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For more than 30 years the Woodworking Machinery Industry Association (WMIA) has provided the North American wood products industry with the most technologically advanced woodworking systems available in the global market. Our more than 170 members are dedicated to providing their customers with the service and knowledge to compete worldwide.
You'll find the association and its members at industry-focused trade shows around the world. The WMIA co-sponsors the International Woodworking Fair, the largest North American woodworking machinery, equipment, and service exposition, an important biennial issue forum for the industry.
A wide range of special programs provides industry awards, scholarships and a host of other methods to support industry initiatives and address industry issues.
Safety has always been an Association priority. We have run a series of ads featuring woodworking safety tips in major trade publications as a public service. A joint effort with the WMMA created the "Winning the Safety Game" video and the workbook "The Professional Woodworkers' Safety Playbook" and, most recently, state-of-the-art set of standardized machine safety labels.
High technology education of the work force is also a WMIA priority. Three years ago WMIA began its Scholarship Foundation and founded the Wood Industry Educational Forum. More than $25,000 in scholarships have been awarded to date. The Forum developed the Careers in Wood CD-ROM program now used in hundreds of high schools as a recruitment tool.
In the years to come WMIA will continue its commitment to providing a world of woodworking technology to its customers and provide leadership necessary to keep the North American wood products industry competitive.
Here are just a few highlights about our organization:
Publications
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To keep its members informed, WMIA publishes a monthly newsletter, legislative fact sheets, and special bulletins relative to technical or general business concerns. The Association also supports its members through advertising and public relations programs designed to increase customer awareness of the benefits of working with WMIA member firms.
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NAW believes that wholesaler-distributors need to embrace and use new technologies to reinvent their business models and add value for the customers. Their new publications website carries a catalog and complete online credit card ordering in a totally secure environment. And in order to encourage you to order online, NAW will offer you a 5% discount on every order. That is in addition to the discount you always receive as a member of WMIA and to any quantity discounts for which you may qualify.
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Conferences
WMIA co-sponsors the International Woodworking Fair (IWF). IWF is the largest North American woodworking machinery, equipment, and service exposition and serves as an important biennial issue forum for the industry. WMIA is a founder and co-sponsor along with the Wood Machinery Manufacturers Association and the Woodworking Machinery Distributors Association of the Woodworking Industry Conference (WIC). This annual conference was created to provide a forum for allied wood industry groups to discuss industry-wide problems and to devise strategies to deal with them.
Membership
WMIA membership is comprised of corporations, partnerships, and individuals whose primary business is importing and/or distributing industrial woodworking equipment and systems for the North American woodworking industry. Click here to learn how to join WMIA.
Programs for Your Business
As the association representing all lines of trade in the wholesale distribution industry, The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) is uniquely positioned to offer programs designed to promote networking and benchmarking among non-competing industry peers. NAW is a vital link for companies and associations throughout distribution, providing access to information and services and creating a portal of opportunity for networking and the exchange of business information.
Rental Cars
Under NAW and Hertz' New Business Account Program (BAP) for wholesaler-distributors, enrolled companies receive special low NAW negotiated rates. In addition, individual company rental activity is tracked, and companies earn one Free Rental Day Certificate for each five qualifying rentals. Hertz also offers participating companies complimentary Hertz #1 Club Gold membership, its premier preferred customer program, a $50 annual value per membership. Periodic mailings from Hertz will provide participating firms with special added benefits, such as one car class upgrades.
Shipping & Freight
Airborne Express provides member firms special rates on lightweight overnight letters and packs. Choose from next morning, next afternoon and second day service. Members can also choose Flight Ready - Airborne's unique prepaid express service that offers one low rate with no weight limits.
Wholesaler-Distributors now receive a 52 percent discount when shipping less-than-truckload (LTL) freight. Take advantage of NAW-negotiated discounts on Roadway's E-Z Rate tariff for standard LTL service on shipments up to 20,000 pounds throughout North America.
Turn to Emery Worldwide when your shipments weigh over 100 pounds. Emery can handle your freight - any size, any weight - that must arrive overnight or second day. Take advantage of NAW-negotiated discounts on guaranteed services throughout North America and Emery's International Express service.
Wholesaler-Distributors are immediately eligible to save 52 percent on your less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments with Yellow Freight. Take advantage of NAW-negotiated discounts on Yellow's Standard Ground and Definite Delivery domestic services, zero billing for Definite Delivery shipments, and comprehensive online account management.
