CHANTILLY, Va. — The Heavy Duty Remanufacturers Group (HDRG) is bringing a new focus to Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week 2009, which takes place during the week of Feb. 16, 2009, in Orlando, Fla. New diagnostic and engine related technologies will be featured at the HDRG Summit and “Engine Alley” on the Exposition show floor.
Electronics on engines have been utilized by the OEM manufacturers to provide proper diagnostics. Many remanufacturers and distributors will gain from a better understanding of the electronic relationships that exist between the engine and the rest of the drivetrain and other vehicle systems.
Educational opportunities will begin on Monday, Feb. 16 with the Heavy Duty Remanufacturing Group Summit sponsored by HDRG at the Rosen Center Hotel. Bruce Plaxton, veteran industry analyst, will provide a look at the challenges facing the reman market and the outlook for the market. Mike Conlon, HDRG/APRA Legal Counsel, will provide a look at the anticipated legislative issues facing the remanufacturers and distributors in the new Obama Administration and the new Congress.
The engine focus will begin with a look at the fuel system market by Mike Rayne of Delphi Diesel Systems. The future technologies involved in the power systems on the vehicle will be discussed by Al Lesesky, Vehicle Enhancement Systems, with an emphasis on the hybrid technologies that are available today for new vehicles and for retrofit opportunities. Lesesky has personal experience dealing with retrofitting hybrid systems to vehicles on the road today and will offer an assessment of the opportunities that would exist for distributors and remanufacturers.
A panel of diesel engine remanufacturers will discuss their market and the issues that have led many of them to reinvent themselves over the past few years. This is a topic of great interest to all of the distribution-oriented companies. David Bianchi, Band G Machine; Steve Gettlefinger, Republic Diesel; and Steve Hendrick of Diesel Exchange will all relate personal views on the market and what has contributed to their success.
On Tuesday, Feb. 17, the HDAW Show floor will have a Business Builder Center called “Engine Alley,” which will provide an expanded focus on engine related technologies and diagnostics as well as new products for use by the distributor and service specialists to service the trucks of the future and better service today’s vehicles. Several major engine component manufacturers will have booths and offer the distributor, remanufacturers and service specialists information on how they may support the mission of the heavy duty aftermarket, which is to service and support the nation’s commercial vehicles in a timely, efficient and technically competent manner.
