ILMA Representatives Attend UEIL Annual Congress in Turkey

Noria news wires, Noria Corporation

Three members of the Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association – immediate past president Ron Powell, past president Greg Julian and executive director Celeste Powers – attended the annual UEIL Congress, held on October 22-23 in Istanbul, Turkey. Powell gave a presentation on ILMA, and Julian attended as Automotive Committee liaison. All three representatives attended to continue strengthening the partnership between UEIL and ILMA, especially looking forward to the near future and industry globalization.

This was Powell's second year presenting at UEIL. "The world is constantly changing, and two dynamics I've been watching are the decline in (or at least maturing of) U.S. manufacturing and the improvement in international logistics," Powell said. "Combined, these present viable opportunities for ILMA members of all sizes and market areas. We need to get beyond the fear of doing business outside the U.S. and recognize there are many excellent partners that would relish the chance to work with us."

Julian's role as liaison to the UEIL automotive committee includes networking as well as brainstorming ways to work together moving forward.

 

"Having attended three UEIL meetings, I have developed several good relationships with their board members as well as committee chairs. This strong relationship brings a degree of trust and allows for very open discussions on ways to improve both associations meetings as well as ways the associations can work together to help our member companies," Julian said.

 

Giuseppe Marletta of UEIL noted that Congress attendance is strong, even in the face of the global economic crisis, which is similar to what ILMA saw this year at meetings. UEIL president Jos Jong attended the ILMA annual meeting, as well, to continue strengthening this valuable partnership.

"ILMA members can also benefit from the realization that, like it or not, much new environmental regulation will come from what is happening now in Europe and Asia," said Powell. "UEIL offers us a great way to be aware of those activities. Forewarned is forearmed."

The Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association (ILMA) was founded in 1948. ILMA's 283 members include independent lubricant companies that produce more than 25 percent of all lubricants and 80 percent or more of the metalworking fluids and other specialty industrial lubricants sold in the U.S., and key suppliers of raw materials and services to independent lubricant manufacturers.