Data Exchange
Now wholesaler-distributors have an easy, outsourced internet EDI/XML service through Advanced Data Exchange (ADX) that allows companies to exchange business documents - including purchase orders, ship notices and invoices - electronically with all their customers and suppliers. Through the NAW/ADX partnership, companies can achieve a meaningful bottom-line impact through improved productivity, accelerated business growth and significant cost efficiencies.
Telecommunications
Despite the rapid pace of change in the telecommunications industry, Sprint has continued to offer wholesaler-distributors a competitive and comprehensive selection of telecommunication services through the NAW/Sprint partnership. With Sprint, firms save on an array of long distance savings plans. After volume discounts and other pertinent discounts have been calculated, Sprint provides NAW members with an additional five percent discount off of their overall bill (three percent on Real Solutions, designed for higher volume users).
By partnering with Simplexity, NAW is offering a new way to purchase telecommunications services. Simplexity is your resource for valuable information about telecommunications technology, trends, products and services. Online, Simplexity can provide you with instant side-by-side comparisons of competitive long distance, wireless, and Internet services from the nation's leading providers. This service empowers you to quickly research and evaluate plans, select the plan that offers the best features, and make changes to your services 24 hours a day. Offline, Simplexity account consultants are available to answer your questions, assess your communication needs, and custom design telecommunications solutions for your business.
Credit Transactions
NOVA Information Systems, Inc., serves more than 450,000 merchants nationwide, and processed $65 billion in credit and transactions in 2000. Through the NAW/NOVA relationship, wholesaler-distributors have access to two valuable programs. The first one allows participants to accept credit card orders over the phone or through the mail. Funds are then electronically deposited in the member's bank account within 48 hours, thereby eliminating the float on a member's receivables. The other NAW/NOVA offering is aimed at retail customers of wholesaler-distributors. Through this program, the cost for retailers to process a MasterCard, VISA, or American Express is reduced by offering a competitive processing rate. Electronic deposit of funds to the retailer's local bank account gives them access to their funds sooner, and they are able to serve their customers better by providing them faster check-out.
Career Service
Now wholesaler-distributors have direct access to a full menu of career services through Headhunter.net, rated first among cross-industry, national online recruiting services in quality of results and satisfaction. Through the NAW/Headhunter.net Online Recruitment Program, companies can take advantage of the following great features:
- Utilize an industry specific feature to conduct efficient and effective job posting searches at special NAW pricing.
- Search resumes for top quality employees.
- Market their companies to a database exceeding more than one million resumes.
Through this partnership, NAW is providing wholesaler-distributors with the tools necessary to compete in a tight employment marketplace.
Standards
A private, non-profit federation of standards developing organizations that coordinates the U.S. voluntary standards system. WMIA's ANSI Committee is currently helping to revise current standards and to incorporate more modern and high-technology equipment.
American National Standards Institute
Award Programs
WMIA has taken a leadership role in fostering and recognizing excellence within the woodworking industry. Through Innovator, Educator, and Global Marketer of the Year Awards, the association hopes to showcase the outstanding achievements of woodworking companies and educational institutions.
The Partner of the Year Award is given each year by the Distributor Division of WMIA to a woodworking machinery supplier who best exemplifies the spirit of partnership while working with woodworking machinery distributors.
Education
The WMIA Education Committee is constantly exploring opportunities to broaden the scope of the Association's efforts in woodworking education. Individual member firms provide seminars and intensive training, and they work hard to be involved with universities and technical schools. The annual WMIA Educator of the Year Award calls attention to institutions, companies and individuals whose outstanding woodworker education programs deserve the recognition of the entire woodworking industry.
WMIA Scholarship Foundation
Any person is eligible to apply who is planning to enroll in a wood science or wood technology program at an accredited two year or four year technical school, college or university in North America. Previous winners are eligible for a second award, but must reapply.
The WMIA Educational Foundation will be offering scholarships in 2003. To download an application and scholarship information, click here.
Innovation
WMIA Members provide their customers with the most technologically advanced, versatile and cost effective woodworking equipment available today. The WMIA Innovator of the Year award is given each year to an American woodworking company that best typifies combining outstanding industry leadership and innovation in the use of high technology equipment.
Helping American wood products manufacturers compete in the global marketplace has always been an ongoing goal of WMIA. Through the formation of an Export Committee in 1993 and by giving a WMIA Global Marketer of the Year award, the association remains focused on helping the industry increase exports and market their products overseas.
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