AI, tariffs, economy top the business issues covered at PTDA Annual Canadian Conference
Over 130 PT/MC manufacturers and distributors doing business in Canada convened June 3–5 for the Power Transmission Distributors Association's (PTDA) annual Canadian Conference in Victoria, British Columbia.
“The 2025 Canadian Conference delivered inspiring speakers who offered insightful presentations that sparked vibrant conversations and lasting connections, proving the true power of shared knowledge,” said Manny Daumas, Garlock Sealing Technologies.
Over the course of two days, attendees:
- Discovered how AI is restructuring operations, supply chains and workforce roles and practical steps to integrate tools and programs into their systems.
- Learned how technology, automation and data are being used to streamline channel partner operations and improve communication in a digital-first industry during a panel discussion comprised of distributors and manufacturers.
- Explored the impact of recent tariffs on Canada’s PT/MC sector to better navigate pricing challenges, supply chain disruptions and prepare strategic responses.
- Gained knowledge on economic trends and challenges during a presentation from ITR Economics which included strategies to circumvent inflation, labor shortages and rising costs.
“This event provided several excellent networking opportunities that allowed us to connect and spend valuable time with our manufacturer partners,” said Brent Pope, Motion. “The speaker topics offered relevant perspectives on several of the major challenges currently impacting our industry.”
The Distributor-Manufacturer Idea Exchange (DM-IDEX) — the hallmark networking event of the conference — introduced a new, flexible format. It featured unscheduled, informal meetings during four hours of open networking time over two days. This gave distributors and manufacturers the chance to connect with senior executives, discuss projects, share updates and explore new sales opportunities.
PTDA will host its 2026 Canadian Conference on June 2-4, 2026 at the Hotel InterContinental in Montreal, Quebec.
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