BEMA, the Bakery Equipment Manufacturers and Allieds, Overland Park, KS, welcomed several new members in late 2014 and early 2015, increasing its total membership to 223 companies. The new members are Advantage Industrial Systems, CBF Bakery Systems, Duke Energy, EPCO, Egan Food Technologies, Niverplast and Tromp Group.

BEMA members represent a wide cross-section of suppliers to the baking industry. This diversity improves the opportunities for connections among members and helps them build stronger businesses.

“We believe that by bringing equipment, ingredient, packaging, engineering and other baking industry suppliers together we can strengthen the association and the industry,” says Deb Blaylock, BEMA membership manager.

According to BEMA, its members will benefit from significant discounts on booth space at the International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE), the largest baking industry trade show in North America, and the opportunity to select their spaces before nonmembers. The 2016 edition will be held Oct. 8-11 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas.

Members also benefit from BEMA’s commitment to creating networking venues at Winter Summit and Annual Meeting, offering valuable educational opportunities, providing scholarships for business and industry education, and providing access to industry resources. In addition, BEMA members can take part in turn-key international trade opportunities.