• Forecast Data―Free Updated Metalcasting Industry Forecast Report for 2009-19 (updated April 2009)
  
• Tabletop Exhibitors―Opportunity to meet web designers, graphic artists, printers, marketing agencies and casting designers that can help you
  
• Assess Your Communications―Free one-on-one meeting (after the conference) with a communications specialist to assess your firm’s plan
  
• Advertising―Drawings for free advertising design
  
• Free Gifts―Drawings for free sales & marketing toolkits.

Conference Agenda:

7:30 am Continental Breakfast

8 am Keynote
State of the Manufacturing Economy: Metalcasting in Interesting Times
Greg Chaudoin, Stuart School of Business, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois

An old Chinese curse says, “May you live in interesting times.” This talk provides an overview of global
economic events affecting the metalcasting industry, along with a market outlook for the next three to five years. Greg Chaudoin is an instructor at the Stuart School of Business, and teaches financial theory, investments, and international finance. Before joining Stuart, he taught finance at Loyola University Chicago for 10 years, and was awarded School of Business Faculty of the Year in 1997.

8:45 am Casting Buyer: U.S. Dept. of Defense Weapon Systems
Dean Hutchins, Castings Manufacturing Program Technology Manager, Defense Logistics Agency, Washington D.C.

Dean Hutchins has worked as an engineer for more than 23 years at the U.S. Department of Defense. Since 2005 he has been working with the Defense Logistics Agency Casting and Forging Program, first at the Defense Supply Center Richmond and more recently for Headquarters DLA. Dean is currently the Casting Program Manager for the DLA.

9:15 am Casting Buyer: Oil Field & Energy
Daniel Crane, Purchasing & Supplier Development, Kimray, Inc., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Daniel Crane is employed at Kimray, Inc., a producer of valves and controls for the global oil and gas industry, and is responsible for Purchasing and Supplier Development. He has more 30 years of experience in purchasing, materials management, production scheduling and logistics. Current responsibilities include domestic sourcing and purchasing of all castings, as well as development of our casting suppliers. The majority of castings used by Kimray are gray and ductile iron and steel.

9:45 am Casting Buyer: Farm Equipment & Agriculture
Donald Backens, Supply Base Manager-Raw Castings, Worldwide Agricultural Equipment Div.,
John Deere & Co., Cedar Falls, Iowa

Donald Backens has worked for John Deere for 35 years with varying responsibilities including production supervisor, marketing manager, quality manager, engineering and tooling manager. His current role is as Agriculture and Turf Division Casting Supply Base Manager for North America with the responsibility of determining what metalcasters Deere units use for their products. Deere products under this umbrella include farm tractors, mowers, lawn care equipment, combines, planting equipment, sprayers and balers.

10:15 am Break

10:45 am Casting Buyer: Machining
Kirk Schildt, Purchasing, Hypro, Inc., Waterford, Wisconsin

HyPro is a manufacturer of precision machined components and assemblies. Headquartered in Waterford, Wisconsin, HyPro services the agricultural and industrial equipment markets predominantly using gray and ductile iron castings. Celebrating 40 years from 7 locations, HyPro is committed to meeting or exceeding our customers’ expectations.

11:15 am Special Professional Seminar: Selling Has Nothing to Do with Selling
Rick Farrell, President, Tangent Knowledge Systems, Chicago Illinois

The underlining theme of the presentation is that sales people should stop selling, presenting, answering objections and closing, and should instead play the role of a “change agent.” In this presentation, attendees will learn:

• How to meet the twin evil forces that all companies today are faced with tough economic times and dragging their sales force into the 21st century;
  
• How to create a competitive advantage;
  
• How sales management must have a defined, systematic sales process to ensure a strong pipeline and forecast;
  
• Why salespeople must sell strategically instead of transactionally to reduce the cost of sales and increase margins;
  
• How to reduce sales cycles and improve quoting, proposals and reduce costs. 

Farrell has 28 years as a sales professional and 20 years training and speaking on sales. He is published in both the mainstream and trade press. He has spoken across the globe before both manufacturing and non-manufacturing audiences.

12:30 pm Lunch

1:30 pm Seminar: Selling Has Nothing to Do with Selling (continued)

2:15 pm Casting Buyer: Brake Systems
Roberta Brecheisen, Commodity Manager Strategic Sourcing, Haldex Brake Products Corp., Grain Valley, Missouri

Roberta Brecheisen is responsible for sourcing ductile iron castings for the Foundation Brake Business Unit worldwide, which includes manufacturing facilities in Sweden, China, India, Brazil and the U.S. The Foundation Brake Business Unit of Haldex develops and produces automatic brake adjusters for drum brakes for heavy duty vehicles. The sourcing responsibilities encompass information gathering, confidentiality agreements, quotes, assessments, contract review, purchase agreements and pricing for the castings.

2:45 pm Break

3:15 pm Casting Buyer: Military
Kyle Huff, Strategy Manager for Castings, Raytheon Co., Dallas, Texas

Kyle Huff serves as the Strategy Manager for Castings at Raytheon. In this role, he has broad responsibility in managing sourcing decisions and negotiating strategic agreements for pricing, capacity and lead time with casting suppliers. He also consults internally with engineering to match up new casting design needs with supplier capabilities. Raytheon has a wide diversity of casting needs that cover the spectrum of casting processes and materials.

3:45 pm Casting Buyer: Mining
Robert Mueller Jr., Casting Procurement Specialist, P&H Mining Equipment, Milwaukee, WI

P&H Mining Equipment is a manufacturer of large above ground mining equipment that purchases $70 million in castings annually. Its machines utilize large steel castings (5,000-20,000 lb). P&H also produces it’s own electric motors that utilize several smaller nonferrous castings. As casting procurement specialist, Robert Mueller maintains current sources and identifies potential future sources. He also identifies potential fabrication conversions. Before joining P&H, Robert Mueller spent more than 20 years in the metalcasting industry.

4:15 pm Wrap-Up

Click here to download the conference brochure and register. To reserve a hotel room at the Westin O'Hare, click here. The hotel cut-off for discouted rooms is July 14. Early bird registration ends 6/30. For more information, contact AFS customer service at 800/537-4237.