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Since 1992, the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (NATM) has annually published the Guidelines for Recommended Minimum Manufacturing Practices for Light- and Medium-Duty Trailers, otherwise known as the Guidelines. These updates are researched and compiled by NATM Staff, NATM Members, and NATM’s committees with approval by NATM Staff, and the NATM Compliance Committee. One drawback to the annual update process is only updating once a year. Members are required to wait until each new edition to gain any new or edited information. Starting this year, NATM will periodically update its membership on upcoming changes for the next edition of the Guidelines via Tracks magazine, social media, and NATM Tech Talk, a brand-new electronic newsletter keeping you up to date on all things technical and compliance. Sign up for this newsletter and more at www.NATM.com/email.
The intention of these general updates is not to provide an official new version of the Guidelines, provide a full context, or provide immediate changes, but to notify members of the upcoming changes so they may be prepared and take action if needed. Contact NATM Technical Director Terry Jones at Terry.Jones@natm.com or call (785) 272-4433 for more information. Upcoming Changes Section B11 – VIN / Data Plates and Manufacturer Information The addition of:
Purpose: Manufacturers may have additional requirements based on the type or stage of manufacturing they participate in, and the addition of these regulations will assist in navigating these requirements. Appendix 2 – Quick Guide and Checklist The addition of: Checklist question: 7.41 Underride properly labeled on the forward or rear of the underride, including the manufacturer’s name and address, date of manufacture statement, and DOT marking. Correlating Quick Guide information: The addition of: S5.3 Labeling. Each guard shall be permanently labeled with the information specified in S5.3 (a) through (c) of this section. The information shall be in English and in letters that are at least 2.5mm high. The label shall be placed on the forward or rearward facing surface of the horizontal member of the guard, provided that the label does not interfere with the retroreflective sheeting required by S5.7.1.4.1(c) of FMVSS No. 108 (49 CFR 571.108), and is readily accessible for visual inspection.
Purpose: Information on rear underride labeling and enforcing existing federal regulation which requires specific labeling of the rear underride guard and aligning the Compliance Verification Program with federal regulation. For more information on these changes, the Guidelines, or any other technical or compliance issue, contact NATM Technical Director Terry Jones at Terry.Jones@natm.com or (785) 272-4433.
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 Supply chain disruptions, material and component availability, and workforce shortages have caused the light- and medium duty trailer industry continued headaches. NATM recognizes the challenges and is curating the 2022 Convention & Trade Show to assist its industry’s success. The NATM Convention & Trade Show is the perfect one-stop-shop for trailer manufacturers and dealers to meet with suppliers and service providers as they exhibit on the trade show floor.
Looking for a new chain supplier? Interested in checking out new light options? Shopping around for new software to make life easier? If so, plan to walk the trade show floor and meet directly with suppliers and service providers in the industry! Educational events relevant to both suppliers and trailer manufacturers alike will be featured, including government affairs updates, a trade/tariff workshop , and information about addressing the workforce shortage. Stay tuned to www.NATM.com and the NATM Insider for updates about workshop topics. Host Location The 2022 Convention & Trade Show is headed to the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Fla. Feb. 1-3, 2022. Florida continues to be a popular location for NATM’s Convention & Trade Show as it boasts sunny weather and great sites for dinners with customers, golf outings, shopping, and family-friendly vacation activities, but this will be