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INFO@OPTIBELT.CA 888-529-8844 RED POWER Revolutionary maintenance-free belt engineered for heavy industrial applications • No re-tensioning required • Semi-rigid transverse fiber rubber • Dual wrapped fabric cover • Transfers up to 50% more power. BLUE POWER Aramid cord provides the ultimate in industrial power capacity • Transfers 2x's more power than conventional v-belts • Semi-rigid transverse fiber rubber • Dual wrapped fabric cover LESS MAINTENANCE MORE PRODUCTION nine safety specialists at Motion Canada locations across the country. He and his colleagues have a close working relationship with their counterparts in the U.S. to align customer relationships and share best practices. However, as Smith points out, there are different rules and regula- tions for industrial safety in each jurisdiction. "For example, in Canada, businesses must comply with the Occu- pational Health and Safety Act. Manufacturers produce products that meet or exceed the Canadian Standards Association's stringent testing requirements that prove products are safe to use," says Smith. Safety, he adds, is an important focus of Motion Canada's customers. "The feedback we get is that they are grateful to have access to spe- cialists who can provide technical advice on safety issues and legisla- tion that they need to follow," says Smith. "Of course, we also provide them with information on the latest safety equipment and supplies, which is a big part of our job." Motion Canada's safety specialist program was launched about three years ago. The company intends to continue investing in this value-added service in the years ahead to meet customers' needs. All MI's specialists provide support, training and knowledge of the dynamic industrial safety industry. The program covers all aspects of occupational health and safety, and all MI's customers can take advan- tage of the program as a value-added service that sets the company apart from the competition. "Our customers are always sur- prised at the breadth of product cat- egories the program encompasses," adds Barbeau. "We work with strategic suppliers to provide facility assess- ments, training and product recom- mendations." He says the response from custom- ers has been extremely positive. "The distributor-customer relationship is migrating away from being 'trans- actional' and more toward 'consulta- tive.' With that being said, it is remarkable to me that so many safety distributors are trending toward fewer face-to-face reps and driving more of their revenue online. That's not to say there isn't a place for e-commerce in the safety indus- try. However, safety professionals are expecting more than a product in a box when it comes to their safety distributor," says Barbeau. He believes that having access to the advice and guidance of a courtesy Motion Industries Sean Barbeau, Motion Industries' Dallas-based safety specialist.

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