MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers and MacKay & Company have announced the theme of the 2024 Heavy Duty Aftermarket Dialogue (HDAD), which will be held on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas.
The program will be themed “Bridging the Gap Between Today’s Challenges and Tomorrow’s Triumphs.”
“The last few years have presented some major challenges for suppliers to the commercial vehicle suppliers to the aftermarket, and they only seem to be continuing,” says Collin Shaw, chief commercial vehicle officer at MEMA. “However, these challenges and how we respond to them are valuable learning opportunities for our members to help them advance their businesses and move the industry forward stronger than ever before.”
MEMA says this year’s conference will feature the same fast-paced agenda introduced last year, with some new additions, including “Talk from the Top: One-on-One Conversations with Top Aftermarket Leaders” and “How New Powertrain Technology Will Impact the Heavy Duty Aftermarket: A Look into 2035-2050” with MacKay & Company and Schwartz Advisors.
“Talk from the Top has always been a crowd pleaser when presented by MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers,” says Shannon O’Brien, senior director of programming and strategy at MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers and presenter of the Talk from the Top session. “Providing the same level of transparency from commercial vehicle OEM aftermarket and distributor leaders is sure to be a unique point of view for suppliers in attendance.”
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Other key sessions include an OEM keynote speaker and a Distributor CEO panel.
“HDAD 2024 will still cover the foundational topics attendees have come to expect from the conference,” adds John Blodgett, vice president of sales and marketing at MacKay & Company and also a key presenter during the conference. “Those include our in-depth review of the aftermarket industry economy; our distributor, supplier CEO, and fleet panels; a government affairs update focusing on the fight for Right to Repair; an OEM keynote; and a review of the current global economic and geopolitical environment.”
Organizers say some of the foundational HDAD topics attendees can expect in 2024 are:
- A real-world view of the aftermarket from the viewpoint of industry leaders across segments and product ranges, focusing on current business conditions, market disruptors, and innovations changing the market's landscape, featuring members of the Heavy Duty Business Forum
- A deep dive into governmental legislation, especially the REPAIR Act, and its potential impact on the aftermarket industry
- Macro-economic trends that will impact the industry over the next five years and beyond.
Additional topics, speakers, and panelists will be announced soon.
Registration is currently open for Heavy Duty Aftermarket Dialogue 2024, with discounted tickets available to MEMA members and MacKay & Company clients. Early bird and volume discounts are also available. To learn more and to register, go to the event website.
