​Educational Workshops
The 2019 Convention agenda has been finalized! Attendees with full registrations may attend all events at the convention, including the educational workshop sessions and networking events, with the exception of the golf tournament. Booth workers or those with a trade show only registration may want to consider upgrading to a full registration if they wish to attend the educational sessions and all of the networking events.
The educational workshops for 2019 were carefully selected for both trailer manufacturers and suppliers alike. This year the convention will offer four different educational workshops February 19-20. The workshops are as follows*:

Workshop One (Tues. Feb. 19, 9:30-11:00 a.m.)
Strengthen Your Business by Integrating
Quality into the Process
Grace L. Duffy, ASQ Quality Management Division
Quality is something we do every day. The business runs better when we use the elements of quality for planning, managing and improving products and services. We don’t just make products better, we improve the way our business increases profits and reduces expenses. This session shares how to start an integrated quality management system from scratch. It focuses on small- to medium-sized businesses.

Workshop Two (Tues. Feb. 19, 1:30-3:00 p.m.)
Government Affairs Update
Darrell Conner, K&L Gates
NATM Government Affair Representative Darrell Conner will provide an update on NATM’s work in Washington D.C., congressional activities and federal agency efforts. Plus, a recap of past activities and a look ahead at what to expect in 2019.

Workshop Three (Wed. Feb. 20, 8:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.)
Practical Recruiting & Retention Strategies
Tracey Goold, Marsh & McLennan Agency
Let’s get real about recruiting and retention! We can all do research on benchmark data that improves recruiting and retention but how does that actually fit in to your specific company, culture, and business plan? We know that compensation and benefits are important but not everything. Also, increasing compensation and/or benefits is not always practical. Join us for an engaging discussion about practical tips that will make a difference in how you recruit and retain your star players, including two to five action items you can implement as soon as you return from the convention.

Workshop Three (Wed. Feb. 20, 8:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.)
Health Insurance: Cost Control & Association Health Plan Strategy
Lisa Clark and John Kerr, Marsh & McLennan Agency
It’s no secret that health care costs are rising. Pharmaceutical costs and use, new, expensive medical technology, chronic care and provider consolidation are factors contributing to increasing costs. As costs increase, frustration grows for health insurance buyers and the consumers of health care in our nation. Advances in medical technology and expanded pharmaceutical dependency will only grow and continue to drive your health care costs higher. So what is a business owner to do? How can consumers of health insurance better manage the costs of the benefit they are providing?
Association Health Plans (AHPs) will allow businesses to join together through an Association (NATM) to form a larger, more influential buying pool for the purchase of health insurance. This leverage should allow the AHP to negotiate more aggressive insurance pricing as well as the cost of administering those plans. Join Lisa Clark and John Kerr with Marsh & McLennan Agency to learn more about NATM’s forthcoming AHP.
*Workshop times and content are subject to change.

Technical Forums

Looking for technically-oriented education opportunities? Plan on attending the Technical Forum at the 2019 Convention & Trade Show! The Technical Forum sessions are as follows*:

Technical Forum One (Tues. Feb. 19, 9:30-11:00 a.m.)
Trailer Brakes and Suspensions for Light- and Medium-Duty Trailers
Bill Snider, Dexter Axle Company
Join Dexter Product Training Manager Bill Snider as he discusses electric, electric over hydraulic, surge hydraulic, and air brakes in both drum and disk applications. The forum will cover advantages, design, manufacturing differences, and recommendations for operation and maintenance of the different brake options. Snider will also explore trailer axle suspension applications that utilize leaf spring or torsion elements including the effects of suspension travel, loading, alignment and tire wear, as well as operational and maintenance considerations.

Technical Forum Two (Tues. Feb. 19, 1:30-3:00 p.m.)
A New Generation of Trailer Brakes
Todd Brinkman, General Motors
What would it take to stop a truck and trailer in the same distance as a truck alone? Join Todd Brinkman from General Motors to find out!

Technical Forum Three (Wed. Feb. 20, 8:00-11:00 a.m.)
Successful Application of Arc Welding Robotics
Brian Doyle, Miller Welding Automation
& Mike Mueller, B&W Trailer Hitches
This presentation is intended to help those new to automation and the seasoned user apply arc welding robotics successfully, and use the technology to improve their quality, throughput, and costs. Real world examples will be used to illustrate the concepts presented.

