The Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association will have new component to the Heavy Duty Dialogue conference series—the Heavy Duty Aftermarket Dialogue (HDAD) conference, which will be co-hosted with MacKay & Company on January 21, 2013, at The Mirage in Las Vegas, immediately preceding Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week.
Registration for HDAD '13 is open for the new conference and can be completed on the HDMA website, www.hdma.org.
Traditionally, this time block has been occupied by HDMA’s Heavy Duty Dialogue conference, from which the recently announced Heavy Duty Dialogue Conference Series has spawned. The HDD Conference Series, new in 2013, will include: Heavy Duty Aftermarket Dialogue, Heavy Duty Dialogue and Off-Highway Dialogue.
“We are very excited that the popularity and diversity of the original Heavy Duty Dialogue conference has allowed us to grow it into a three-conference series, each focusing on a unique component of the heavy-duty industry,” states Tim Kraus, President and COO of the Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association. “Our goal as an association is to cater to our members' specific areas of interest and to provide them with information that is uniquely valuable to their market elements in the industry.
“By expanding HD Dialogue into three market specific conferences, we are able to provide greater value to our members and guests. This event will be a fantastic addition to our annual conference lineup.”
The 1st Annual HDAD conference will feature segments including the HD Industry Forecast, presented by Stu MacKay of MacKay & Company, and the North American Economic Outlook, presented by Dr. Bob Dieli, Economist and owner of RDLB, Inc. These segments will be accompanied by three panels including one with suppliers, one with distributors/dealers and with fleets. Each will focus several components, including:
- Consolidation – Distribution, Dealers, OEMs, Suppliers
- Utility and Complexity of Components – 300K mile+ parts, extended warranties
- Balance of Power in the Market – Pricing, terms, repair and distribution practices
- Globalization of Supply Base – Counterfeiting, white box, private label and pricing
- The Uncertain Value Chain – Brands, distribution, end-customer access and representation
The conference will include breakfast, two breaks and a luncheon, each intended to facilitate networking with industry peers, as well as conference books containing presentation materials.
“We are very pleased to join HDMA in co-hosting the first, day-long dialogue conference, which will be focused only on the heavy-duty aftermarket,” said Stu MacKay, President of MacKay & Company. “The structure of the program will provide us the opportunity to focus on the key issues driving both the current and future heavy-duty aftermarket. Our research indicates that fleet customer practices are changing – and often quite significantly – as many sectors of this customer base continue to consolidate.
Vehicles are being retained longer by the first owner prior to trading as product durability and reliability continue to improve. Maintenance practices continue to improve as well. Both independent and dealer distribution channels also continue to consolidate – creating a changing competitive environment for suppliers. With $22 billion in aftermarket business at stake, the opportunities are major -- and so are the challenges,” MacKay concluded.