the first time that Tampa has been the host location for NATM’s event. The Tampa Convention Center is located along the Riverwalk in the heart of downtown and will serve as the site of educational workshops, networking events, and the trade show. Attendees of the show can access the NATM special room block rates at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Tampa Downtown Convention Center and the Marriott Tampa Waterside. More information will be provided via the NATM Insider newsletter and email. To sign up for the NATM Insider, contact NATM Marketing Director Savana Morrison at Savana.Morrison@natm.com. Booth Selection Trade show space opened to the 2020 Sponsors starting June 1. Following sponsors, companies that chose to roll their 2021 booth funds over to 2022 began to select their spaces July 6. The opportunity to select space for the general membership will begin Aug. 4, and non-members can select booths starting Aug. 18. Sponsorships As always, the NATM Convention & Trade Show would not be possible without the support of its generous sponsors. There are sponsorship opportunities available from $500 to $50,000 to fit any budget. Being a sponsor allows you to select your booth before previous exhibitors and the general membership, as well as provides a wide range of exposure, both electronically on NATM’s website and mobile app and in print on the convention program map and branded events. This creates name recognition which helps drive customers to your booth. Watch your email for sponsorship information coming in May. New Attendee Promotion Are you a new member trailer manufacturer? Are you a trailer manufacturer whose company has not attended in the last five years? Are you a Trailer Dealer Affiliate? You may qualify for NATM’s New Attendee Promotion! The New Attendee Promotion includes two complimentary full registrations and up to two complimentary hotel room nights at the host hotel for the convention. Those interested in participating should contact NATM Assistant Director Meghan Ryan soon— complimentary hotel rooms are on a first-come, first-served basis and will go fast. Stay tuned for more information about NATM’s 2022 Convention & Trade Show at www.NATM.com. Questions about the show sponsorship opportunities or exhibit space? Contact Meghan Ryan at Meghan.Ryan@natm.com or call (785) 272-4433. NATM is soliciting nominations for awards to be presented at the annual NATM Convention & Trade Show Feb. 1-3, 2022 at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Fla. Please consider and nominate individuals who may be eligible candidates for the following awards. The Outstanding Member AwardThe 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. Pam O’Toole Trusdale Woman in Manufacturing AwardThe Pam O’Toole Trusdale Woman in Manufacturing Award is given to a woman from the manufacturing floor to the C-Suite in the light- and medium-duty trailer industry who has demonstrated excellence in their role. The award recognizes the contribution of the recipient to the success of their organization and/or industry. The nominee must be an employee of an NATM Member company. The nomination must include the name and address of the nominee and nominator along with a brief narrative about the accomplishments of the nominee. Young Professional AwardThe 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 must include the name and address of the nominee and nominator along with a brief narrative about the accomplishments of the nominee. Innovation AwardThe Innovation Award is open to member companies that exemplify creativity and innovation in the areas of technological advancement, green practices, or workforce development. Applicants for the award must submit a written description of the company’s innovative practices, including both qualitative and quantitative evidence of success. This award is open to all NATM Members and will include a charitable donation made in the company’s name. Awards will be presented at the Annual Awards Luncheon on Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022. To request the award nomination form, contact NATM Assistant Director Meghan Ryan at Meghan.Ryan@natm or (785) 272-4433. Nominations are due by Nov. 30, 2021.
