Psst! Hey buddy, can you keep a secret?

For some time there’ve been rumors coming out of the Randall Publishing skunkworks. People have been curious about the lights being on at all hours of the night. Until now, only hints have escaped the locked doors and closed blinds about what’s going on over there.

Well, I’ve been inside, and I know what they’re up to. Don’t tell anyone, but the folks at Gear Technology are planning all kinds of changes, including a major redesign—-the first in more than 10 years and only the third in the magazine’s 23-year history.

I’m not supposed to be telling you this yet, but I can’t keep it a secret any more. They’ve kept it pretty well under wraps, what with all the clandestine meetings and such, but just between you and me, this project is much further along than anyone has let on. In fact, Gear Technology’s redesign is scheduled to launch with the January/February 2007 issue.

The staff at Gear Technology is doing its best to keep this thing quiet, but the excitement about this new project is obvious. The whole place is abuzz with redesign fever, and the buzz words seem to be “BIGGER,” “BETTER” and “MORE OFTEN.”

Everyone’s talking about bigger ideas, bigger photos, and a bigger presence than the magazine already has. The editors mean to bring readers more in-depth features, more quality technical articles and more relevant news and product information than ever before.

Now, remember, you didn’t hear this from me. But those of you who advertise in Gear Technology will be interested to learn that the magazine’s staff is also talking about bigger and better circulation. They’re saying that the electronic version of the magazine has really taken off (nearly 3,000 electronic subscribers*), and they’re planning to do even more international mailing in 2007. In fact, they’re planning to blanket China and India with bonus distribution of the January/February and May 2007 issues, respectively.

But bigger isn’t good enough for Gear Technology. The editors and staff want to make the magazine “better” as well. They’re working on everything, including the cover design, the layout, the content and the subjects covered. They’re doing everything they can to make the best magazine even better.

Fans of the old version need not worry, though. These people haven’t forgotten where they came from—-far from it! They’re working on improving all the things that have set Gear Technology apart over the years, like the top-notch, peer-reviewed, unbiased technical articles; the timely, relevant, well-researched feature articles; the best news sections in the business; and a qualified and audited circulation of subscribers who request the magazine.

The secret’s also out on what the Gear Technology staffers mean by “more often.” Gear Technology will be published eight times in 2007 instead of just six. The schedule will run something like this: January/February, March/April, May, June, July, August, September/October and November/December.

I wanted to smuggle out a mock-up of the first issue so you could see Gear Technology’s new look, but the staff has been very protective about the redesign, and I didn’t want them to know who leaked this information. But I’ve seen it, and I have to tell you that the new look is inspiring. The new Gear Technology is going to be sleek, clean and professional. Its powerful presentation will be easy to read and pleasing to the eye, with great photography and graphics.

All of these changes will also be reflected online at www.geartechnology.com, where they’re getting more than 30,000 unique visits per month.

Many of you may be wondering what’s happening with the second magazine, Gear Product News. It was announced at IMTS that Gear Product News would publish its last issue in December 2006. Strangely, though, there’s been an awful lot of activity in that section of the building as well.

This next part was supposed to be a surprise, but as long you’ve got me spilling secrets, I might as well tell you that the powertransmission.com people have taken over the space that used to be occupied by Gear Product News, and they’re planning to launch a powertransmission.com printed magazine in the Spring. It makes sense, if you think about it. powertransmission.com will celebrate its 10th anniversary in January, and we’ve been getting loads of traffic—-75,000 unique visits per month—-including buyers of gears, bearings, motors and other power transmission products all that time. The new magazine will take the same unbiased, educational approach that has served Gear Technology so well all these years.

The target audience for powertransmission.com magazine will be design engineers, maintenance and facility managers and purchasing professionals, just like the website. If you’re a gear manufacturer looking for new customers, powertransmission.com—in print or online—is just the right vehicle for you.

By the time you read this, there will even be a space on the website where you can sign up to receive the new magazine. Just go to www.powertransmission.com. The link will be right there on the home page. You can’t miss it.

I hope you’re as excited about these new changes as I am. I’d love to be able to tell you more, but I’m afraid someone might find out about our little conversation here. Besides, you’ll see it for yourself next issue.

If anybody asks, you never saw me here.

Michael Goldstein,
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

* Statistics based on publisher's own data.