After months of behind the scenes rumours the worst kept secret in the industry has been broken with the Truck Industry Council has decided that it is planning to run its own truck show starting in 2021, the year the next Brisbane Truck Show, after this months planned event, is scheduled to run.
TIC has announced that it will be behind the Australian Truck Exhibition and Technology Symposium from 2021 stating that it will provide truck makers with a ‘platform to showcase and share their latest offerings and technological advancements’ according to the statement issued by TIC.
TIC says the event has been “developed and established to deliver the good news stories around the positive contributions of the Original Equipment Manufacturers’ products to road safety, the environment, and the economy”.
The Heavy Vehicle Industry Association, the organisation behind the successful and well run biennial Brisbane Truck Show would not be drawn into direct comment about the newly announced rival for its Show which has been running in Brisbane for the past 51 years.
The HVIA simply said in a statement that it is a national association representing and advancing the interests of manufacturers and suppliers of heavy vehicles and their components, equipment and technology.
HVIA Chief Executive Todd Hacking said in advance of the this year’s show that it is now part of a full week of celebrations showcasing Australia’s heavy vehicle industry.
“The show has come a long way from its humble beginnings when twenty-one truck, trailer and component manufacturers and suppliers came together at Haulmark Trailers’ in Rocklea in 1968,” he said.
“This year we have been delighted to announce new partnerships with the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council. They have come on board because they recognise the value of every attendee to the show, and indeed the enormous contribution our industry makes to the economy.
“Through those partnerships we have created a new umbrella event – Australian Heavy Vehicle Industry Week – to capture all of the events and activities going on across Brisbane alongside the Brisbane Truck Show.
“The Brisbane Truck Show is by far and away the biggest business event our industry holds in the southern hemisphere. It is run by industry for industry.
“It’s inspiring to see the enthusiasm with which trucking operators approach the innovative products and solutions that are showcased at the event.
“The countless deals sealed with a handshake during the show are testament of the mutual respect that the heavy vehicle industry and its clients have for each other.
“It is also why the show is described as the place where the industry gathers. That side of it is hugely important too.
“It is for that reason that we have also partnered with South Bank Parklands to expand the show outside of the walls of the convention centre.”
While TIC has said via its statement that the new show will be built around its core message of: Today’s Trucks: Safer Greener Essential, and that the technological advances in truck design will be the key theme of the event, it also says it will not organise the show itself, instead calling for expressions of interest for organisations to run the show.
The HVIA, which grew out of the state based CVICQ and has always been based in Brisbane is highly regarded in the industry and has long been seen as the standard when it comes to truck exhibitions in Australia seeing off rival shows in Sydney and Melbourne on a number of occasions over the past four decades.
The decision by TIC mirrors the move by the car industry body, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) to take over the major motor shows in Sydney and Brisbane, from state based chambers in NSW and Victoria, which had successfully run the major motor shows since the mid 1920s. The Australian Motor Show was last staged in Sydney in 2009 and despite various plans has not been run for the past ten years.
Tony McMullan, CEO of the Truck Industry Council says that the Australian Truck Exhibition and Technology Symposium will be a ‘world class event of international standing, designed to inform existing and potential customers about current and future product offerings from TIC members and for members and exhibitors to conduct and generate business.’
An industry figure who asked not to be quoted argues the Brisbane Show is already delivering a world class event of international standing and already informs existing and potential customers about current and future product offerings from TIC members and for members and exhibitors to conduct and generate business.
“I’m not convinced the grand plans of TIC will deliver the sort of benefits it is claiming it will,” sad the industry figure.
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Tony McMullen says that these are exciting and progressive times and that TIC is much looking forward to this event and the opportunities and benefits it will provide for its members.
“The concept of the Exhibition and Technology Symposium, allows for an engaging and interactive format and will satisfy the needs of those OEMs looking for a more focused environment to demonstrate and celebrate recent and future innovations,” Mr McMullan said.
The TIC statement says the new show is projected to have a strong focus on B2B, the emerging B2C and E-commerce sectors, and says it is being seen as an opportunity to update and educate customers, the public, government policy decision makers, regulators and other key industry stakeholders.
“The Symposium component of the event will be an opportunity to inform a wider audience on the state of the industry and the technological advances being made, what these mean for the public, government and operators alike, and of course it will also be a forum to engage in healthy debate and discussion on a wide variety of important industry issues,” Mr McMullan said.
The interface necessary between the truck OEMs when introducing new technologies and the development of he interface necessary between the truck OEMs when introducing new technologies and the development of policy and regulation by Government on behalf of the public will be another component of this Symposium discussion, as will the need for incentives to encourage the modernisation of the Australian truck fleet.
The TIC has called for expressions of interest for the organisation and management of the new event, and submissions will close on 31 May, 2019.