  Booth Sales NATM’s booth sales continue as the industry looks forward to the 2022 show! Booth selection for the 2022 Convention & Trade Show began on June first. On July 6th, companies that chose to roll their 2021 booth funds over to 2022 begun to select their new booth locations. Starting August 4th, the general membership will be allowed to choose booth space. Exhibiting at NATM’s Convention & Trade Show is affordable, with the cost per 10’ x 10’ booth at $1,457 for NATM members and $2,914 for non-members. Exhibitors can choose to carpet their booth or request electricity through Freeman this Fall. If you would like to purchase a booth, contact NATM Assistant Director Meghan Ryan at Meghan.Ryan@natm.com or call (785) 272-4433. Registration Registration will open Sept. 13 online. All exhibiting suppliers must register their booth workers online at NATM.com. Each exhibiting company receives two complimentary booth workers per 10’ x 10’ booth purchased. Additional booth workers can be registered for the Early Bird rate of $75. This price increases by $50 per person when registering after Jan. 30, 2022. Sponsorships Think outside the booth! Sponsorships are still available for the Annual Convention & Trade Show. The success of the NATM Convention is directly tied to the support of its generous sponsors. There are marketing and general sponsorship opportunities available from $250 to $50,000 to fit any budget, including networking receptions, the Top Golf Tee-Off event, trade show lounges and more! Being a sponsor allows your company early access to booth selection for the 2022 show and provides a wide range of exposure, both electronically on NATM’s website and mobile app, as well as in print on the convention program map and in Tracks magazine. This name-recognition will help drive customers to your booth. NATM will work with you to find the sponsorship opportunity best fit to get your company’s name in front of industry decision-makers. You can find the full 2022 Sponsorship Brochure at www.NATM.com/sponsor. Hotel Reservations For 2022, the NATM host hotels are the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina and the Embassy Suites by Hilton Tampa Downtown Convention Center. Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel: The Tampa Marriott is conveniently located directly across the street from the Tampa Convention Center. NATM has negotiated a room block rate of $289/night. Hotel Address: 700 S Florida Ave, Tampa Fl 33602 Phone Number: (813) 221-4900 To make your reservation at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel for $289/night click here. Embassy Suites by Hilton Downtown Convention Center: The Embassy Suites is conveniently located directly across the street from the Tampa Convention Center with a second level walkway directly to the convention center. NATM has negotiated a room block rate of $279/night. Hotel Address: 513 South Florida Avenue Tampa, Florida 33602 Phone Number: 813-769-8301 To make your reservation at the Embassy Suites for $279/night click here. Arrgh! Scammers Ahoy! Unauthorized third parties have begun contacting NATM Members about hotel reservations for NATM's Convention & Trade Show. NATM advises that you do not engage or make reservations with any third-party group! Trailer Manufacturers & Dealers: Take Advantage of New Attendee Promo NATM trailer manufacturers and dealer affiliates who have never attended the NATM Convention, or who have not attended in the last five years, are eligible for two complimentary full registrations and two complimentary hotel room nights (while available) as part of the New Attendee Promotion. Full registrations include access to all events and meals (except Top Golf Tee-Off) outlined in the show calendar. This is an affordable opportunity for trailer manufacturers to receive top-notch education, networking, and develop supplier relationships while in Tampa. NATM is excited to once again offer free full registrations for trailer manufacturers’ spouses. NATM hopes you will plan to bring your other half along to enjoy the show! Click here to apply for the New Attendee Promo!  The National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (NATM), known as the resource for safety and compliance for the light- and medium-duty trailer industry, has published the 2020 edition of the Guidelines. This massive document takes the guesswork out of meeting federal requirements governing the manufacturing of trailers under 26,000 lbs. GVWR and is a benefit of NATM membership.
Building trailers to meet the federal regulations outlined in the NATM Guidelines is not optional. It is required by law and enforced by law enforcement every day on the nation’s roadways. But it can be very time-intensive for trailer manufacturers to research the numerous federal rules, regulations, standards, and accepted industry practices that govern trailer construction. NATM addresses this by compiling the Guidelines for Recommended Manufacturing Practices for Light- and Medium-Duty Trailers. The document consists of over 400 pages of laws, regulations, rules, standards, and industry best practices. This information is gathered from resources such as the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc., the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association, the Traffic Safety Administration, the Maintenance Council, and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association amongst others. The Guidelines is updated annually by industry experts that stay abreast of changing regulations and who vet the addition of recommendations and best practices. Members report substantial time savings by utilizing the Guidelines, particularly on the topics of lighting and reflectors, VIN and data plates, gross vehicle weight ratings, and state brake requirements. While the Guidelines focus on U.S. regulations, many may have an interest in Canadian compliance. For more information, visit Transport Canada’s website at