The 17th annual TEDA (Tool and Equipment Distributors Associates) Vendor Advisory Meeting, held June 6-9 at The Hotel at Turf Valley in Ellicott City, MD, provided vendors a great opportunity to meet with distributors one-on-one — inside and outside (on the golf course). This year, according to TEDA President Glen Pratt, the event offered one of the largest exhibit shows in the 17-year history of the event.

The 15th Annual Golf Outing is always a fun way to kick off the event, and afterward, attendees celebrated their course victories (or drowned their sorrows) at the Manufacturers’ Cocktail Reception that evening.

Pratt presented the Annual Report on the State of TEDA at the Joint Business Session the next morning, reporting that 2010 had a 24% increase over 2009. Pratt stated that new product introductions drove those increases in many categories (including A/C, lighting and specialty tools).

He also recognized the 20-year group suppliers and presented the 2010 President’s Awards for marketing and growth achievement. Award winners were: Aircat, FJC, GearWrench, JS Products/Steelman, Lincoln Industrial, Lisle Corp., Milwaukee Electric, Sunex Tools, Thermadyne Industries and Titan/Star Asia USA.

Barry Halbritter, Midstate Tool & Supply, Inc. and AAIA Tool & Equipment Committee chairman, presented Pratt with a gift for his work on the committee. Humbled by the acknowledgement, Pratt said it was an honor to serve as the committee president for two years.

After the morning meeting, the 11th Annual Exhibit & Display Show was held. Many of the tool introductions we learned about at the show can be found on the pages throughout the August issue of TechShop and at TechShopMag.com.

 

In addition to the other networking events, vendors and distributors also had the opportunity to meet in Private Conferences throughout the event — all to bring you, the shop owner and technicians, the best tools, the most efficiently.

 

For more photos of the event, go to www.facebook.com/TechShopMag.