MEMA, the Vehicle Suppliers Association, unveiled its new business structure and branding during a press event Thursday. As North America’s leading trade association for motor vehicle component manufacturers, MEMA says it will now operate under one umbrella organization with two groups: MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers and MEMA Original Equipment Suppliers.
Founded in 1904 when 37 suppliers realized they were “stronger by association,” says MEMA President and CEO Bill Long, MEMA and its board of directors began considering an alteration of its organizational structure last year. MEMA Chairman Marc Blackman, CEO at Gold Eagle, says the new MEMA is better positioned to support its member companies in the industries (automotive and heavy-duty) and market segments (OE and Aftermarket) it has always served.
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With disruption in transportation only likely to increase, Long says the new MEMA enhances “our ability to advance member business interests and future needs more effectively.”
Before this transition, MEMA operated with four divisions: the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Associations (AASA), Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association (HDMA), Motor Equipment Remanufacturing Association (MERA), and Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA). The new structure will create a stronger, more unified organization that can better serve and represent constituents by convening all members under just two groups.
“No other organization can compare with MEMA’s longevity, respect, depth of knowledge, and commitment to the vehicle supplier industry,” says Long, who adds that MEMA’s mission, vision, and dedication to its members and the automotive and commercial vehicle industry have not changed.