www.TV.GC.ca/en/transport-canada.html. In recent years, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has increased its enforcement activity concerning the compliance of motor vehicle manufacturers, including trailer manufacturers. NHTSA has placed particular concern on meeting tire recordkeeping requirements, which includes both manufacturer records as well as the provision of TIN cards to dealers, distributors, and purchasers. This is only one of the many requirements outlined in NATM’s Guidelines. NATM assists its trailer manufacturing members in avoiding costly fines and decreasing liability related to trailer compliance through the NATM Compliance Verification Program (CVP). The NATM CVP is an unbiased, third-party audit of the trailer manufacturing process and uses the Guidelines as the backbone for the program. The CVP provides biennial on-site consultations to trailer manufacturers and technical assistance throughout the entire process to ensure companies are manufacturing trailers consistent with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and other industry best practices. Once a trailer manufacturer has successfully passed the Compliance Verification Program, the company is able to purchase NATM Decals and market their company’s dedication to fulfilling their safety requirements by participating in an unbiased, third-party audit of their trailers. While participation in the NATM Compliance Verification Program is an additional, voluntary cost for manufacturers, there are economic benefits of participation. “The first-year sales saw a 20 percent boost and blew past the forecast over three years for the sales improvements for revenue targets for the existing trailer product. We will continue to use up the [NATM] labels we have in stock, and then order more,” said Pete Dixon, Engineer at Karcher North America, Inc., regarding the benefit of being a member of the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers. For more information about how the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers can assist your trailer manufacturing company, visit www.NATM.com, email NATMHQ@natm.com, or call (785) 272-4433. Your 2021 NATM membership renewal notice was mailed to the attention of your accounts payable department in November. For international members, invoices were emailed. You have the option to renew your membership online at www.NATM.com. Log into the Members Only section to view and pay the invoice. Should you decide to pay online, please advise accounts payable to disregard the notice. Your membership login credentials are below. Pay Membership Dues Online Instantly:
Troubleshooting Online Payments: No Invoice When Logging In? Thank you for attempting to renew your membership with NATM online! Did you try logging into the Member’s Only portal to pay, only to find that there are no open invoices attached to your account? Are you seeing your main contact’s first and last name instead of only your company’s name? Then unfortunately your computer is remembering the wrong credentials! When logging in, you should only see your company’s name. To ensure that your computer accepts the new credentials sent to main contacts in late November, please try the following:
Correct: When using the correct credentials, your business name will be seen.
INCORRECT: If you are seeing an individual’s name, then your computer is remembering old credentials. Please use a different browser or clear your computer’s cookies.
Membership dues must be paid no later than January 31, 2021. If dues are not received by Jan. 31, the member company will be considered delinquent and all membership benefits will be terminated until paid per the NATM Bylaws.
Thank you for your continued support of the Association. Please don’t hesitate to contact Meghan Ryan, NATM Assistant Director, at Meghan.Ryan@natm.com if you have any questions or concerns.  Join NATM’s leadership, staff, and your fellow members for the 2021 Annual Membership Meeting from the comfort of your own desk! On February 18, 2021 at 1 pm central, NATM members are invited to attend a virtual meeting to learn about what their Association has accomplished in the last year, its plans for 2021, give feedback on programming, and vote on Bylaws amendments.
Members will hear from NATM’s board president, members of the staff, government affairs representatives from K&L Gates, as well as our affinity program partners throughout the meeting. With an agenda to be circulated in January, members can expect to learn about upcoming changes to the compliance program, advocacy efforts in 2020 and areas of focus in 2021, newly released member benefits as well as upcoming programming in the works as part of the NATM Strategic Plan. The Association will also be polling attendees about potential programming and benefits changes. NATM wants to hear from the industry to guide the work it undertakes – let your voice be heard and register today! The NATM Board will also be recommending changes to Bylaws, including adding a new membership type, that attendees will vote on during the meeting. There will also be time throughout the meeting to answer members questions, making it easier than ever to interact with your Association. Please join us February 18, 2021 at 1 pm central, register now! Once registered, please add @gotowebinar.com to your whitelist or address book to ensure you receive the login credentials for the meeting. *The NATM membership meeting is only open to Association members per the NATM Bylaws. Registrations from non-members will be denied. The 2021 membership renewals are hitting inboxes, which is the perfect time for the Association to reflect on how membership dues are critical in supporting the actions, services, and educational programming that NATM provides for its members and the light- and medium-duty trailer industry. NATM is constantly evaluating costs and benefits to ensure your annual membership investment is being met with valuable returns.
