DAY 1 SESSIONS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21

12:00 PM

WELCOME/REGISTRATION

Thank You To Our Name Badge Sponsor:

1:00 PM

FREIGHT FORECAST: TRANSITION TO EARLY CYCLE

In this session, we’ll analyze the freight market business conditions critical to commercial vehicle demand. With for-hire trucking demand on the long side of a two-plus-year downturn, global shipping in turmoil, import freight shifting from East to West, and the inventory cycle turning, an inflection point in the freight cycle is near. We’ll discuss the temporary and lasting effects of the recent cold snap that slowed the freight network in January, the subsequent double-digit increase in spot truckload rates, and the outlook for freight volumes and rates in 2024 and 2025.

• Tim Denoyer, VP & Sr. Analyst - ACT Research

1:45 PM

TRUCKER PANEL: VIEW FROM THE FLEETS

This panel features distinguished leaders of three Midwest truckload fleets delivering for the US economy every day. We’ll hear the "boots-on-the-ground" view from those in the field on the major topics of the day, including freight market conditions, fleet planning, nearshoring, and labor. Truck driver availability hasn’t been in a shortage for some time now, but the seeds for a shortage have been sown, and we’ll get a sense of capacity conditions from a few important perspectives. Attendees will have the opportunity to pose questions directly to industry practitioners.  

• Bill Kretsinger, Chairman and CEO - American Central Transport
• Joe Vitiritto, President and CEO - PAM Transport
• Marshall Franklin, CEO & CFO - Highway Transport
• Moderator: Tim Denoyer, VP & Sr. Analyst - ACT Research

3:30 PM

COMMERCIAL VEHICLE GLOBAL TIER 1 SUPPLIER PANEL - MAJOR TRENDS OF THE 2020s PAST AND FUTURE

Join Ann Rundle, ACT Research’s VP of Electrification & Autonomy, along with Scott Adams from Eaton, Richard Beyer from Bendix, and Steve Slesinski from Dana for commercial vehicle suppliers’ perspective on the major events of the first third of this decade, coupled with projections of where the industry is moving and the major trends that will influence the latter part of this decade and beyond.

• Scott Adams, Sr. VP - Eaton
• Richard Beyer, VP of Technical Sales - Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
• Steve Slesinski, Director of Global Product Planning - Dana Incorporated
• Moderator: Ann Rundle, VP, Electrification & Autonomy - ACT Research

5:00 PM

CLOSING THOUGHTS

6:00 PM

NETWORKING DINNER

• At the ACT Research Offices - 4440 Middle Rd., Columbus, IN 47203

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DAY 2 SESSIONS

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22

7:30 AM

CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST & REGISTRATION

8:00 AM

ECONOMIC PANEL: WHAT'S IN STORE FOR 2024?

After the persistent, surprising strength of the US economy in 2023, we’ll discuss how much the outlook is likely to cool for 2024. The Economic Panel will try to weave together a coherent look-ahead view from the scattered threads and trends that litter the current landscape. Inflation, consumer spending trends, monetary and fiscal policy, business investment, trade, supply chain issues, and international business conditions will all be fair game for our panel. Seminar attendees will take away a more robust framework to view the opportunities and risks ahead over the next four to eight quarters, plus have an opportunity to pose their own thought-provoking questions to our panel.

• Chris Kuehl, Managing Director - Armada Corporate Intelligence
• David Teolis, Chief Economist - ACT Research
• Moderator: Tim Denoyer, VP & Sr. Analyst - ACT Research

9:45 AM

CLASS 8 FORECAST: PRODUCTION FOLLOWS PROFITS

ACT’s Class 8 Market Analysis and Forecasts: With moving parts aplenty, we view our current forecast as balanced between strong market forces on both sides of the demand equation. On one hand, macro-economic risk(s), an overcapacitized for-hire US tractor market/weak carrier profitability fundamentals, and CARB taking California out of play in 2024. On the other, pent-up vocational demand in the US and Canada, a resurgent Mexican economy, solid LTL fundamentals, and the potential for overcapacity-be-damned US tractor fleet positioning three years ahead of EPA’27. Moving beyond the industry’s uncertain near-term path, we will examine underlying industry fundamentals, and an almost-fixed-in-stone mid- to long-term outlook.  

