Hose Manufacturers Conference peers into industry's future

CUYAHOGA FALLS—The future of the hose industry came in to focus at the Hose Manufacturers Conference, which concluded Nov. 13.

More than 125 people attended the two-day event, which is presented by Rubber & Plastics News and organized in conjunction with Continental A.G.'s ContiTech business and Beaver Manufacturing Co. Inc. The conference featured 15 presentations, including two keynote addresses, and it closed with a panel of industry leaders and college students who together offered insight into the best hiring practices and expectations of industry new-comers and veterans.

But it was Guy Enta, Continental vice president and head of the Americas Region for industrial fluid solution, who opened the second day of presentations with a keynote address that focused on the changing business landscape of the hose industry.

His speech detailed ways in which technology is driving change and explored how product development, sales and customer experiences can benefit when a company embraces technology.

Here are three notes from his presentation:

1. Connections are key

Enta noted that the industry is working to create better, more efficient products every day with the ultimate goal of designing a smart hose. The ideal smart hose, he said, is one that knows it is going to fail and it orders its replacement, which arrives before it fails.

Regardless of the products developed, however, the key to growing the industry and furthering a business is building the user-friendly technology to manage the hose products to design, manufacture and sell.

In the drive to create smart technology, manufacturers cannot lose sight of the end users and their experiences.

"You can have a smart product, but if you cannot connect that product to the customer with a really cool app that makes that experience a great experience for the customer, you are going to waste your investment on that technology."

2. 'Ditch the sales pitch, app it up'

Capitalizing on the company's best technology advancements requires a clear and concise message from your sales team. Like the apps that make your technology easy to use and understand, the sales process should be built on the best customer experiences.

That means putting easy-to-access information at the fingertips of your salespeople, Enta said. Instead of pushing them to understand large amounts of information, give them the training and resources they need to present the information in a concise, clear manner.

"Make sure they can explain the technology you expect them to explain," Enta said. "If they take more than 2 minutes to explain, they don't understand it, and even worse, your customer won't understand it. … App it up. Put the training in the palm of their hands, don't try to force it into their heads."

3. Sustainability is easier than you think

If the hose industry is going to thrive, all of its businesses need to remain focused on environmental responsibility.

"Sustainability," Enta said, "should be at the heart of the hose industry.

"We all have the responsibility to position the hose business—to position our company—to be more sustainable," Enta said. And while the ultimate goal of sustainability may be biodegradable hoses, the move toward true sustainability begins with small steps.

"We can improve our sustainability in other ways, through zero carbon footprint manufacturing, recyclable packaging," Enta said. "(At Continental,) we are really trying to position our portfolio to be more sustainable."

Creating a company that focuses on sustainability also means breaking down the paradigms that define sustainability. It's about embracing the understanding that sustainability requires investments that better the communities where your company has a presence. It also means supporting your employees and their families.

Enta said sustainability "is about family and about your community."