BETHESDA, MD — Make room on your calendar for February 2006, when the first ever Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week is scheduled to take place.

Joint operating committee members include: Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association, Heavy Duty Distribution Association, National Wheel & Rim Association, Service Specialists Association and Truck Pride. Other groups actively involved in the event are Heavy Duty America, FleetPride and VIPAR.

HDMA is part of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association, while HDDA is part of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association. MEMA and AAIA conduct the annual APPEX Show, which runs concurrently with the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

National Wheel & Rim Association and the Service Specialists Association are independent bodies, and Fleet Pride is a chain of heavy-duty parts distribution centers. VIPAR and HDA are both heavy-duty parts marketing groups.

The new event will feature a trade show, training, educational and social functions and one-on-one business meetings. The new Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week was created in response to requests from manufacturers, distributors and truck fleet/heavy duty service specialists to reduce the number of meetings and redundancy in the heavy duty aftermarket.

David Scheer, president of Inland Truck Parts Co., was elected chair of the Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week joint-operating Committee.

“Each of the participating organizations that are spearheading the new Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week are committed to producing a common, focused and cost-effective event where the unique services that each association offers can be shared with attendees,” said Scheer. “We believe that it is this critical mass that will attract the top industry executives, high impact presenters, educators and others to Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week.”

Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week will take place in Las Vegas.

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