ECED to offer direct membership to dealers

The European Confederation of Equipment Distributors (ECED) is to offer direct membership of the organisation to independent equipment distributors for the first time. The organisation has previously only had national distributors associations as members, with 11 such association currently members.

ECED said the offer of membership to individual dealers would be focused on countries that do not yet have a national association and on those distributors who have developed a pan-European business.

The main aim of the strategy is to bolster ECED's lobbying power within Europe.

ECED said; "Soon the ECED will be strengthened by this new form of membership, which will allow for a European forum representing the main issues of concern to machinery distributors and repairers, and will act as the chief representational body of the sector towards the European Commission and the European Parliament."

The changes are the initiative of the confederation's new president, José Gameiro, chairman of dealer Motivo and president of Portuguese association ACAP, who was elected to the post in February this year. Mr Gameiro succeeded Leo Lubbers who led ECED for the past six years.

EDEC said the association's new strategy would also include creating stronger links to rental companies and manufacturers, through closer ties to associations like the European Rental Association (ERA) and the manufacturers body CECE. Mr Gameiro was one of the key speakers at the ERA's Convention in Amsterdam in June.

ECED has made some other changes to its operational structure. Tom Antonissen has been reappointed to the position of ECED secretary general. Mr Antonissen was deputy secretary general from 2004 to 2006 and was more recently a senior consultant at LOGOS Public Affairs. LOGOS is a Brussels-based association management company that will now be managing the ECED.