HDDA: Heavy Duty, a community of the Auto Care Association, has announced a new strategic plan to align with the rapidly evolving industry.

HDDA’s advisory board—which consists of  leaders in the aftermarket such as VIPAR Heavy Duty, Erie DriveTrain, FleetPride, SKF and more—defined their challenges in the marketplace and outlined what support the industry needs to fuel the future of HD.

The resulting strategic plan,  announced during Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week in Las Vegas, Nev., outlines how HDDA will fuel the future of HD through four new, focused pillars.

The plan includes some elements familiar to those in the automotive aftermarket, namely the need for efficiency and product data standards, building market intelligence, advocacy, and connecting with the workforce to insure it can continue to make the industry viable and growing.

More specifically, the four pillars are:

Create industry efficiency through the development of product data standards.

HDDA: Heavy Duty is the steward of the current project to expand existing, industry-accepted product data standards in order to create efficiencies in the heavy duty aftermarket. Through the normalization and streamlined dissemination of heavy duty aftermarket product information, manufacturers, data receivers, data users and customers will be the beneficiaries of more complete product information. The implementation of product information standards enables the expanded use of e-commerce, data sharing, in-store software solutions for brick-and-mortar locations, and more effective business operations to better serve customers.

Cultivate market intelligence to enable members of HDDA: Heavy Duty to make better business decisions.

HDDA: Heavy Duty will invest and partner in market intelligence that informs the heavy duty aftermarket supply chain of the trends and product category information necessary to foster, validate and develop better business strategies for aftermarket industry growth. Intelligence trends identifying economic issues, vehicles in operation and other topics that are key indicators for the health of the heavy duty aftermarket will be identified and made available to HDDA members. Additionally, to address product issues such as inventory, replacement rates, category growth, and product expansion and contraction decisions, market intelligence disseminated by the association for the heavy duty aftermarket will focus on product category opportunities.

Develop workforce education programs to ensure the long-term growth and viability of the industry.

HDDA: Heavy Duty will implement and promote curriculum to educate the existing heavy duty aftermarket industry workforce to increase retention of talented and dedicated employees. Training on industry trends—including all aspects of technology, along with beneficial management training and tools—will be geared to the personal and professional growth of the highly-skilled, customer-facing staff already embedded in the independent heavy duty aftermarket.

Advocate for the independent heavy duty aftermarket.

HDDA: Heavy Duty recognizes the awareness and influence of the heavy duty aftermarket is central to its competitiveness, profitability and advancement. The protection and promotion of the industry must be addressed with myriad audiences, both internal and external. HDDA will continue to be the only association championing the voice of the full supply chain of the independent heavy duty aftermarket on legislative and regulatory issues to local, state and federal policymakers. The association will develop a full marketing and communications strategy to connect the industry with influencers and news outlets to establish the independent heavy duty aftermarket as an economic driver, and to grow the financial strength and business opportunities for the organizations that make up its supply chain.

“We’re interested in being the pioneers of the development of these HD-specific programs with the help of the industry,” said Bill Hanvey, president and CEO, Auto Care Association. “HD asked, we listened. In the end, we’re here to help the industry prove success in terms of time saving, efficiency and increased margins through these programs.”

View the video replay of the press conference here.

For questions, or to get involved in the development of the standards by participating as a subject matter expert, email Sheila Andrews, director, heavy duty programs, Auto Care Association, at sheila.andrews@hdda.org.