OPINION: Maintenance industry Events Go Digital
EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK (November 2020 issue of MRO Magazine)
November 9, 2020 | By Mario Cywinski
Photo: Serts / Getty Images Photo: Serts / Getty Images
This time last year, in MRO Magazine’s November issue we covered a large cross-section of live in-person events. They included: the 2019 PEMAC MainTrain Conference, which was held in Edmonton, Alberta, and included an MRO Roundtable; the 2019 Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show (CMTS), which is held bi-yearly, and alternates with the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS); Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium held its Advantage Through Excellence conference; and The Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) held its 35th Annual Conference and Exhibition.
Flash forward to 2020, PEMAC held its first ever virtual MainTrain (page 10), which was shortened to two days, and was held entirely online. IMTS was cancelled for 2020, with CMTS hopefully returning for 2021. And the CanWEA is now the Canadian Renewable Energy Association, and it is putting on the Canadian Renewable Energy Forum: Wind. Solar. Storage virtually this year in November.
With the pandemic still ever-present, virtual events are the way to go. For many, the virtual nature of the events are welcome, as it reduces costs associated with travel and accommodations, as well as time away. It does feel different; however, reporting on events that you cannot take photos of, and attend is person. Maybe I’m just old fashioned. Looking at how things stand, it may not be until MRO’s next November issue that we will have in-person event to report on again. Let’s hope
it is sooner.
Looking at the environmental theme in this issue, MRO’s former editor Rehana Begg, speaks with Aaron Weston, hydraulics specialist and owner of ASW Enterprises in Stratford, Ontario. In her article Smaller Footprint: Extend the Life of Hydraulics, which looks at how energy efficient components and training initiatives help to maintain hydraulic systems.
Our special green news section looks at how Ford Motor Company of Canada, along with the Federal and Provincial governments are investing in Ford’s Oakville Assembly Complex, to make it a battery electric vehicle manufacturing hub. We also look at how the Ontario Main Street Recovery Plan will include an Act that if passed will enable Community Net Metering demonstration projects that will help local communities develop things like net-zero or community micro-grids. And finally, SANY is introducing battery electric truck mixers to its fleet, which helps to reduce emissions produced on its regular truck mixers.
Our Mr. O – The Practical Problem Solver tip looks at how to sustain the environment with maintenance. James Reyes-Picknell discusses how maintainers are the key to achieving good environmental performance.
If anyone has any story or theme suggestions for an upcoming issue of MRO, be sure to send me a note.
Good day,
