Photo by Evan Lockridge

Photo by Evan Lockridge

UPDATED — Mack Trucks is joining Daimler Trucks North America, Navistar and Volvo Trucks in deciding not to exhibit at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky., next March.

Mack spokesman Chris Heffner told HDT's Truckinginfo Friday that because of the other truck makers' decisions to skip the 2016 show, the company has "concern with reduced attendance and reduced return on investment for our involvement in the show."

In May, Daimler Trucks North America said it will not be exhibiting at the Mid-America Trucking Show in 2016, saying it is moving to an every-other-year format similar to the IAA Commercial Vehicles show in Germany.

DTNA said it intends to return to MATS in 2017 and attend the show bi-annually thereafter.

When asked whether Mack plans to return to MATS in 2017, Heffner replied, "Any decisions on our participation in the future, we'll definitely base that on our strategic planning."

Heffner said Mack will use some of the funds it would have spent on MATS for "other customer engagement efforts coming up."

Sister company Volvo announced in July that it would not attend next year's show, citing reasons similar to DTNA's. That announcement was followed shortly by Navistar's.

Peterbilt and Kenworth have not yet made a decision as to their involvement in next year's show. When asked about their plans this week by trucking reporters, Kenworth General Manager Preston Feight said the company is discussing the situation with MATS management and will make that decision in the next few weeks.

"Coming off of one of our best events ever in the 2015 MATS, we were hopeful that Mack would join us in 2016 to take advantage of the unique opportunity that MATS provides to engage with customers/prospects and connect with the industry," said Toby Young in an email. "We hope to see them on the show floor again soon.

"In the meantime, the show continues to see strong demand for exhibit space from other industry segments and we are already experiencing a supply crunch for hotel rooms; all leading us to believe that the 2016 show will be a successful 45th anniversary for MATS."

Young says show management will work directly with truck dealers and their supporting manufacturers to make sure there will still be trucks on the show floor in 2016.

Updated 3 p.m. EDT 8/28/2015 to add Toby Young comments.

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