60 seconds with Jerry Heathman, CEMA

Jerry Heathman
Title: Incoming president, Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA); sales manager, Chantland Company
Experience: 32 years in the conveyor industry and with the Chantland Company.
Duties: Heathman is the manager of sales and marketing for the Chantland Company. At CEMA, he chairs board meetings as well as sits on the strategic planning committee and participates with the on-going work of other committees.

Modern: Jerry, congratulations on the new position. As you see it, what are the most important issues CEMA will address in the coming year?
Heathman: We’re coming out with the seventh edition of Belt Conveyor for Bulk Materials. That’s our hardcover engineering manual that is recognized around the globe as the bible for bulk handling. We’re also working on translating our books, manuals and standards into other languages. For instance, we’re partnering with ABNT, the Brazilian National Standards Organization, to translate the belt book into Portuguese. We also plan to move forward with Spanish translations of our literature. The world becomes a smaller place every day, and we want CEMA to be the go-to source for information.

Modern: How did the conveyor industry fare in 2013 and how is 2014 shaping up? 
Heathman: In 2013, shipments were down by 2.6% following record years in 2011 and 2012. The overall decrease was entirely due to the bulk handling side of the industry. The unit handling side of the industry had a solid year. A lot of the decrease on the bulk side has to do with the switch from coal mining to natural gas. Looking forward, we’re expecting a 2% uptick in 2014. We feel good about growth.

Modern: At Modex 2014, there was a significant amount of interest in automation, including conveyor and sortation systems. From where you sit, what factors are driving the conveyor industry right now?
Heathman: E-commerce is changing the dynamics of materials handling. We’re all seeing tremendous growth in e-commerce. Logistically, you can’t pick, pack and ship the increasing volumes of orders without automation. That’s the game-changer today.

Modern: Looking forward, what issues will CEMA address in the coming years?
Heathman: I’d go back to the fact that the world is becoming a smaller place. Our industry needs to adapt to changing markets and the players within those new markets. We will always be the standards organization for the North American conveyor manufacturers, but we need to be aware of what’s happening in these other markets.

Modern: As you think of conveyor technology, what are the most important developments or innovations benefiting end users today?
Heathman: There are three main points. Speed is the first. It’s not just speed of the conveyor, but the speed at which a conveyor system is now commissioned. The industry has lead times, which allows a customer to get up and running faster. The software has been enhanced—that’s really changing the dynamics today. Lastly, conveyor and sortation equipment has evolved to handle an array of sizes, boxes and materials. That really benefits retailers.