When this letter goes to print NETWORK2016 will have just been completed at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Many of you who attended the event will have taken part in the wholesaler and vendor conference appointments, a strong focal point and valuable part of the event’s agenda.

Although all events held at NETWORK are top-notch, the wholesaler and vendor conference appointments always hold a special “wow factor” and represent the excitement and “buzz” within the ASA membership.

What else besides networking does an ASA membership have to offer a manufacturer member? Exposure to distributors through ASA’s Supplier Partnership Program is a key example. The Supplier Partnership Program offers manufacturers visibility and recognition throughout the calendar year at all ASA-produced events they normally would not get through a typical sponsorship. Manufacturers have an abundance of opportunities to be recognized by those at all levels within ASA wholesaler-distributor firms through a Supplier Partnership. If you are an ASA member manufacturing firm and have not yet explored a Supplier Partnership, contact Maria Marchesi today at mmarchesi@asa.net or 630/467-0000, ext. 210 to find out more.

As far as education and training are concerned, ASA University now offers the industry’s foremost resources that help a manufacturer’s employees to understand the fundamentals of wholesale-distribution — allowing them to better partner with their customers and drive performance together. Resources focused on product knowledge provide for the basic industry vocabulary upon which to learn more advanced technical knowledge. Overall, ASA University provides a variety of ways to tailor training and education so that implementation is customizable and manageable for every member. Visit www.asa.net/education for more details.

Regarding benchmarking and business intelligence, ASA regularly collects and compiles a wealth of data from its wholesaler-distributor members. The statistically significant sample sizes mean ASA’s industry benchmarks and forecasts offer timely and reliable information that provides manufacturers with valuable insights about how they can more closely align strategic goals and objectives with those of their customers. Go to www.asa.net/business-intelligence for more information.

ASA’s advocacy program benefits both wholesaler-distributors and manufacturers equally. For any given industry issue, manufacturers have the opportunity to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their wholesaler-distributor customers and help to educate our elected officials about the legislative and regulatory issues that impact the industry and their businesses the most. As always, ASA members can contact Dan Hilton in Washington at any time at dhilton@asa.net or 703/328-5234 to find out more.

Last, but certainly not least, ASA’s recently implemented Codes and Standards program offers great benefits to wholesaler-distributor and manufacturer members alike. Contact Hugo Aguilar at haguilar@asa.net or 323/947-6060 for further details. Visit www.asa.net/Codes-Standards for more information and to learn even more please read Hugo’s article on Page 48 concerning the formation of a new ASA Codes and Standards Committee.

As you can see, the benefits of being an ASA member are plentiful and are there to help you grow your business.

This article was originally titled “All-around value” in the October 2016 print edition of Supply House Times.