David Kolman 5 14 Color 58923108682e2

Kolman’s Komments: Wishes of the aftermarket

Feb. 20, 2017
Regardless of the market segment, needs are common.

Heavy Duty Aftermarket Dialogue (HDAD) is an annual outlook conference, designed specifically for the heavy duty aftermarket supplier industry.

Held in late January in Las Vegas, it is presented by the Heavy Duty Manufacturers Assn. (HDMA) and MacKay & Company.

HDMA (www.hdma.org) provides industry leadership for NAFTA based original equipment and aftermarket suppliers in the on- and off-highway commercial vehicle equipment industry.

MacKay & Company (www.mackayco.com) is a specialized management consulting and market research firm that focuses on commercial on-highway vehicles, construction equipment, farm field machinery and related components such as engines and transmissions.

Principal Challenges

One of the sessions at the conference was a panel discussion on the major challenges those in the aftermarket have to contend with.

On the panel were:

- Scott David, director, strategic partnership and customer service, Eaton (www.eaton.com, a global technology leader in power management solutions that make electrical, hydraulic and mechanical power operate more efficiently, reliably, safely and sustainably. 

- Dwayne Haug, principal owner, Dwayne O. Haug Consulting, a company that provides expertise and total consulting services to fleets, OEMs, suppliers and manufactures.

- Lee Long, director, fleet services, Southeastern Freight Lines (www.sefl.com), a leading provider of regional less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services.

- Jim Mejaly, senior vice president and general manager, Denso Products and Services Americas (densomedia-na.com), an automotive components sales, remanufacturing and distribution company.

- Walt Sherbourne, vice president, marketing, and partner, Dayton Parts (www.daytonparts.com), a company that offers brake, spring, steering, suspension, driveline and hitch and coupling product lines.

- Doug Wolma, vice president and general manager of global aftermarket, Dana (www.dana.com), a global leader in the supply of highly engineered driveline, sealing and thermal-management technologies that improve the efficiency and performance of vehicles with both conventional and alternative-energy powertrains.

Agreement

The panelists agreed that keeping up with technology is a major concern in the aftermarket, compounded by the increasing speed of technological change. This situation, they concurred, is worsening because the aftermarket is not adapting to change quickly enough.

Both technicians and truck drivers need to be continually trained in the new technology, the panelists said, because vehicles are growing more and more complex.

In addition to the desire for more training, the panelists said they would like to see changes in how the training is delivered. They favor more on-demand training and short instructional videos.

About the Author

David A. Kolman | Contributor - Fleet Maintenance

Sponsored Recommendations

Ask the Experts: Boost Profitability by Capturing Body Repair Materials Billables

Quality body repairs on medium- and heavy-duty trucks depend on the use of specialized adhesives, sealers, and other allied materials. Unfortunately, many shops face challenges...

Fleet Maintenance E-Book

Streamline your fleet's maintenance and improve operations with the Guide for Managing Maintenance. Learn proven strategies to reduce downtime, optimize in-house and third-party...

Celebrating Your Drivers Can Prove to be Rewarding For Your Business

Learn how to jumpstart your driver retention efforts by celebrating your drivers with a thoughtful, uniform-led benefits program by Red Kap®. Uniforms that offer greater comfort...

Guide To Boosting Technician Efficiency

Learn about the bottom line and team building benefits of increasing the efficiency of your technicians in your repair shop.