Fuel Standards Loom Large as MATS Opens
By Jonathan S. Reiskin, Associate News Editor
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Truck manufacturers and related suppliers are planning to showcase the diversity of their offerings in presentations at the Mid-America Trucking Show, which runs this week at Louisville’s Kentucky Exposition Center.
“There tends to be a theme to these shows,” said Kenny Vieth, president of ACT Research Co. in Columbus, Ind. In 2011, Vieth said, it was weight reduction for equipment other than engines, which became heavier because of the adoption of selective catalytic reduction technology.
“Last year, it was natural gas that was the big buzz,” said Vieth, who has been attending MATS since 1991 and leading his clients on tours of the show since 2011.
Vieth’s hunch for this year’s theme is fuel economy. Although always an interest for fleets, the topic could be particularly important this year, Vieth said, because federal fuel economy standards for trucks begin in January 2014.
Officially, Mid-America runs Thursday through Saturday, March 21-23, with related events starting Tuesday, March 19. Exhibit Management Associates, which operates MATS, expects to sell out the exhibit floor again but probably with fewer exhibitors than last year.
One perennial exhibitor, axle, driveline and wheel-end supplier Meritor Inc., said that it will not exhibit at MATS this year. “While we’ve been a long-time exhibitor at the show, we are reallocating our resources this year to a series of tailored consumer and media events in various locations around the world,” Meritor stated in an announcement last month by Krista Sohm, Meritor vice president, communications.
On the other hand, “some of the exhibitors have picked up more space,” said EMA President Toby Young, who said there is also 200,000 square feet of outdoor space in addition to the 1.2 million under roof.
Speaking of last year’s show, Young described the Navistar Inc. exhibit as “over the top.” Navistar rented five times more space than at any previous Mid-America, and the truck maker’s extravaganza won an award for best trade show display from marketing publication B2Bonline.
This year, the company will revert to more typical levels, said Navistar spokeswoman Elissa Koc.
“MATS this year will primarily be focused on our ProStar Plus with the 13-liter engine with SCR aftertreatment. This coincides with our full production launch in April,” Koc said.
Navistar began emphasizing its use of Cummins ISX 15 engines as an option in its International ProStar Plus tractors last fall, but soon it will also roll out its MaxxForce 13-liter engines with SCR aftertreatment from Cummins Inc.
Since 2010, SCR has been the preferred pollution-control system among North American heavy-duty truck makers, except for Navistar, which didn’t switch to SCR until last year.
Daimler Trucks North America, which last year celebrated the 70th birthday of its Freightliner Trucks division, found another birthday for this year’s show: its Detroit Diesel Corp. unit turns 75. Founded in 1938 by General Motors Corp., DDC has been owned by Daimler since 2000. The company makes Detroit brand engines, transmissions and axles.
“We will also introduce new products that extend our presence in vocational and medium-duty applications,” said DTNA spokesman David Giroux. The corporation’s four major lines at MATS will be Freightliner, Detroit, Western Star Trucks and Alliance Truck Parts.
EMA’s Young specified DTNA as one of the vendors that had increased its footprint at this year’s Mid-America.
Mack Trucks, a part of Volvo Group, will focus in part on suspensions, said John Walsh, vice president of marketing.
“At this year’s show, we’re particularly excited about giving customers the opportunity to experience firsthand two new products we recently introduced — the Mack Twin-Y air suspension and the Mack mRide spring suspension — demonstrative of our commitment to continuing to meet the demands of customers in all market segments,” Walsh said.
Mack’s booth staff, Walsh said, also will brief attendees on the company’s continuing campaign on its integrated powertrain, including the mDrive automated manual transmissions to go with Mack engines and tractors.
“The Mid-America Trucking Show is often a bellwether for the industry, providing a snapshot of trends and priorities,” said Magnus Koeck, Volvo Trucks vice president, marketing and brand management. “Fuel efficiency and natural gas are currently two of the industry’s most discussed topics, and Volvo Trucks’ products and announcements at the show will build on our proven leadership in both areas.”
Kenworth Trucks, a division of Paccar Inc., said that, like Daimler, it will use a birthday as a marketing theme. This year is the 90th anniversary of Kenworth’s founding by Harry Kent and Edgar Worthington, said company spokesman Jeff Parietti.
Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems has long held the show’s opening press conference on Wednesday, the day before the show officially opens.
“MATS is always a ‘can’t miss’ annual event because the show draws such a diverse group of attendees and an audience that changes day to day,” said spokeswoman Barbara Gould.
“Our aim at the show is to present the full depth and scope of what we bring to the commercial vehicle industry. It’s a tremendous opportunity to showcase new technologies while at the same time talk face-to-face about the hands-on, practical solutions that are a part of our extensive post-sales service and support and that help fleet operators, drivers and technicians keep their vehicles operating efficiently and safely,” Gould said.
Bendix’s products include advanced safety systems, brakes and air-handling systems.
Although best known in trucking for its diesel engines, Cummins will use MATS this year to display products from multiple lines, said spokeswoman Tracy Kiser.
“The all-inclusive ‘One Cummins’ atmosphere in the booth means that visitors have the opportunity to see everything Cummins offers. This year, visitors to the Cummins booth can expect to see the very latest in diesel and natural-gas engine technology as well as developments in aftertreatment, filtration, turbo and generator technologies and the newest models of [Chrysler Group] Ram trucks,” Kiser said.
Utility Trailer Manufacturing Co. will bring an updated side-skirt to market at this year’s show, said marketing director Larry Roland.
“Mid-America is the kickoff to our marketing and ad campaigns for the year,” Roland said. He said Utility begins its planning for MATS six months before the show begins and often customizes two or three trailers for display in Louisville.
Utility’s MATS contingent this year will include 60 people from the company and its network of independent dealers, and a reception at the Muhammad Ali Center in downtown Louisville.
Communications and technology vendor XRS Corp., formerly Xata, said it will emphasize a process more than a product with the MATS debut of its Driver XperienceBoard.
The board is “a panel of truck drivers from diverse parts of the industry — some are fleet drivers, others are owner-operators, some are specialized, some carry all sorts of freight. The common thread is that they are on the front lines of 21st century trucking,” said company spokesman David Hlavac.
“While fleet managers and logistics experts make big-picture decisions about technology implementation, it’s the drivers themselves who are in control of daily decision-making and interact most closely with our products,” Hlavac said.
