The Association of Independent Welding Distributors (AIWD) gathered in the historic town of Charleston, South Carolina this weekend for the organisation’s 2016 Annual Convention, to address the theme of Opportunities for Growth during Dynamic Times.
The AIWD was formed in 1999 to be a buying group for the benefit of its members. It is now a 140-strong independent gas distributor association focused on the procurement benefits for its members, and is in its 17th year – having originally started out with only 10 distributors meeting in Denver, Colorado in its founding year.
Attendees to the conference included 64 gas distributors (110 officers and family) and 81 vendors, making a combined attendance of more than 270 delegates. There was a net gain in members of six over the past year.
The association proceeded to discuss the challenges the industry faces; explaining changes in supply channels such as UberRush, which provides same day deliveries, and noting that Drone deliveries started in Nevada in March this year.
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