The Equipment and Tool Institute (ETI) held their 2011 ToolTech conference on May 3-5 in Miami Beach, Fla. Those in attendance represent OEMs, tool and equipment companies, national chain stores, large suppliers, dealer groups, distributors, manufacturer reps, aftermarket fleet and service/repair facilities and other industry segments. They gather to network as a group with people who make, sell, represent or buy the automotive tools and equipment that are used to service and repair modern vehicles.
Tool Tech does something that is truly unique in the industry: It side-steps the pomp and politics so often evident at other industry events and offers face-to-face sharing of concerns, experiences and genuine dialog aimed at solving industry tooling problems.
Redline President, Zachary Parker, commented that “ETI is a critical resource for making one on one contacts for a manufacturer like Redline, who is increasing our product range in the OEM market.”
Tool Tech also provides the setting for business meetings, presentations, a small tradeshow and two afternoons reserved for private one-on-one meetings. And as always, the social program provides casual networking opportunities to mingle and share ideas.
The theme of this year’s conference was “Explore the Shop of Tomorrow,” and for the second year in a row, the National Automotive Service Task Force (www.NASTF.org), was held in conjunction with ToolTech.
“ETI currently has 76 members,” said Executive Manager Gorman. “At the end of 2010, the Institute had also increased membership equity by approximately $121,000 to a total of $794,000 — more than a 20 percent increase over 2009.” Gorman explained that the Institute’s income from last year is being invested back into the membership through incentives to attend all three of ETI’s annual core events (Tool Tech, Summer Tech and Winter Tech weeks). “These core ETI events are worth going to and will improve your business.”
This sentiment was echoed by Dennis Blough, Senior Manager for Technical Quality with American Suzuki Motor Corp. "2011 Tool Tech was another great event which offered me the opportunity to learn new information and meet with current and future vendors in a more focused environment. I am certain after this year’s even that we will purchase equipment from at least one vendor totally unknown to us prior to Tool Tech 2011!"
