ORLAND PARK, Ill. – Despite the challenging economic times, show organizers for Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week (HDAW) in Las Vegas have reported a strong showing for the event, which took place in late January.
A total of more than 1,500 individuals attended the three-day conference, including 229 exhibitors and 426 distributor executives.
The 5th annual HDAW conference was held Jan. 18-21, at The Mirage in Las Vegas. More than 1,100 people attended the opening reception on Monday evening and started the week with an optimistic and genuine feel of excitement for the relationship-based industry, according to show organizers.
More than 1,000 people attended the 4th edition of the HD Aftermarket Forum, HDAW’s economic and market outlook session. And, more than 1,200 pre-scheduled one-on-one meetings were held between suppliers and distributors. These meetings were held between the senior executives of the distributor and supplier companies.
Eight individual education programs were presented to large audiences on topics ranging from making sense of technology, to finding cash in your business, to hybrid technologies.
Earlier in the year, an early bird registration contest was held. Those registering prior to Nov. 1 competed in a drawing for a grand prize of a “High-Roller Package” won by Barry Ernst, of Frame Service in Ft. Wayne, Ind., which included a luxury suite for the week and limo service. Ernst didn’t mention it to his wife until they were picked up at the airport by a uniformed Mirage limo driver, making it a fun surprise. Additional early bird contest prizes were four pairs of tickets to Cirque du Soleil productions, Mirage gift certificates and many more prizes.
The HDAW Product Expo was filled wall-to-wall and had several special attractions, including the HDAW new product showcase, a display of the Pinewood Challenge “race-trucks”, Mike Ryan’s Pikes Peak race truck and the NASCAR “Pit-Crew Challenge” for attendees to race against each other by changing tires on a race car simulator.
The annual All-Industry Reception and Pinewood Challenge, held during the 2010 event, proved to be an exciting event for all 14 participants and an audience of over 800. Winners of the event were:
Pinewood Race Winners:
First Place – Jim Pascale of Pascale Service Corp.
Second Place – Greg Franklin of Franklin Truck Parts
Third Place – Jeff Miller of Triangle Suspension Systems
Pinewood Concours D’elegance Winners:
First Place – Jeff Miller of Triangle Suspension Systems
Second Place – Mike Garvin of Vander Haag’s
Third Place – Roger Maye of Consolidated Metco
NASCAR Pit Stop Challenge Winner:
Bryan Matzek of Weldon Parts Inc.
Two NASCAR Pit Pass Winners:
Jack Wilcosky of Total Truck Parts
Torsten Holzapfel of TMD Friction
“HDAW ’10 was all about networking: suppliers, distributors, education session content and several meals and other networking events,” said Dave Bell, HDAW ’10 co-chair and president of Erie Drive Train. “Having the key companies in our industry pull together and support the conference during some pretty tough times for many businesses in the heavy duty aftermarket speaks to the value of the event to our industry.”
“The overall theme for HDAW ’09 was ‘Achieving Success in a Changing Environment’,” added Gary Smalley, Bell’s partner as 2010 co-chair and president and CEO of Dayton Parts LLC. “Attendees at the conference were provided maximum take-aways from all elements of the program, and also had the opportunity to learn how to implement them immediately into their businesses.”
HDAW’11 will be held Jan. 17-22, 2011, at The Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas.
