Work Truck Show Opens With Industry Recap

March 5, 2013 by RV Business Leave a Comment

Ushering in the March 6-8 Work Truck Show 2013, the National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) held its “State of the Industry” session today at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.

According to a press release, NTEA Executive Director Steve Carey shared details gained from recent industry studies and surveys with attendees. Current industry economic conditions, distribution and sales trends and fleets’ intentions and purchasing outlook were also highlighted.

Today’s agenda featured a slate of educational sessions focusing on understanding government activities, current regulations and upcoming economic trends. Topics included:

• Navigating the impacts of government regulations on the work truck industry, highway funding, tax changes, and looming healthcare deadlines for employers were reviewed.

• The “Nuts and Bolts of Federal Excise Tax (FET) Applications” session offered information on how to mitigate financial liability that can result from seemingly simple errors in applying and collecting FET. In addition, tips to reduce risk and tax burden were covered.

• The “Upcoming Industry and Economic Trends” session offered predictions for how the industry will track, the impact of international markets, the rise and fall of inflation and interest rates, along with consumer confidence levels and future growth for the industry.

More than 10,000 work truck industry professionals descended on Indianapolis for the event, which features 500,000 square feet of the newest vocational trucks, vans and equipment.

“This is the biggest week of the year for many people in our industry,” says Shawn Jacobs, NTEA 2013 Convention chairman and president and CEO of STS Trailer & Truck Equipment, Syracuse, N.Y. “The Work Truck Show is where new chassis, bodies, equipment, components and technologies are launched.”