The Woodworking Machinery Industry Association named Scm Group North America its 2012 “Partner of the Year”. The award was presented at the 2013 Woodworking Industry Conference held last month in Phoenix, Arizona. Since 1994, the “Partner of the Year” Award has been conferred by WMIA’s distributor members on the manufacturer or importer that best exemplifies the spirit of partnership in its dealings with woodworking machinery distributors. The program emphasizes the principle of steadfast cooperation and equal business stature between distributors and their suppliers.
“In today’s business environment, partnership between manufacturers, importers and distributors is more important than ever,” said Wmia President John Henderson when presenting the award. “Each brings something to the relationship that the other needs. Manufacturers and importers bring product and factory support. Distributors bring the customer relationships and knowledge that can make or break a project, and they do so far more economically than manufacturers or importers could do themselves”.
“By working together, we are able to offer a superior buying and ownership experience to our customers”, he continued. “The Partner of the Year Award recognizes this fact”. Since its inception more than 60 years ago, Scm Group has considered the independent distributor at the core of its marketing success. The company currently works with more than 350 distributors worldwide.
“I would like to thank Wmia for this recognition and especially our distribution network that has, through their loyalty and support, helped make Scm Group a leading machinery supplying company in North America”, said Scm Group North America’s president John Gangone when accepting the award. Gangone continued to say Scm Group North America believes strongly in distributors as conduits for its products and cultivating relationships at the local level. “There is no better means of transferring information than through people who are well-known and trusted”, he said. “After all, people still buy from people”. As technology continues to advance rapidly, Gangone said one-way Scm Group North America keeps its edge is with the partnerships it has built through the years with its network of dedicated and exclusive distributors.
Each year, Wmia’s distributor members nominate woodworking machinery suppliers based on their performance in key support areas such as distributor relationship, sales and product, service and parts, marketing support and training. Wmia’s Selection Committee reviews the nominations and selects the winner based on Wmia member ratings in the key support areas.
