Connections are an essential means for CBSA members to help one another succeed

March 2019 - The Copper and Brass Servicenter Association (CBSA) was founded in 1951, but there’s nothing stodgy about this 68-year-old organization. Here’s a quick look at the original programs and services available to CBSA members:

Networking

Networking remains the number one reason that companies join CBSA, and the premier networking event of the year is the annual convention, coming up this April 3-5 in Aventura, Florida.

During their time together, attendees will hear from Brian Beaulieu, the CEO of ITR Economics, Manchester, New Hampshire. Beaulieu plans to present valuable insight into the economic factors that will affect member companies. Also slated to speak at the meeting is Ryan Avery, the youngest person ever to win the top Toastmaster award. He will talk about motivating millennials, a subject critical to the future of many in the manufacturing industry.

Rounding out the educational component of the convention is California attorney Carol Brophy, who will present a session about Proposition 65, the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, a law that is reaching beyond the State of California. During their down time, attendees will enjoy optional local tours and the annual golf tournament. The social highlight of the convention is likely to be the banquet aboard a luxury yacht.

Mill training & tours

In the fall, a CBSA mill member will host service center members for a day of education and networking at the Service Center Training Event. This popular event allows service center participants to get an insider’s look at a supplier’s operation, gain deeper connections with the other attendees and better understand the materials that they work with.

Online education

Launched just last year, CBSA University is an online training platform designed to provide members on-demand training for in-demand topics. Members can select from onboarding courses appropriate for any new employee to courses designed specifically for sales personnel. Warehouse personnel can ensure their OSHA compliance with the safety training courses available in English and Spanish through CBSA University.

Additional education is provided to members through quarterly free e-training webinars. Topics vary but during each year, there is a metallurgy webinar presented in the lead-up to the Service Center Training Event, which gives attendees background information about what they will be seeing at the mill and greater insight to those who are unable to attend. Also popular is the economic forecasting webinar at the end of the year, presented by a top economist. This webinar is designed to help CBSA members with their business planning for the year ahead.

Industry news & data

CBSA members receive two exclusive e-newsletters each month: CBSA Connections and CBSA Flash Report. CBSA Connections provides news about other CBSA members, partner organizations and distribution in general. The latter is a monthly shipping report that gives an aggregate of the data provided by service center members each month, resulting in a snapshot of the shipping volume. Member companies often use the data as a benchmark to compare with their internal trends.

Emerging leaders

CBSA recently launched the Cu 29 group, designed for the next generation of business leaders at CBSA member companies to connect with each other. A Cu 29 meet-up is scheduled during the annual convention for face-to-face networking, and a private LinkedIn group is set up for year-round conversations.

Scholarships

The CBSA Educational Foundation  administers an annual scholarship program for undergraduates to promote studies in fields helpful to copper and brass and/or industrial distribution. Through the CBSA Educational Foundation, CBSA offers annual scholarships to employees of CBSA member companies, children of employees at CBSA member companies and students enrolled in an undergraduate industrial distribution degree program.

Task force

As mentioned earlier, CBSA is not content to rest on its laurels. The CBSA Strategy Task Force is composed of members of CBSA’s board of directors and has spent the last year studying the current membership and the greater red metals market. The task force is  developing a strategic plan to guide CBSA over the next several years. As a result of its work, we anticipate many more exciting new developments to support its strategic direction.

CBSA is dedicated to the red metals supply chain and provides an opportunity for the companies serving that supply chain to connect with one another. If you are a red metals service center, mill or plater and you aren’t already a CBSA member, visit www.copper-brass.org to find out how you can join and start benefiting from all that CBSA membership has to offer. MM