North Hollywood Auto Repair benefits from location ... - Parts & People

APRA/ATRA joint show offers business opportunities and education for all
by Dick DeLoach
Las Vegas—Bally’s
Hotel and Casino set the
stage for the 2012
International Big R
Show and the ATRA
Powertrain Expo, again
co-hosted by the
Aftermarket Parts
Rebuilders Association
(APRA) and the
Automatic Transmission
Rebuilders Association
(ATRA), Oct. 26-30.
“The APRA
International BIG R
Show combined with
the ATRA Powertrain
Expo makes this event
the largest automotive and truck parts
remanufacturing show in the world,” Bill
Gager, APRA president, said.
This is the second year in a row that the
two organizations have held a joint show
in Las Vegas, and event organizers said
attendance and industry participation was
strong, with thousands of attendees and
more than 130 companies exhibiting.
“The event also had companies from a
variety of product lines from around the
Dennis Madden, ATRA executive director and CEO,
explains how to implement what was learned at this
year’s event in his seminar, “Ready, Set, Action.”
world, including more rebuilders and
remanufacturers from the diesel engine
and transmission market,” Gager said.
“We are pleased that we were once
again able to co-locate our event at the
same time as the APRA International Big
R Show. It was very successful,” he said.
Dennis Madden, ATRA executive
director and CEO, said the joint
APRA/ATRA show in Las Vegas last year
was beneficial to members of both
Outgoing APRA Chairman Dennis Jacinto (l.)
presents Peter Bain, of Rand Premium Electronics,
with an APRA Honorary Member Award for his
service to the automotive parts remanufacturing
industry.
associations.
“We believe very strongly that this joint
show helped each other’s suppliers and
attendees reach more potential customers
and provided them with some new
business opportunities,” he said.
New this year was an opening reception
on the exhibit floor at the end of the first
day, the only official evening event. “It
was a fun event that provided more time
for socializing with friends and trading
partners,” Dennis Jacinto, APRA outgoing
president, said.
In addition to an extensive list of
technical seminars and workshops every
day, both associations also had separate
expanded supplier/vendor expositions,
instead of one combined.
The “What’s Working” kick-off seminar,
by Rodger Bland, covering ATRA’s fiveyear
study of successful shops, was well
attended. “It was very popular, and it
Continued on page 22
During his talk, “The Miracle on The
Hudson,” Jeff Skiles, co-pilot of US
Airways flight 1549, shares his
experiences of the fateful day when a flock
of geese caused his crew to make an
emergency landing.
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Parts & People December 2012 Page 21