In 2020, membership dues allowed NATM to:
NATM’s commitment is to its members and ultimately to trailer safety. Supporting NATM members’ ability to grow and prosper, while also contributing to the safety of the nation’s roadways, is what drives the Association’s work. Your support of this mission and your feedback along the way is vital to NATM’s success. NATM looks forward to continuing this important work in the coming year! 2021 NATM Membership Dues Your 2021 NATM membership renewal notice was mailed to the attention of your accounts payable department in November. For international members, invoices were emailed. For 2021, Membership Dues are remaining the same:
You have the option to renew your membership online at www.NATM.com. Log into the Members Only section to view and pay the invoice. Should you decide to pay online, please advise accounts payable to disregard the notice. Your membership login credentials are below. Pay Membership Dues Online Instantly:
Membership dues must be paid no later than January 31, 2021. If dues are not received by Jan. 31, the member company will be considered delinquent and all membership benefits will be terminated until paid per the NATM Bylaws. Thank you for your continued support of the Association. Please don’t hesitate to contact Meghan Ryan, NATM Assistant Director, at Meghan.Ryan@natm.com if you have any questions or concerns. It’s time to begin the process of selecting 2021 NATM Committees. NATM Committees are responsible for guiding the work of the Association to ensure NATM continues to meet member needs and stays on the forefront of industry trends. Committee members are invaluable to the success of the Association.
Sign up before November 18th to help guide NATM in 2021! With 9 committees across a number of content areas, there is sure to be a committee that matches interests and the amount of time a member can invest. NATM understands there are many demands on member time. Our team of talented staff work to ensure committee member time commitment is as minimal as possible. Still, in order to be an Association by and for its members and best serve the industry, we need the help of industry members just like you. In 2021 the 9 committees are:
If you are interested in learning more about NATM committees or signing up, click here! We look forward to working with our members on making 2021 another great year! By Bob Clements and Sara Hey of Bob Clements International, Inc. If you had one hour a day that you weren’t interrupted, what could you accomplish? Almost anything, right? I want you to pick something that is important to helping you achieve the vision you have set out for your trailer dealership, and commit one solid hour a day for the next week and work on it. For example, if you’re wanting to create stability in your dealership, your one hour (or power hour, you can call it whatever you want!) may be focused on forecasting and establishing a budget, by department, for the coming year. If your focus is growth, maybe that hour is spent diving into the marketing plan. Everyone’s “one thing” is different, but your “one thing” that you invest a dedicated one hour each day on will move your dealership toward your vision. Just pick one thing that will allow you to move toward your vision. I’m asking you to commit one uninterrupted hour a day for one week. However, with that in mind, I want you to make it your best hour. This means when your brain is fresh and you are ready to think and work. Are you a morning person or an afternoon person? If you have an afternoon slump, after lunch, that is not the time for your hour. You will just end up on your phone playing games (speaking from experience). So, if you’re a morning person, make your hour the first hour of the day. If you’re not a morning person, find the time you are most alert and ready to get to work. At this point, shut your door and tell your people that unless 911 has to be called, they cannot bother you for the next hour. Guess what? Everyone will survive for one hour each day without you. If a problem comes up, they will either figure it out or they will wait, and you will have held an important boundary. Way to go! Now, pick your one thing and get to work. Are you needing a little more guidance on where to start? Here’s what I want you to do: write the name of each department represented in your dealership and the words “Stability,” Growth,” and “Accountability” under each department. For each department that didn’t generate a profit last year, I want you to circle the word “Stability.” If what you are doing isn’t making you money, you need to either stop doing it or figure out how to make money doing it. If you circled “Stability” under any of the departments, this is where you need to begin making changes and where you need to spend your hour. There are several things you can do to begin to create stability, but to get you started we will outline at least one suggestion