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Firstword
One Industry Association - Powerful New Opportunities For CIMA Members
by Dennis Slater
CIMA President & Secretary
 The
consolidation of CIMA and EMI into one industry association is progressing and this issue of the Advisor provides an update. What will
this mean to you, the members?
CIMA's mission has always been to be a proactive business resource for its member companies and to provide leadership that advances
industry issues. This will not change.
The specific interests of construction equipment manufacturers will be protected and the strong level of services we provide will
continue. The consolidation will bring enhanced opportunities and benefits to our membership.
Services/Value
The consolidation will have a positive effect on the programs we have developed for members, in our major service areas of education,
market support, statistics, market data, government affairs, technical support, trade shows and international market services.
These services will only be strengthened by the addition of new companies, providing all participants with increased access to
informational networking opportunities.
We will maintain and expand our international services. Our statistics programs and how they operate will continue, with members given
more options. We will offer more benchmarking surveys, and they will provide even more value-added with additional company
participation.
Technical and safety programs will be enhanced by the combining of staff and company efforts to address these areas. Our education
programs will benefit from broader participation by member companies in the new organization.
We will continue to operate our co-owned CONEXPO-CON/AGG exposition for members' and exhibitors' benefit, and we will maintain our Show
partnerships to operate the IFPE International Exposition for Power Transmission and the World of Asphalt. These events will also
benefit from the broader-based membership of a combined CIMA-EMI organization.
Stronger Voice in Government Affairs
A major reason for and goal of a consolidated CIMA and EMI organization is to provide a stronger and united industry voice in state and
national concerns to ensure that the construction equipment industry's views are heard and taken into account by governmental
legislators and regulators.
This includes environmental issues such as engine emissions, silicosis and noise, and state-focused issues such as dealer legislation.
This stronger U.S. industry presence will also be valuable in the international arena, especially important in our increasingly global
marketplace and the technical barriers to trade imposed by other countries.
Cost Benefits
A consolidation will also result in operational efficiencies, and the economies of scale will mean cost and time savings for our member
companies and improved access to services. Mailings and communications will also be streamlined with a combined organization.
Representation
Be assured that as the CIMA-EMI consolidation process moves forward, your Association officers, Board of Directors and staff will be
diligent in ensuring that the interests of the CIMA membership are fully taken into account as the implementation plan is developed.
Your CIMA staff in Milwaukee, Washington, DC, and Beijing, China will continue to provide you with the high-quality, targeted industry
programs and levels of service as we have in the past.
I urge all members to read the consolidation article in this Advisor and also log on to the website, www.votetoconsolidate.com, to
review all the information relating to the consolidation discussion and voting process, including the Memorandum of Understanding,
implementation plan, timetable and other details related to the vote.
CIMA wants every member to be fully informed. Please contact me if you have any questions, concerns or comments. You are the members and
owners of CIMA and will be of the new organization. We are here to serve your current and future needs.
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