Monday April 27 2009

Resources

Subscriptions to Diesel Download Now Available!

Welcome to the Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association’s bi-weekly email newsletter, Diesel Download!

We are offering you this week’s Monday and Thursday issues of Diesel Download and International Diesel Download free of charge to “test drive”. These two publications provide leading industry executives and their peers, timely and updated heavy duty industry information, and is now available for a yearly subscription to non-members of HDMA who wish to subscribe.

Federal Reserves’ Bill Strauss Speaks at Chicago Seminar, N/C to MEMA Members

William Strauss, senior economist and economic advisor of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, and Bob McKenna, MEMA president and CEO, are the featured speakers at the 2009 MEMA Financial Services Group Inc. (MFSG) Educational Seminar, set for 9:30 a.m. until 4 p.m., Wednesday, May 13, at Sheraton Gateway Suites (O’Hare Airport), Rosemont, Ill.

The Educational Seminar opens with a reception on Tuesday, May 12. It is being held in conjunction with the Aftermarket Volume Credit Discussion Group (AVG) meeting, slated for 8 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 14.

High Retail and Industrial Inventory Levels Slow U.S. Trucking Recovery

Economic recovery for trucking probably still is several months away, based on steep increases in retail and industrial inventories, according to several industry officials and analysts.

Freight volumes are unlikely to grow substantially until inventories fall far enough to stimulate fresh sales and production.

Fleet Bankruptcy Pace Slows

Lower fuel prices, along with the assistance of some forgiving financiers, limited the number of first-quarter trucking bankruptcies to 480, slightly more than in the last three months of 2008, but far below the 935 firms that failed in the corresponding period a year ago.

According to a report by Avondale Partners, the first quarter’s fleet failures took 15,370 trucks off the road, said analyst Donald Broughton, who authored the quarterly survey.

European Truck Sales Fall 32.9 Percent in March

  • Commercial vehicle registrations plunge 35.6 percent in Q1
  • March drop steeper in new EU member states
  • 451,137 vehicles registered in Q1

PARIS - European new commercial vehicle registrations fell 35.6 percent in the first quarter as a whole, as the economic downturn pummeled demand, industry association ACEA said on Friday. March had three more working days this year than in 2008, ACEA said, but demand for commercial vehicles, which reflects the state of the wider economy, fell 32.9 percent across Europe, including the 27 EU member states plus the European Free Trade Association countries, but not Malta and Cyprus.

Commerce Secretary Locke, Rep. Sander Levin, U.S. Chamber President Donohue to Speak at MEMA Legislative Summit, April 29-30

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Commerce Secretary Gary Locke is the latest speaker to join a stellar presentation line-up at the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) Legislative Summit, set for Wednesday and Thursday, April 29-30. More than 100 motor vehicle parts supplier industry senior executives are expected at the event.

“We are pleased to have the Secretary on our agenda for the Legislative Summit agenda this year, along with Tom Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Rep. Sander Levin of Michigan,” said Bob McKenna, president and CEO of MEMA. “All of these individuals will offer unique perspectives on important issues that will affect the future of our industry,” he continued. “We welcome their thoughts, insights and the opportunity to work together moving forward.”

Safety Technology Tax Credit Bill Introduced

Reps. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) and Geoff Davis (R-Ky.) last week re-introduced the Commercial Motor Vehicle Advanced Safety Technology Tax Act of 2009 (H.R. 2024)

The measure would provide tax credits to help speed the adoption of advanced safety systems for commercial vehicles. The bill includes the following technologies: electronic brake stroke monitoring systems: vehicle stability systems (electronic stability control and roll stability control) lane departure warning systems (with blind spot detection); and collision warning systems (with adaptive cruise control).

Rush Enterprises, Inc. Reports 1Q ‘09 Results – Announces Conference Call

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Rush Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: RUSHA & RUSHB), which operates the largest network of commercial vehicle dealerships in North America and two John Deere construction equipment dealerships in Southeast Texas, today announced results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2009.

Your Business May be Eligible for USDA B&I Loans

HDMA members with facilities located in rural areas may be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Business & Industry (B & I) loan guarantees.

The USDA Rural Development program can guarantee quality loans made by private lenders to business and industry involving manufacturing, wholesale, retail and services. Projects must involve the creation and/or saving of jobs and need not be agriculturally related. Loan purposes can include real estate, machinery and equipment, or term working capital.

Trucking Still Waiting for Good News

Some are seeing indications of economic recovery, but trucking, a traditional early indicator of the economy's direction, is still waiting for good news.

"(Inventory) numbers do not show a turnaround," said John White, president of U.S. Xpress, at the ALK Transportation Technology Summit April 21 in Princeton, N.J.

Motor Coach Industries Emerges from Bankruptcy after 7 Months

Motor Coach Industries International Inc., the nation's biggest producer of long-distance buses, said Monday that it has emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, seven months after the privately owned Schaumburg company sought protection from creditors in Delaware federal bankruptcy court.

Survey Finds Parts Suppliers ‘A Little More Optimistic’

Companies that manufacture heavy-duty truck parts have become “a little more optimistic” about their industry after the first quarter of 2009, despite the fact that 85 percent are still experiencing sales declines and only 45 percent of their customers are paying on time, according a survey by the Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association.

The quarterly survey, known as the Heavy Duty Barometer, queries HDMA members, 42 of which responded at the end of March for the report, released in early April.

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