CHANTILLY, VA —

APRA President Bill Gager gives MEMA President Bob McKenna a contract to participate in the first-ever Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week. Tim Kraus, executive director of HDMA, at right, witnesses the agreement.

The Automotive Parts Remanufacturers Association (APRA) announced that its Heavy Duty Remanufacturing Group (HDRG) will join other leading industry associations in support and participation in the new Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week (HDAW) to be held January 23-27, 2006 at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas.

Mike Hill, incoming chairman of APRA in 2006 and president of Precision Rebuilders in St. Clair, Mo., commented, “Participation in this Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week will save members and suppliers the expense of trying to attend the various meetings and functions of the heavy duty industry which take place throughout the year at different locations across the country.”

Tim Kraus, executive director of HDMA, commented, “The industry has been asking for this consolidation for a number of years. By obtaining the cooperation and support of many of the leading industry trade associations, including HDRG, the action packed week has become a reality. There will be plenty of time in the schedule for those trade associations to hold their own functions during the week and opportunities for many associations and individuals to network with their peers during the extensive week of conferences, seminars, tech sessions and show hours. Top management of many companies will be attending to participate in important management meetings. All facets of the distribution system will be represented in the show and meeting attendance.”

According to APRA President, Bill Gager, “We look forward to many remanufacturers in HDRG to exhibit at the show and many more to attend the conferences that will be held during the week by the various trade groups sponsoring the event.”

Hill, who is acutely aware of the increasing burden of trade show and meeting schedules, said, “I welcome the opportunity to go to one place for a week of intensive activity that normally may have taken me to several locations at different times throughout the year.”

Bill Gager called the effort of creating HDAW long overdue and said he is looking forward to being one of the charter sponsors of this Heavy Duty Industry Show and Meeting. Gager added, “HDRG is prepared to move our meetings for the heavy duty remanufacturing market to this combined venue. It will maximize the use of everyone’s time and money, with the added benefit of bringing us all together to tackle shared problems.” He stated, “Many APRA members have been involved in the Heavy Duty market for numerous years but have not been recognized for their work in this area. There was a need to recognize their contributions to the industry, and that is why the Heavy Duty Remanufacturing Group came into being. Now with our sponsorship of Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week, we are bringing that recognition to a whole new level.”

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