SHOW NEWS: Southwestern Expo Adds Freight Savings Conference

John Wolz

The Southwestern Fastener Expo added a workshop on “How to Save Money on Shipping” to its schedule for the April 29, 2006, events at the Westin Hotel/DFW Airport.\
“Freight cost has become a large item in the cost of doing business for manufacturers, importers and distributors,” panel moderator Kathy Malkemes of Associated Fastener Group noted. “The fuel surcharge is a major part of the increase. The panel will tackle the various options available to control those costs.”
Panelists will be: David Gates of Freight Audit Recovery, who has eight years of experience auditing freight bills to save money for clients; Ritchie Paik, who started with UPS in 1985 as an unloader and is now North Texas director for UPS; Robert Fennell, the Dallas region managing director of sales for FedEx Freight; fastener distributor Rick Heydenreich of Ace Bolt & Screw Co.; and John Hodges of Drillco Cutting Tools.
SFA previously announced a panel on “How to Buy Fasteners” for designed primarily new buyers for fastener distributorships. Panelists are: Steve Cabral, Lone Star Fasteners; Mary Chambers, Assembly Products & Sales; Peter De Paola, aDP Rivet; Robert Lomas, Sooner Bolt & Supply/SBS Industries; and Dick Slusser, Brighton-Best Socket Screw Mfg. FastenerNews.com co-publishers John Wolz and Ann Bisgyer will moderate the session.
The freight workshop will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, followed by the “How to Buy Fasteners” session. The Expo runs from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Anyone registering for the Expo may attend the “How to Buy Fasteners” workshop and Expo. The $35 admission covers both Saturday workshops.
The Expo is in conjunction with the April 27-30, 2006, Southwestern Fastener Association spring conference. SFA events include an opening reception Thursday, business meeting and session on plating Friday morning and Friday banquet.
For information contact SFA executive director John Elsner. Tel: 713 952-5472 Fax 713 952-7488 E-mail: swfa@swbell.net Web: sfa-fastener.org �2006 FastenerNews.com