The Wood Machinery Suppliers’ Association (WMSA) is for the first time launching a range of initiatives designed specifically to help members sell more machinery.

A raft of measures was presented to WMSA members at a meeting on October 24 at the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham following recent board approval.

The initiatives – available from the beginning of next year – comprise:

  •  Helping members and customers find grants, with WMSA resources being used to win funding.

  •  Teaming-up with finance providers in order to advise members regularly on the best way to make products more affordable.

  • Partnership with the concili-ation service The Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution to encourage members to settle disputes through mediation.

  • Increasing the association’s technical and safety informa- tion service.

  • Staging commercially-run seminars and workshops for the benefit of members and customers.

    • WMSA finance director John Smith Boden, who was charged with putting together the measures following a members’ meeting in July, said the initiative marked the first time the association had put in place measures designed specifically to help boost members’ sales.

    ‘This is the first time that the WMSA has concentrated on customers so that members can sell more. We hope that this will give members something over non-WMSA members.’

    WMSA chairman Doug Shopland said: ‘The message from our active members is a simple one. They want WMSA to give them an advantage in the market place.’