The annual Heavy Duty Dialogue, jointly presented by the Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association and Transport Topics, held Monday, March 11, will feature an Industry Executives Discussion on current and pressing issues in the global CV industry.

The Discussion will feature four of the industry's executives and thought leaders as they each present on a separate issue currently driving change and presenting challenges for the heavy-duty marketplace. 

Participants in this discussion include Martin Daum, president and CEO of Daimler Truck North America; Gary Gerstenslager, president and CEO of Hendrickson International; Dick Giromini, president and CEO of Wabash National; and Chip McClure, chairman/president and CEO of Meritor. 

Martin Daum, with Diamler since 1987, will be providing the audience with a presentation called "Advanced Vehicle & Powertrain Technology," addressing the impact that the global market is having on this component of the heavy-duty industry. Daum's experience in the international market over the course of his career will contribute to the breadth of his knowledge on this topic and the relevance of his information on a global scale. 

Gary Gerstenslager, with Hendrickson since 1989, will be presenting "Global Engineering" for his portion of the discussion. This segment of the "Industry Executives Discussion" will focus on the evolution of heavy-duty vehicle parts, how changing policies and expectations continue to drive new technologies and what it means for manufacturers in the global market. Gerstenslager's experience working for a company like Hendrickson International has provided him with the insight necessary to deliver a thought provoking presentation on his topic of discussion. 

Dick Giromini, with Wabash National since 2002, will be delivering a presentation entitled "Trailer Technology for Fuel Efficiency," which will highlight one of the most rapidly evolving and high impact components driving the expectations of parts produced for heavy-duty commercial vehicles. The race to develop cleaner, cost-effective fuels for heavy-duty vehicles has yielded many new technologies – each with unique benefits and challenges for the manufacturers attempting to deliver the very best technology to the market. Giromini's presentation will address these issues and shed light on the developments of heavy-duty commercial vehicle fuel technology and how they are being implemented world-wide.

Chip McClure, with Meritor since 2004, will be presenting "Global Technology," an overview of all the advancements being discovered, implemented and retained for parts development in commercial vehicles. Advancements in technology, not only in the parts themselves but also in how parts are made, continue to set new industry standards that are built on and evolved as the expectations for vehicular capabilities continue to change. This segment will provide an overview of all components found in the heavy-duty market that are driving major changes and presenting unique challenges and opportunities to manufacturers. 

The four presentations will conclude with a general discussion between all four participants, tying in the themes and ideas that each of their individual segments provided, yielding a thought-provoking overview of a changing industry, on a global scale.

For more information on Heavy Duty Dialogue 2013, please visit www.hdma.org.