at the Chicago Westin North Shore in Wheeling, IL.  Our Mobile Hydraulic Tips website has featured some information on the event. I turn to this event for information about the fluid power industry, how it has performed in the past year, and what to expect in the coming year.  Industry economic experts will take a look at the markets for mobile hydraulic, industrial hydraulic, and pneumatic components.  They will examine how and why the industry performed the way that it did. There is much to learn from these presentations like the 12/12 rolling average taught by Alan Beaulieu, and the trends presented by Ryan Reed, economist from Parker Hannifin.  There are also opportunities for attendees to network and enjoy.  The event is opened with the annual IEOC Invitational Golf Tournament. ...

We only have a few weeks left for companies to reserve their advertising space for our 2014 Fluid Power Handbook by Design World.  This is an great resource for information about fluid power components.  It is published only once per year in print and digitally and circulated to 40,000 OEM Design Engineers. Your company can be a sponsor of a particular component group with a full-page ad in that category plus a sponsorship of the video for that group on our website.  This will work for your company for a full year. Our closing date for advertising reservations is May 25, 2014.  Please contact me soon if you are interested in advertising at mference@wtwhmedia.com.

At the 2014 NAHAD Annual Convention, many important and interesting topics were presented front the stage provided by the excellent NAHAD management team.  One of the most interesting and encouraging presentations involved The Case for Reshoring - To Offshore or Reshore?  How to Objectively Decide, presented by Harry Moser, President of Reshoring Initiative. Mr. Moser lead off his presentation with some definitions such as this one: Reshoring/Backshoring/Onshoring/Insourcing - Bringing back manufacture of products that will be sold or assembled here.  That is fairly simple to understand, it means having things made here in the U.S. that were once made here but at some time, outsourced to other countries. In his argument, Mr. Moser pointed out that some of the rationale for moving manufacturing away in the first place was for lower coast labor.  However, taking into account the cost of shipping products back to the U.S. that advantage is reduced.  The cost ...

I hope that you will have a chance to visit my Facebook Page .  During my years in the fluid power industry, I have met many industry experts and seen most of the products available.  I like to share that information with you from my blog but also have saved lots of the photos and descriptions on my Facebook Page as well. If you have not had a chance to view it, please take a look and I hope that you will "like" it.  I will continue to capture and share what I learn about fluid power technology. I represent Design World and Fluid Power World magazines as well as our extensive digital network. We offer websites and e-newsletters for every fluid power product available.  Please contact me for more information about how we can help your company to increase brand awareness at 408-769-1188

At the 2014 Offshore Technology Conference held at Reliant Park in Houston, we discovered a new product from a company called Pneumatic and Hydraulic Company LLC from Houston. It is a device used at oil wells as a safety feature and it is powered by hydraulics.  For more information, go to their website at this link . There were lots of great energy applications to be seen at this years OTC.  You can also find more information from their website at www.otcnet.org/2014.

The 2014 OTC Show in Houston was a huge success if you base success on the crowds at the event.  It was very well attended.  The show is held at Reliant Park which is the site of Reliant Stadium, home of the NFL Houston Texans.  It is fitting because today is draft day in the NFL and Houston holds the first selection. Reliant Stadium is built on the site of the Houston Astrodome, opening in the 1960s and considered the 8th Wonder of the World.  I remember the opening of the Astrodome and the beginning of the era of indoor baseball.  The Astrodome is still standing in 2014 but not in use because it has many repair issues.  It is not being torn down because it is a landmark.  It is eye-catching though how this 8th Wonder of the World is small in comparison to the new Reliant Stadium. At any rate, the show was a big success with probably over 100,000 attendees.  There were many fluid power exhibitors who are currently selling to the offsho...

The Offshore Tech Conference (OTC) takes place this week in Houston.  It is a huge energy technology show that is held at the Reliant Center in Houston.  That is the same site as the historic Astrodome. Hundreds of exhibitors ranging in sizes of booths as well as sizes of companies make up OTC every year around this time.  It is also one of the larger collection of fluid power exhibitors on location at one U.S. trade show.  I counted over 100 all together. If your company is involved in offshore drilling, exploration, or service, this would be a great show to attend.  If your company sells to these industries, it would be very appropriate to exhibit at OTC. Fluid power technology spans across many end use markets.  This is not the biggest but it is certainly significant.  Visit the OTC website at this link for more information.