• Kenny Vieth, President & Sr. Analyst - ACT Research

10:30 AM

AN OEM'S VIEW OF THE CLASS 8 MARKET

Allegedly, “may you live in interesting times” is an ancient curse. For the OEMs, the remainder of this decade is essentially a long string of “interesting times” through which they will have to navigate. Not only is the industry still charting its short-term course through post-pandemic market ripples, the longer-term horizon will require a deft touch on the tiller. In addition to the market’s always-on competitive pressures, the industry is being challenged not only by myriad new technologies, but also the most impactful regulatory scheme in two decades. Making the upcoming technological and regulatory landscape more interesting is the intersection of regulation and technology. 

• Mary Aufdemberg, General Manager, Product Strategy + Market Development - Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA)
• Kenny Vieth, President & Sr. Analyst - ACT Research

11:15 AM

NAVIGATING THE REGULATORY HORIZON: AN OVERVIEW OF CURRENT AND FUTURE INDUSTRY REGULATIONS

As a number of rules and regulations are slated to roll in over the next few years, understanding the regulatory landscape is as crucial as ever. This session will cover the state of current and upcoming regulations impacting the industry. We will look at everything from ZEV mandates and federal incentives to GHG and NOx emissions regulations. Join us to learn more about the regulations driving our industry.

• Lydia Vieth, Research Analyst, Electrification & Autonomy - ACT Research

12:00 PM

NETWORKING LUNCH

1:00 PM

FIRESIDE CHAT: AN INSIDER'S VIEW OF THE USED TRUCK MARKET

Join our Used Truck Fireside Chat to get a first-hand view of truck buyer demand, and what the prices, sales, and inventory look like now and where they are likely headed. We will also look at the challenges that both buyers and dealers are grappling with and how they might impact the market.

• Brock Gavin, President - Arrow Truck Sales
• Steve Tam, VP, Analyst - ACT Research

1:45 PM

US TRAILER MARKET: FROM THE FRONTLINE TO THE FORECAST

Jeremy Sanders, CCO of Stoughton Trailers, will join ACT’s Kenny Vieth and Jennifer McNealy to discuss the US trailer market. What, if any, congestion remains in the supply chain? With pent-up demand exhausted, how cool are orders for 2024 and beyond? What impact is expected to the trailer market by impending power-unit regulation changes? Will tractor prebuys substitute for trailer purchases? We’ll look at all this and more from the perspective of a manufacturer, to the current market indicators, and in preparation for the next five years.

• Jeremy Sanders, CCO - Stoughton Trailers
• Kenny Vieth, President & Sr. Analyst - ACT Research
• Jennifer McNealy, Dir., CV Market Research & Publications - ACT Research

2:45 PM

EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES

Join Ann Rundle and Dominik Beckman from Lion Electric for a fireside chat discussing the expectations and realities of how the commercial vehicle industry can leverage emerging technologies for the best results.  The conversation will include lessons learned over the past 13+ years that Lion Electric has been building and selling zero-emission commercial vehicles.

• Dominik Beckman, VP Marketing & Communications - Lion Electric
• Ann Rundle, VP, Electrification & Autonomy - ACT Research 

3:30 PM

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL FOR MEDIUM DUTY CUSTOMERS

It has been more than four years since COVID made its way to North America and the medium-duty commercial vehicle market is still struggling to return to normal. Pent-up demand, manifested in elevated backlog, has made progress but remains well above historical levels. Production showed signs of improvement in 2023, as did sales, though to a lesser degree. The net result was higher inventory. In this session, we’ll examine the dynamics and see what it will take to set the market back on track.

• Steve Tam, VP, Analyst - ACT Research

4:00 PM

CLOSING THOUGHTS