The Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week (HDAW) is held at The Mirage Events and Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV each year. The show just completed its eleventh year and continues to grow each year. With the addition of “The Tool & Equipment Expo” and many booths in the halls, one has to ask if/when will the event change locations.
The HDAW show in itself is not your typical tradeshow. The exhibitor material packet sent just before registration describes HDAW as “A four-day, multi-faceted, executive business conference, specifically tailored for independent heavy duty distributors and their suppliers”. The show is tailored for the heavy duty aftermarket industry, so OEM companies like “Aftermarket Cummins” or “Caterpillar” are not present during this event.
The week is not just about the Product Expo and the different exhibits showcasing heavy duty truck parts, accessories, or other related services. It’s about having all the industry leaders and executives in one place at the same time. It is a great place to meet face to face with the different executives that you communicate with daily, either via email or phone. One-on-one meeting rooms can be rented at various times, so meetings with customers or various executives can take place in person.
The four day event is about networking with current distributors or suppliers, sharing new ideas and tools to help businesses grow. Educational seminars by “keynote speakers” are offered and tailored to specific topics that could help companies maximize or improve their operations or services. The intention is to bring together people & companies that drive the heavy duty aftermarket industry and help attendees upgrade their business.
The Product Expo is where exhibitors setup display booths to showcase their heavy duty truck parts or related services. Demand for spots in the main hall continue to grow each year and have even spilled out into the rotunda area and adjacent hallways leading to the main floor. “The Tool & Equipment Expo” was added a couple of years ago and demand for exhibit space continues to grow each year. Besides the companies who build elaborate booths, one company actually received permission to bring a semi-truck into the main hall.
Walking around the main floor gives the different executives the chance to see/view many of the various products first-hand and allows them to speak with personnel onsite about the product. All kinds of heavy duty truck parts are on display, from bumpers to engine parts, lighting options and sensors to wheels & brake drums, and all parts in between. Some services showcased are commercial vehicle solutions, fleet management software, GPS tracking software for companies with big fleets, various advertising opportunities and different membership groups like; HDA Truck Pride, HDDA-Heavy Duty Distributors Association and other similar companies.
Whether your company – has a big fleet of trucks with in-house mechanics, a service station offering general/specialized repair service, or just a heavy duty truck parts store (retail or wholesale), HDAW tradeshow can have multiple benefits for your company and is a must attend event.
As demand from exhibitors grow, booth spaces get bigger, and overflow space filling up faster and faster, when will the show have to think about switching venues? The heavy duty aftermarket industry is only getting bigger.
