[WRE UPDATE | BUSINESS] He added “two major concerns Jim Wiethorn
are inspection, and life expectancy”. In addition to inspection criteria that are thorough and reasonable to implement, some manner of guidance on the life expectancy of wire rope is needed. Te ASME is currently working to revise standards for slings and wire rope in a single volume, as the B30
Cranes and Below the Hook Lifting Devices Committee met this month. Teir work is expected to produce more consistent guidance on these issues, and to address new slings and rigging materials as well.
The World We Live In Presenter Baron Lukas gave a global tour of the changing world in which we operate. Lukas, a retired Maine Corps Colonel with experience in strategy and intelligence roles, now serves as a leader for several ventures that further informed his talk: “ISIS Trail of Terror – Oil Price War, A New Age and an Uncertain Future”. He is CEO of Envirologic Solutions, and serves as a founder or advisor to three other energy-related initiatives. Lukas spelled out a number of facts on the ground which are very favorable for the long-term position of North America and the United States – among them demographics, our economic system, and the dramatic changes in oil supply brought about by the shale revolution. But he put those factors against a backdrop of troubling instability elsewhere. Lukas described the role of
demographics as a key factor in assessing future economic prospects, considering in particular the case of China. Tere, the one-child-per-couple-policy is leading to a rapidly aging population where fewer workers will be subsidizing more elderly at a dramatically increasing clip over the next 15 years. Tis pattern is also observed for varying reasons in Japan, Russia and across Europe, and serves to constrain economic growth as the elderly neither produce nor spend as extensively as working age adults. He also discussed the wild cards in the deck – including
North Korea, Syria, Iran and the broader balance of power in the Middle East. While criticizing a variety of recent US foreign policy choices, he noted that the law of unintended consequences had been hard at work, producing opportunities for ISIS. But the larger question he put on the table was how an energy-independent United States would choose to engage with the world.
Suffice to say, this presentation stirred a lot of discussion! And if you have a chance to hear Lukas speak, make sure you do.
Making Your Business
More Profitable Back in the world we work in, AWRF members have the opportunity to participate in a profitability survey. You can receive benchmarking data comparing your results to the industry on a range of key financial metrics. Tis data is collected and reported on a “blind” basis to ensure complete confidentiality of your data, and this is a trusted service for over 100 trade associations. It would cost thousands of dollars to get this information on your own.
Baron Lukas
Dr. Albert Bates
Dr. Albert D. Bates, founder, Chairman and President
of the Profit Planning Group reviewed the overall results of the most recent round of this survey conducted and reported by his firm. After describing a slow slide in profitability over a number of years, he laid out a toolkit to empower you to take specific action on gross margin and operating expenses, the key levers for profitability in our industry. His report chops a lot of data into crisp insight and serves it up so that you can put it to work right away. Tis powerful tool should yield a lot of value for your business with minimal time invested on your part. Of course, Savannah isn’t an “all work and no play”
sort of town! In addition to the receptions and activities, attendees took full advantage of the restaurants and attractions of the historic downtown close at hand. We enjoyed talking with many of you at these events, and look forward to seeing you in at the next AWRF meeting in Minneapolis this fall! y
WIRE ROPE EXCHANGE MAY–JUNE 2017 77
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