One of the core objectives of SC&RA is to provide valuable products and services to our members. We continually strive to heighten value for members by improving existing benefits. Beyond that, we look for ways to add entirely new benefits. A prime example is the Association's expansion of its partnership with KHL, publisher of this magazine, to embrace a new magazine, American Cranes & Transport. The launch of this sister publication this month marks a great step forward for the North American market.
Both magazines will be official SC&RA publications received by all members. You'll be getting more for your money because your dues will remain the same.
While we're elated to offer members a new publication, we will continue to support International Cranes and Specialized Transport magazine in every way possible. After all, this is our industry's leading magazine, reaching 18000 readers around the world.
Both magazines are now available in digital format and can be delivered directly to your computer within minutes of publication. A banner advertisement at the top of the SC&RA web site www.scranet.org will link you to KHL, where you can register for your free digital subscriptions.
While you're at the SC&RA web site, take a few minutes to look around. If you haven't visited the site lately, you'll notice a number of enhancements that make it easier to use and more appealing for our members and their customers. And we're working on even more improvements.
At the SC&RA site you can find details of upcoming meetings. Having just wrapped up our Annual Conference in April, a highly successful event that attracted just over 500 attendees from 11 countries, SC&RA has turned its attention to two other meetings - the Crane & Rigging Workshop and the Financial Management Seminar.
This year's Crane & Rigging Workshop, September 22-24, at the Hilton Americas in Houston, Texas, promises to be among the best ever. An impressive lineup of experts will cover an array of current topics. Anticipated highlights include:
Opening session speaker Gary Coleman's look at how to identify electrical hazards, comply with Occupational Safety & Health Administration standards and use safe work practices
David Duerr's presentation of a brief history of the development of hydraulic gantries, a discussion of the various types of hydraulic gantry products, and a comprehensive outline of gantry lift planning
Dennis Fetter's review of how to get the most from your rope
Ronald Kohner's outline of good lift-plan basics and an update of recent changes to ASME B30.5.
You'll also enjoy the exhibit center, the Liebherr Cranes facility tour, Crane & Rigging Group Committee meetings, and the golf outing/Texas Barbecue.
The following month, SC&RA will reintroduce its Financial Management Seminar, October 20-21, at the Lansdowne Resort near Washington, D.C. Back by popular demand after a seven year hiatus, this seminar will draw heavily on responses from dozens of SC&RA members throughout the country who participated in the 2004-05 Financial Analysis & Operating Ratio Study.
Even if your company did not participate the seminar will provide you with extremely useful information on understanding and using financial statements as strategic decision tools, improving profitability and performance, and making the most of best practices for improving cash flow and operating efficiencies.
All participants in the study will receive a free copy of the final report. Companies that did not participate will be able to purchase a copy this summer or early fall.
We are enthusiastic about these developments and others now in the works. Like virtually everything we do at SC&RA, they help us fulfill our mission of “providing the unique information and any other lawful activities members need to safely, legally, and profitably transport, lift, and erect oversize and overweight items.”