The Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association (HDMA) announces the formation of a new industry roundtable council, the Commercial Vehicle Research Council (CVRC). The new council is the culmination of efforts by the former Automotive Market Research Council (AMRC) board, which decided to cease AMRC operations in December of 2015, and HDMA, to begin a new council operating under the HDMA banner.
The newly formed CVRC will be comprised of senior market data and research executives from leading HDMA member companies and OEMs in the heavy-duty commercial vehicle and off-highway commercial equipment industries. The council is patterned after several other industry councils that HDMA successfully manages, while preserving the legacy of the AMRC.
“This was a move that made a lot of sense to the companies involved in the AMRC,” says past AMRC Chair Adrian Ratza of Hino Trucks. “The CVRC will be a unique combination of old and new; introducing new elements to the group while recognizing the rich heritage of the former AMRC.”
Ratza will serve as the CVRC Founding Chair, and other past AMRC offices assuming duties as founding board members on the CVRC. The new board will also include Russell Cox, Peterbilt Motors Co.
The CVRC will be a dedicated research council, managed by HDMA, that will provide a forum for the presentation and discussion of key trends and issues regarding market data, research and consensus forecasting trends within the heavy-duty commercial vehicle (HD CV) industry.
“We believe the CVRC will quickly establish itself as an ongoing industry group that will sponsor and participate in HD CV industry benchmarking and market analysis programs, and we are excited to enable the transition of the former AMRC into a new council for HDMA,” says Tim Kraus, President and COO of HDMA. “Moving forward, the CVRC will play an important role for all our members, particularly HDMA peer-councils, with its focus on the HDCV and OHV markets. This council will also support a variety of member-focused HDMA research projects.”
The new CVRC council plans to hold its first meeting October 6, 2016 in Chicago, the day after the HDMA’s annual off-highway conference – the Global Off-Highway Industry Dialogue being held October 5 at the Donald E. Stephens Center in Rosemont, IL.
