Manufacturers' summit spreads message of survival

For members of the Southwest Area Manufacturers Association, the theme for 2009 is survival, and the group's annual summit - held April 15 at Oasis Convention Center - offered tips on making it through the recession.

The more than 150 attendees of the daylong conference heard numerous stories of how companies in the manufacturing sector - hit especially hard by the economic downturn - have survived and grown, as well as some words of encouragement from fellow business leaders.

Words of wisdom

SAMA member companies celebrating milestone anniversaries were recognized by the organization as "true survivors" during the summit.

The highlight of the event, however, was the Tribal Council, a roundtable discussion with leaders from seven area manufacturers.

SAMA Executive Director Rita Needham said that while the Tribal Council idea and the summit's theme were modeled after the TV series "Survivor," the event aimed at a very different outcome.

"The goal of that game is to eliminate someone," she said. "But here, we want everyone to survive, so what we're doing is helping to share the wisdom of our people."

Among the Tribal Council representatives was Josh Elsenraat, director of sales for Nixa-based label maker Ample Industries, who wasn't above making light of his company's current situation.

"What a fun time to be a sales director," he joked. "The boss doesn't ask you any questions, the numbers look great, and you're always stress-free and happy."

On a serious note, Elsenraat told attendees that Ample has used the downturn in business to re-establish strong connections with the companies he called his "A" customers - 36 of his company's 1,000 accounts that bring in 65 percent of his business.

"The first thing we did was ... make sure that they were as pleased and as satisfied as they could be with the products they order from Ample," he said. "We noted that nearly all of them were still going to be there, and we started feeling a little more comfortable."

Customer service was a theme throughout the discussion. Robin Robeson, vice president of corporate services for Bolivar-based Duck Creek Technologies, said her company is working to improve customer relations by constantly improving the insurance software it provides to 46 clients in the U.S. and Canada.

"We are a product company. We like to think we have great service, but the bottom line is that without the product, nothing else matters," Robeson said at the event. She noted that, in addition to focusing on offering fast service, Duck Creek also wants to make sure its products can accommodate clients' growth.

Attitudes for growth

Panelist Mike Morgan, president of Mountain Grove polyethylene pipe maker Bore Flex Industries, told summit attendees that his company is moving against the trend by expanding and acquiring a competitor. The company added 10,000 square feet to its facility in fall 2008 and in late December completed its acquisition of Memphis, Tenn.-based competitor Lamson & Sessions Inc.

Even so, Morgan said Bore Flex operations are running at just more than half-capacity - but he's not worried.

"That's an aggressive mode in today's environment. We jokingly say that we're either going to be heroes or zeroes with this plan - but we're not going without a fight," Morgan said. "We wanted to take as much control as we could into our own hands."

In the end, Bob Edmonds, president and CEO of Springfield-based Edmonds Dental Prosthetics, best summed up the feelings of many on the panel.

"We plan to charge forward, and we plan to be in a very good position when the economy turns around," he said. "We're going to do what we can just to not participate in the recession."

Staying positive

Such attitudes may be the key to weathering the recession, according to Dennis Rayon, president of Mount Vernon-based Denray Machine Co. and a speaker at the summit.

Rayon presented what he called the truth behind today's bad news - a reminder that while times are tougher than they've been in a long time, there is plenty of success to be had.

He noted that nearly 91 percent of Americans are current on mortgage payments and 92 percent are current on credit card payments; the vast majority of people, he said, are weathering the economic storm.

"Staying positive is critical in today's economy," Rayon said. "If you think you're part of the gloom and doom, you become a statistic. Know what you have to do, keep your mind clear, and whenever you think that you're having trouble, find a source to get wisdom in that area."