Equipment

Navistar bails on MATS 2016

July 13, 2015

Navistar is the third OEM to withdraw from next year’s Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS). It follows Volvo Trucks and Daimler Trucks North America to pull out of the 2016 show. “We’ve made the decision to not attend the 2016 Mid-America Trucking Show,” said Lyndi McMillan, Navistar communications manager. “We look forward to returning to the Mid-America Trucking Show in 2017 to showcase our technology and products.” Both Daimler and Volvo believe MATS would benefit from a biennial calendar in the same way that IAA in Germany is held every second year.“We evaluate all our sales and marketing activities when we develop our business plan for the following year,” said Avery Vise, Volvo Trucks public relations manager. “As part of that effort, we have decided not to participate in the 2016 Mid-America Trucking Show and have informed show management of this decision.” “MATS is an important industry event, and because we believe the industry would benefit from a biennial schedule, we intend to participate in 2017,” he said.Volvo’s sister company, Mack, has yet to announce whether it will exhibit next year at MATS. John Walsh, Mack vice president of marketing, said: “In order to make sure our efforts best meet the needs of our customers and bring the most return on our investment, we evaluate each trade show opportunity every year, a process through which we are still working.” Paccar’s Peterbilt and Kenworth have not made any announcements regarding MATS 2016. Asked if Peterbilt Motors was still planning on exhibiting at MATS next year, a spokesperson said "the company is still evaluating its marketplace plans for 2016." Toby Young, president of Exhibit Management Associates, which owns and operates MATS, said: “Navistar has informed us that they will not be exhibiting in the 2016 Mid-America Trucking Show and that they would like to return for the 2017 MATS. Navistar has been a strong supporter of MATS, participating every year since the first MATS in 1972. Their presence at the 2016 show will be missed.""We will continue as planned with sales for the 2016 MATS beginning on July 15th and, given the recent news, additional exhibit space opportunities for returning and new exhibitors," Young said. "MATS has a contract with the City of Louisville and the Kentucky Exposition Center through 2020, so the show will continue on an annual basis as scheduled.”MATS is an annual heavy-duty trucking industry event held each year at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville. The show attracts more than 70,000 attendees and more than 1,000 exhibitors. The International Motor Show for commercial vehicles, or IAA, takes place every other year in September in Hannover, Germany.

About the Author

Cristina Commendatore

Cristina Commendatore was previously the Editor-in-chief of FleetOwner magazine. She reported on the transportation industry since 2015, covering topics such as business operational challenges, driver and technician shortages, truck safety, and new vehicle technologies. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut.