NATM Convention in New Orleans draws 869 attendees and 278 exhibitors, and features 230 booths

THE National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (NATM) hosted a very big Convention & Trade Show in The Big Easy. The 27th annual event, held in New Orleans February 11-13, had a total of 869 attendees, 230 booths sold, and 178 exhibitors. In addition to luncheons, receptions and the trade show, the association presented multiple awards, including the Associate Member of the Year, Green Manufacturing Award, Young Professional of the Year, and the Outstanding Member Award at the Association Awards Breakfast.
June 5, 2015
3 min read
Greg Snyder incoming NATM president presents Mike Lloyd with a plaque for his service as the associationrsquos president
Greg Snyder, incoming NATM president, presents Mike Lloyd with a plaque for his service as the association’s president.

THE National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (NATM) hosted a very big Convention & Trade Show in The Big Easy.

The 27th annual event, held in New Orleans February 11-13, had a total of 869 attendees, 230 booths sold, and 178 exhibitors.

In addition to luncheons, receptions and the trade show, the association presented multiple awards, including the Associate Member of the Year, Green Manufacturing Award, Young Professional of the Year, and the Outstanding Member Award at the Association Awards Breakfast.

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Randy Lemasters of Statistical Surveys was presented the NATM Outstanding Associate Member Award, which is presented annually to an NATM trailer manufacturing associate member recognizing his or her contributions to NATM and trailer manufacturing industry.

Load Trail, LLC, of Sumner, Texas, was awarded the NATM Green Manufacturing Award to recognize its innovative solutions for trailer manufacturing with reduced impact on the environment.

PPG Industries Inc is a founding sponsor of the Green Manufacturing Award and annually donates $5000 to the charity selected by the award recipient. This year, Ron Yarnell, OEM sales manager, assisted NATM president Mike Lloyd with the presentation of the award and check to Load Trail, which selected Roots and Wings International Ministries of Honey Grove, Texas, to receive the $5000 contribution.

Load Trail received the Green Manufacturing Award for its work in changing its pretreatment chemistry (iron phosphate) to a technically advanced, non-regulated zirconium pretreatment, which was specifically formulated for Load Trail and named “Load Trail Green Z.”

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NATM President Mike Lloyd presents this year’s NATM Outstanding Member Award to Ricky Baker, president of Big Tex Trailer Manufacturing. The company now manufactures in Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, Idaho, and California. Its marketing network includes 37 company sales and service facilities and 11 parts distribution centers. The company also has built a network of more than 400 dealers throughout North America.

The Outstanding Member Award is presented each year to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the trailer manufacturing industry. This year’s recipient, Ricky Baker, founder and president of Big Tex Trailer Manufacturing, has been an active member of NATM since 1993, began building trailers in 1976. Baker has served multiple times on the NATM Board of Directors, sponsored the first Legislative Roundtable at his manufacturing facility, and continues to support the involvement of his employees on the NATM Board and committees.

The 2016 Convention & Trade Show will be held in Las Vegas at the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa February 10-12. 

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NATM President Mike Lloyd and Ron Yarnell with PPG present the NATM Green Award to Corney Thiessen, CEO of Load Trail, a multi-line trailer manufacturer based in Sumner TX.

About the Author

Rick Weber

Associate Editor

Rick Weber has been an associate editor for Trailer/Body Builders since February 2000. A national award-winning sportswriter, he covered the Miami Dolphins for the Fort Myers News-Press following service with publications in California and Australia. He is a graduate of Penn State University.

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