Emerging Trends in Trailering
Colin Holthaus, NATM
Join NATM Technical Director Colin Holthaus as he provides an update on towing trends, including both tow vehicle and trailer technology advancements such as the “smart trailer,” advanced towing features, and more.
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Your Tire Recordkeeping Obligations – Practical Guidance for Compliance
Panel
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has indicated an increased interest in compliance with tire recordkeeping regulations. Regulations can be confusing and the roles of tire suppliers, trailer manufacturers, and dealers in the process is complex. A panel of industry experts including a former FMCSA Administrator, tire suppliers, trailer manufacturers, and industry EWR and Recall consultant along with the NATM Technical Director will describe the regulations, possible compliance practices, and answer questions from industry attendees. 

​NATM is soliciting nominations for awards to be presented at the 31st Annual Convention & Trade Show at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Please consider and nominate individuals who may be eligible candidates for the following awards:

Outstanding Member Award
The Outstanding Member Award is presented each year to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the trailer manufacturing industry. The nominee must be an employee of an NATM Regular (trailer manufacturer) member. The nomination must include the name and address of the nominee and nominator along with a brief narrative about the contributions the nominee has made to the trailer manufacturing industry.

Young Professional Award
The purpose of the Young Professional Award is to recognize the accomplishments of young individuals in the trailer manufacturing industry. Nominees should be individuals under the age of 40, who have been innovative and successful in the trailer manufacturing industry. Both Associate and Regular member company employees are eligible for this award. The nomination should include the name and address of the nominee and nominator along with a brief narrative about the accomplishments of the nominee.

Green Award
The purpose of the Green Award is to recognize an NATM Regular (trailer manufacturer) member company that has made significant contributions to improving the environmental impact within the trailer industry. The nomination should include a written description of the company’s contributions to positively impacting the environment in the trailer manufacturing industry. The document should provide qualitative and quantitative evidence of environment improvements. Nominees will be judged on case studies where the companies have been able to demonstrate improved performance in environmental manufacturing. This may include maximizing energy efficiency levels, compliance with environmental regulations and minimizing waste from the production process. Manufacturers should be able to illustrate success in reducing their environmental impact, as well as converting green manufacturing into a business opportunity. Download the Green Award form here.

Awards will be presented at the Annual Membership Meeting & Luncheon on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019.

Download the award nomination form here, or submit your nomination by email to Lane.McNeil@natm.com; fax (785) 272-4455; or mail to NATM Headquarters, 2420 SW 17th St. Topeka, Ks 66604. Nominations are due by November 30, 2018.

NATM is excited to be using Map Your Show’s online booth sales software again for its 31st Annual Convention & Trade Show in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Feb. 19-21, 2019. This program proved to be a time saving and far less frustrating process for exhibitors. There is no more waiting around until your contract arrives to see what booth you have been assigned. This user-friendly software will allow you to select your desired booth in real time!
The opportunity to select exhibitor space at the 2019 trade show has been made available to suppliers and service providers in the following phases:

Phase 1: 2018 sponsors choose their booths first in the order of their sponsorship levels during the following dates:
$30,000 and higher: April 2nd- April 5th
$10,000-$29,999: April 6th- April 12th
$7,500-$9,999: April 13th- April 17th
$5,500-$7,499: April 18th- April 22nd
$2,500-$5,499: April 23rd-May 2nd
$1,000-$2,499: May 3rd -May 9th

Phase 2: 2018 non-sponsor exhibitors select their booths May 10-June 20.

Phase 3: The general membership and non-members will be allowed to choose booth space beginning June 21.

The 2018 sponsors and exhibitors that sign up before June 21 will receive a $200 discounted rate of $1,200 per 10’x10’ booth. The rate for any member that signs up for booth space after June 20 will be $1,400 per 10’x10’ booth. Booth spaces for non-members of NATM are $2,800.
On the day your booth-selection window opens, you will receive an email from NATM notifying you that the booth sales application is now available online for your company.
Within this email, a unique code is provided that, when entered, pre-populates the online booth sales application. Within the application, exhibitors can view the 2019 show floorplan and select the desired booth(s).

During the completion of the online application, exhibitors pay for their booth(s) online via credit card. Once NATM show management approves the application, an email containing login credentials to the exhibitor dashboard is sent. The dashboard allows exhibitors to update their company profile and contact information and view other important information relevant to the upcoming show. As always, the sign up for booth space is first come, first served. You can sign up at any time after your group’s window begins. If you miss the window for your group the privilege of choosing during your group’s time is lost. Be sure to mark your calendar to remember to sign up as soon as you receive your email from NATM!
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If you have any questions regarding how to book your exhibit space or would like to be a sponsor at the 2019 Convention & Trade Show, contact NATM Events Coordinator Lane McNeil at Lane.McNeil@natm.com or call (785) 272-4433. ​