Trade Show Recaps

AUSA (Association of the United States Army) Annual Meeting & Exposition, Washington, D.C.

Mike Ferraiolo attended the AUSA expo to network for new business and meet high-ranking contacts at key OEMs who traditionally attend the event.

The AUSA is a nonprofit educational and professional development association serving the U.S. Army and supporters of a strong national defense. Wheeled and non-wheeled vehicle OEMs and many other tier-one OEMs were represented.

Mike met approximately 30 OEM and industry leaders, which will allow him to gain inroads toward working with high-level decision-makers and increase the chance of being invited for plant walks. Plant walks at customers and prospects are critical to allow us the best opportunity to explain the added value of working with Austin.

Here are just a few of the high-level prospects Mike met and discussed a relationship with Austin:

GM Defense and Battery Storage

GM Defense is General Motors’ purpose-built defense and government business that leverages GM’s commercial investment in advanced mobility and related technologies. The company delivers integrated vehicles, power and propulsion, and mobility and autonomy solutions to global defense.

AM General

AM General engineers, manufactures, and supports specialized vehicles for military and commercial customers. Their global presence of diverse product offerings in over 70 countries puts them in a unique position to enhance interoperability across Allies and build on long-standing defense industry automotive partnerships.

ArmorSource

ArmorSource is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of ballistic helmets and advanced head protection systems, with a monthly production capacity of over 15,000 helmets. The company serves military and law enforcement organizations in the U.S., Europe, and beyond.

CAT Defense

Caterpillar’s design, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities produce a broad range of products for military forces and other government entities. The company offers groundbreaking and custom-modified equipment, engines for land and marine applications, power generation for wide-ranging applications, and lifecycle solutions.

BAE Systems

BAE Systems, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of BAE Systems Plc, an international defense, aerospace, and security company that delivers a full range of products and services for air, land, and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, IT solutions, and customer support services.

UTILITY TRUCK SHOW

Mike Ferraiolo, along with Chris Kiewert and Sam Sobataka, attended The Utility Expo in Louisville, KY. Networking, following the market leaders, and attempting to learn how Austin can grow our relationships and business with existing and new OEMs was the first order of business. Other goals included following and understanding industry trends and learning about current and future market needs to find new engineering projects.

As Mike says, OEMs and Market/Customers show you the path to success and have the answers. A key takeaway here is that build rates in these industries are bullish, and battery and hybrid appear to be the future.

Current customers that exhibited at the Utility Truck Show include:

Knapheide (work truck bodies)
Ultimate Power (inverter chargers, battery management devices, and lithium-ion batteries)
Ditch Witch (directional and all-terrain drills and American Augers®
Taylor Pump & Lift (lube trucks, water trucks, fuel lube trucks, lube trailers, and lube skids)
Vactor (sewer cleaners)
Altec (aerial devices, digger derricks, cranes, cable handlers, spray equipment, and work trucks)
Palfinger (lift equipment)
Custom Truck/One Source (specialty trucks)
Doosan/Bobcat (compact equipment, grounds maintenance equipment, industrial vehicle, and portable power products)
The Shyft Group (holding company for brands such as Utilimaster, Blue Arc, Royal Truck Body, DuraMag, Spartan RV Chassis, Builtmore Contract Mfg., and others)
Reading Truck Body (utility bodies)
Monroe Truck Equipment (commercial and municipal truck equipment)
Whites Welding (welding and fabrication)
Tow-Rax (towing/cargo control equipment)
Decked (drawer systems, Cargoglide, and tool boxes for pick-up trucks, SUVs, etc.)
Hansen Roll-Up Doors (fifth wheel roll-up door compartment)
TecNiq (lighting)