OFDA is a
non-profit association of office furniture shippers which accounts for
over 85%
of the nation's shipments in interstate commerce. Their common bond
is that they all ship office furniture in less-than-truckload and volume
shipments and therefore have common interests and problems. They are
kept well informed through the medium of a monthly traffic newsletter
which brings them news of pending rate and rating increases, changes in
rules and regulations, regulatory decisions, new packing requirements and
any other transportation or distribution matters on both the national and
regional levels for all modes of transportation.
Additionally,
OFDA is committed to a continuous educational
program. Timely traffic
tips are forwarded to members each month and other articles are prepared
by the staff or outside experts throughout the year. Our meetings
feature staff speakers, outside well respected speakers and some of the
pros in our membership. as well. Roundtable and on-line discussion groups
always work well. This is a roll-up your-sleeves approach by participants
who share common problems and thrash out the solutions to such problems as
shipping rail vs. general commodity carrier, or cartoned vs. uncartoned,
or you name it. Members share their own experiences and relate to one
another such things as who is a good furniture distributor in Los Angeles,
a good furniture carrier in Chicago or a good furniture warehouseman in
New York. Every member enjoys a continuous educational program in OFDA.
Members are
the key to action. The strength of our association is in its
members. The more members, the better the quality and quantity of
our work. Dues are our only source of funding. We need members and dues to
continue the fight against unreasonable carrier increases, make cost
analysis for possible rate and rating reductions, help expand specialized
furniture carrier service and to provide a continuing educational program.
As you can see, this is a hard working and dedicated association committed
to do a job -- making it easier to get your products into the marketplace
at reasonable cost and service levels. We, of course, need your help. Help
us to serve the office furniture industry and you in the coming year. Join
the action group - OFDA.
The
evolution and objective of OFDA. While our association's
charter is new and our group and goals have broadened, we have provided
traffic service to the office furniture industry for over 60 years. Back
on May 18, 1923, a group of traffic representatives of the manufacturers
of metal office furniture met in Cleveland and formed the Metal Office
Furniture Traffic League. That organization was adopted by the Steel
Office Furniture Institute on November 3, 1931. Then on November 9, 1934,
the traffic representatives, again meeting in Cleveland formed the Steel
Office Furniture Traffic Association which continued until October 1976
when its members met and agreed to expand the association to include
manufacturers of all office furniture, not just metal. Thus the
Office Furniture Distribution Management Association became a reality to
serve all manufacturers of office furniture who join in attacking problems
not only in traffic, but in all of distribution. As stated in the
Constitution and By-Laws, our object is
"to
promote the common interests of our members as to transportation and
distribution management development through educational articles,
seminars, programs, and presentation of views to regulatory agencies
concerning these common interests. These common interests include
the rules, regulations, ratings, rates and packing requirements of
regulated carriers as they relate to transportation of office
furniture."
In 1986,
the name was shortened to Office Furniture Distribution Association.
To join, click
here. Join.
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