per department. Keep in mind, as you read through these suggestions, I don’t expect you to tackle all these today. If you did, you probably wouldn’t do any of them well, which will only leave you frustrated and yelling. Pick one item and use your entire one hour of time a day, every day, until it gets done. Then, and only then, do I want you to move on to the next one. My guess is that you, like many entrepreneurs, have a list of great ideas and projects you have started but never finished because something else that was shiny and exciting caught your eye. If you want to be the solution, you need to pick one item in one department and commit to spending your hour on it, until it’s completed. Stability Service: When working to achieve stability in the service department, the goal of most dealerships is to measure the right numbers. In order to get the right numbers, you must have the right data. This starts with your technicians clocking in and out of work orders. Yes, there are other numbers you should be looking at, but everything is built on your technicians’ time. Parts: As you think about parts, start with your margins. Your target margin will vary based upon the equipment you carry, but all the targets should be at or above MSRP unless you have handpicked them as lost leaders so you can draw people in who will then buy more expensive parts. Don’t forget that MSRP is a suggestion and determined by turning a part four times a year. If a part is turning less than four times, the part’s price should be above MSRP. Sales: Stability in sales begins by measuring the activity of your salespeople. We require every salesperson to make a minimum of twenty touches a day. This could be a phone call, email, or someone walking in your door. Growth Now, as you look at your paper, identify which department has the potential for growth. For sustained growth to occur, the department needs to be stable first. Yes, you can have growth in a department, but a lack of stability will make it a never-ending nightmare for you. So, which departments are ready for growth? Here are suggestions, by department, that can help you generate growth. Service: Growth often happens when the people you have are being utilized to their full potential. This can happen if you bring on a service coordinator or roll out a compensation plan based upon efficiency for your technicians. Parts: Growth in parts occurs by providing training for your parts people, helping them to become parts salespeople, and teaching them skills such as upselling and cross-selling. By implementing upselling and cross-selling, this alone can produce growth up to 35 percent in the parts department! Sales: The key to growth in whole goods is having a marketing plan that mimics how and when you need increased sales. If you know that 20 percent of whole goods sales happen in April, you need to be spending 20 percent of your marketing budget four to six weeks before you expect to see the sales occur. Accountability The last category is “Accountability.” Look at the departments you’ve listed and ask yourself, “Are there any departments that have achieved stability and growth?” If the answer is yes, it’s time to set accountability goals for the department. Service: For the service department you might begin by having regular meetings with your team to share numbers and financials. When your entire team is aware of the common goals and what needs to happen in order to achieve them, it creates accountability for both them and you. Parts: In this area, you may need to develop a plan to burn down your parts inventory at the peak of season. This accountability frees up cash flow during the slow season but also gives you the ability to place orders with your manufacturers in a way that gives you the best possible discounts. Sales: For many of our dealers, a goal of sales accountability is an intense focus on the little things. This can be as simple as making sure all customer information is inputted into your CRM. This is often one of the things that salespeople can get lazy on, and its effects are wide-reaching. While each one of your departments may be at a different point of maturity in your dealership, it’s important to keep in mind that you must start with one thing. Your first focus should be to get each department to a place of stability, and from there you can determine a plan for growth and accountability. A healthy and profitable business is powered by healthy and profitable departments. Taking a one-hour challenge every day will allow you to move your dealership to a place of you running it instead of it running you. For more information about improving your trailer dealership, visit www.bobclements.com. This article is an excerpt from the new book, You’re the Problem (and the Solution), by Bob Clements and Sara Hey of Bob Clements International, Inc. For more information, visit www.bobclements.com
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