Here's our 2025 HDAW rundown

Tps Logo Online Headshot
Updated Feb 6, 2025


The aftermarket's biggest week was another busy one in 2025, as Heavy Duty Aftermarket Dialogue (HDAD), presented by MacKay & Company and MEMA, and Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week (HDAW) brought together nearly 3,000 aftermarket professionals for four days of action-packed engagement in Grapevine, Texas.

The two separate events continue to grow, showing the independent aftermarket remains hungry for knowledge, business discussion, fellowship and networking despite recent softness in the parts sales business.

HDAD kicked off the busy week with a full day of speakers, panels and experts focused on the economy and many challenges facing the parts business in the years ahead. Outgoing Peterbilt General Manager Jason Skoog kicked off the event with a look at the growth opportunity available for vendors in the trucking business in 2025 and beyond. Skoog focused his remarks on capacity, noting that another business cycle uptick looms and vendors should be preparing now to ride that wave forward to future successes. 

Also discussed in great detail at Dialogue was supplier relationships and data transfer, and how vendors must continue striving to improve their sourcing, distribution and customer communication to maintain or gain market share in a competitive space. MEMA Shannon O'Brien offered examples of how successful relationships, and vendor actions that can prove harmful to relationships during her Talk From the Top session, and the topic was explored further in other sessions during the day.

The U.S. economy and trucking economy also got their share of coverage from MacKay & Company's Bob Dieli and Dave Kalvelage. The former focused his comments on the broader economy, detailing why the economy did not take off in 2024 and why there could be more hard times ahead before it finally turns around in 2025 (or later). Kalvelage focused his comments on the aftermarket, confirming the market's struggles in 2024 but offering some measured optimism that 2025 and beyond should see the North American aftermarket returning to historical growth levels.

But, of course, historical growth will require stability, and MEMA's Ana Meuwissen shared in her Dialogue segment that the Federal government is likely to have an active, heavily influential role in the trucking business at this time due to the new administration's goals. She said MEMA remains focused on the same issues (such as the REPAIR Act) it had in the last Congress but must also prepare its members to deal with trade and regulatory changes that could create tumult in their operations.

HDAD also featured a trio of engaging panels in which supplier, distributor and fleet representatives shared their thoughts about the state of the parts business and ways they believe their businesses must improve or better cooperate with partners to remain successful in the years ahead.

The supplier panel focused heavily on tariffs and supply chain. With Dialogue occurring during the Presidential inauguration, the panelists shared how they had been prepping for potential tariffs and the supply chain disruptions they could provide. The distributor panel had a similar focus, with panelists expressing their concerns about how tariffs could hinder there operations while also touching on changes in customer expectations and how they are attempting to pivot their operations to best meet 2025 customer demands.

The fleet panel closed the event, with three carrier representatives sharing their expectations for their operations in 2025 and talking, in detail, about how vendor, distributor and service provider partners can best provide value to their operations. The panelists were open about their reliance on the aftermarket and said they will continue doing business with aftermarket companies that are receptive to their needs. 

The undercurrent of Dialogue being heavily focused on supply chain and product availability also didn't go unnoticed. After the supply chain crisis of 2021 and 2022, it was clear from anyone in front of a microphone that supply chain disruptions and added price due to tariffs would have a dramatic impact on business operations in 2025 and beyond. 

HDAW logoHDAW wasn't as news heavy but was equally busy as more than 2,900 people came together for nearly 2,000 One-on-One business meetings and filled a 143,000 sq.-ft. trade show featuring 330 exhibitors for two days. HDAW also was the setting of three award announcements.

Vander Haag's earned the 23rd annual TPS Distributor of the Year Award, sponsored by Commercial Vehicle Solutions Network (CVSN, CumminsHigh Bar BrandsInterstate Billing Service and Procede Software.

Dominic Grote also was inducted into the Heavy Duty Aftermarket Hall of Fame, and Toni Nastali, owner of Spring Align, earned the first ever HDAW Women in Leadership Award.

Kim 'KC' Campbell also wowed the HDAW crowd with her keynote address about her time as a fighter pilot in the Air Force, and 27 interns from five schools were exposed to the heavy-duty aftermarket through the HDAW internship and mentoring program.

Next year's HDAW is set for Jan. 22-26, in Grapevine, and planning is already underway, so mark your calendars today so you don't miss any of the action next year! 

Looking for your next job?
Careersingear.com is the go-to platform for the Trucking industry. Don’t just find the job you need; find the job you want with the company that wants you!
Learn how to move your used trucks faster
With unsold used inventory depreciating at a rate of more than 2% monthly, efficient inventory turnover is a must for dealers. Download this eBook to access proven strategies for selling used trucks faster.
Download
Used Truck Guide Cover