HD Aftermarket Week resoundingly successful: Organizers

ORLAND PARK, Ill. — Nearly 1,800 heavy-duty aftermarket executives and professionals attended Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week ’08 (HDAW) in late January at The Mirage in Las Vegas. In its third year, this annual business conference continues to be the industry’s largest gathering of the independent heavy duty aftermarket.

“HDAW ’08 was an action-packed conference that lived up to its theme: ‘Face-to-Face, Building Relationships in to the Future’ — thousands of Face-to-Face contacts were made,” said Jerry Weis, president, Ott’s Friction Supply Inc., and HDAW ’08 chairman.

The HDAW Business and Technical Theater sessions and workshops were heavily attended — “in some cases standing room only,” said Joe Mejaly, vice president and general manager, ArvinMeritor’s Commercial Vehicle Aftermarket Business, and HDAW ’08 vice chairman. “We had a record 1400-plus pre-scheduled one-on-one meetings, and 227 exhibitors in the 100,000 square foot HDAW Product Expo.”

Most of the education session material is available to download from the conference Web site, www.hdaw.org. A separate DVD has also been produced and is available for purchase.

HDAW is presented by a joint operating committee comprised of industry leaders from American Council of Frame and Alignment Specialists (ACOFAS), Commercial Vehicle Solutions Network (CVSN), Heavy Duty America (HDA), Heavy Duty Distribution Association (HDDA), Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association (HDMA), Heavy Duty Remanufacturing Group (HDRG), International Truck Parts Association (ITPA), Overseas Automotive Council (OAC), Power Heavy Duty, Service Specialists Association (SSA), Truck Pride and VIPAR HD Parts.