The Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association (HDMA), the commercial vehicle division of the Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), has announced that Timothy Sullivan, president and CEO of REV Group Inc., will present at the fifth annual Global Off-Highway Industry Dialogue conference on Oct. 5. The event takes place at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. The Global Off-Highway Industry Dialogue conference is presented by HDMA, SAE International, Diesel Progress and Power Systems Research.
His presentation, “New Market Drivers for Today’s M&A,” will draw upon his experience in the M&A world to discuss the current round of M&A and what his company sees as potential opportunities in the near-term. This segment will be moderated by Mike Osenga, president, Diesel & Gas Turbine Publications.
In his presentation, Sullivan will touch on how recessions drive M&A activity; what challenges are faced by private equity companies in market downturns vs. upturns; the future dynamic of off-shore manufacturers that have been held at bay by a weak U.S. dollar; how the financial structure of a merger deal can affect the R&D and product development resources; and consideration to product portfolio mix and rationalization to avoid overlaps or loss of customers and profits.
“Mr. Sullivan is living first-hand how to maintain innovation through mergers and acquisition periods,” said Tim Kraus, HDMA president and chief operating officer. “We have been on a long and slow path to recovery since 2009, and the current post-recession period is getting tiring for some entrepreneurs. The ‘New Market Drivers for Today’s M&A’ segment will be a fast-paced, fact-filled hour that suppliers and investors alike will have considerable take-away.”
Since August 2014, Sullivan has served as president and CEO of the REV Group, a privately held $2 billion manufacturer of 20,000 specialty vehicles annually. Previously, he spent the bulk of his career with Bucyrus International Inc. before becoming the president and CEO of Gardner Denver from July 2013 to June 2014. During his tenure with Gardner Denver, Sullivan helped the company achieve the highest level of earnings in 30 years.
Registration for this event is now open and available on HDMA’s website, hdma.org.