SAE International, Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association Teaming Up to Host Off-Highway Dialogue

WARRENDALE, Pa., Sept. 5, 2012 - SAE International and the Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association (HDMA) will host the inaugural Off-Highway Dialogue on Oct. 1 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill.

The conference will precede the 2012 SAE Commercial Vehicle Engineering Congress (COMVEC), which will be held at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center on Oct. 2-3.

The SAE International-HDMA conference will focus on the market trends and analysis of the heavy equipment industry from a global perspective. This will include exploring present market conditions for the agricultural, mining, construction and industrial equipment supplier industry, as well as looking at the future of the industry over the next five years.

HDMA, which is based in Research Triangle Park, N.C., is a market segment affiliate of the Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA).

“We’ve been in discussion with HDMA over the past few years on how to better collaborate in various initiatives and events,” said Thomas J. Drozda, Director, Program and Product Development. “SAE International concentrates on attracting technology oriented members to its events. HDMA’s focus is on attracting senior level executives. By creating this conference in conjunction with COMVEC, we’re leveraging our strengths for a broader audience.”

The Off-Highway Dialogue speakers include:

• Bill Strauss, senior vice president and senior economist for the Chicago Federal Reserve will deliver a manufacturing report on capital goods and general economic conditions. 
• Dennis Huibregtse, senior vice president of sales with Power Systems Research, will deliver an outlook on global off-highway engines and equipment. 
• Eli Lustgarten, a partner at Longbow Research, will deliver the Wall Street view of the off-highway equipment market. 
• Robert Bryce, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, will give a talk on fuels of the future.

SAE International and HDMA members can attend the Off-Highway Dialogue for $595. Non-member registration is $695. The conference includes breakfast and a plated luncheon.

For more information, or to register, visit http://www.hdma.org. 

SAE International is a global association of more than 133,000 engineers and related technical experts in the aerospace, automotive and commercial-vehicle industries. SAE International's core competencies are life-long learning and voluntary consensus standards development. SAE International's charitable arm is the SAE Foundation, which supports many programs, including A World In Motion® and the Collegiate Design Series™.

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