The 2006 Heavy Duty Dialogue, a conference that brings together leaders from all segments of the heavy truck business, will focus on “2007 and Beyond, Managing the Business Cycle.”

Produced by the Heavy Duty Manufacturers Assn., the conference is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 23, at the Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. It will be followed by Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week activities, starting Tuesday morning.
“The commercial vehicle supply chain is facing an unprecedented ‘perfect storm’ in the next five years,” said Tim Kraus, HDMA vice president and executive director. The Dialogue program will concentrate on how to deal with issues that include increasing levels of government regulation, economic pressures, globalization, pressures on margins and the threat of intellectual property losses.
Mike Burns, president/CEO of Dana Corp. will open with a keynote address on positioning for business swings.
Rounding out the program will be:
• Panel discussion of the 2007-2010 truck build by market research firms MacKay & Co., Martin Labbe & Associates, R.L. Polk and ACT Research. Moderator: Peter Nesvold, Wall Street transportation analyst from Bear Stearns.
• Government/regulatory perspective from U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta.
• Truck manufacturer’s perspective from Freightliner CEO Chris Patterson.
• A CPO “meet the press” panel, moderated by Tom Stundza, Purchasing magazine executive editor.
• Presentation on strategies to protect intellectual property, by legal expert Anthony Lupo of Arent Fox LLP.
• Wrap-up presentation by Dr. Clinton Longenecker, University of Toledo, on turning conference materials into effective results.