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Letter to the Editor

NARSA Convention to Focus on Radiator Service Industry Latest Technology

NARSA has organized a comprehensive agenda that includes lectures, presentations, workshops, social events, and meetings featuring internationally known experts in the radiator industry. More than 1,900 exhibitors are expected to showcase their state-of-the art equipment and technology at the NARSA Convention and Trade Show and AAPEX Show, providing opportunities for shop employees to gain more knowledge about the industry, and colleagues to network during educational sessions, on the convention floor and during social events. NARSA also has arranged to cluster all heat-transfer, radiator and cooling industry representatives and vendors within its own Heat Transfer Pavilion at the Sands Expo Center during all four days of the AAPEX show.

“People should attend this show because there is diversification in the industry now, and people can learn so much by networking with their colleagues, and making contacts with other manufacturers,” said Daryl Bippert, chairman of the 2005 Convention Committee. “The best advice for anyone who attends is that you get back what you put in. If you are diligent about finding out what’s available, you also can learn about ways to enhance your business by increasing your services or your product lines.”

Besides the membership meetings, social events, and a keynote luncheon and industry awards program, participants of the NARSA/AAPEX Annual Convention can expect to benefit from advice about progressive technology and innovative designs, cost-effective educational opportunities, and adapting to future changes in the cooling and heating service industry. Confirmed presenters include nationally recognized speaker and humorist Sidney C. Hurlbert, who will lead a seminar to teach business managers and operators how to deal with job stress, and Independent Coolant Consultant Jay Ross, who will present the latest issues and concerns related to coolant products and cooling system maintenance. These speakers, and others, will provide insight into surviving among the competition in the radiator industry.

NARSA’s 53rd Annual Convention and Trade show will offer a full day of seminars and lectures, and an industry town hall meeting on Oct. 31. NARSA will host additional technical/educational programs at the AAPEX show on Nov. 1 and 2.

“The whole idea about going to this convention is to be exposed to a broader scope of the products and services available in the aftermarket industry,” said Randy Lalonde, president of NARSA. “If you are in this industry, you need to experience this convention every year if for no other reason than to stay ahead of the competition.”

According to a NARSA press release, the heating and cooling industry in the United States and abroad has undergone rapid change in the past few decades with businesses becoming more diversified, more stringent environmental regulations, the introduction of sophisticated equipment, and cutting-edge products that last longer and are more effective. In the mid-1980s, there were more than 16,000 radiator shops in the United States. Now there are fewer than 7,000, primarily because many business operators did not diversify into heavy duty sales, according to Bippert. “The writing was on the wall in late 1980s and 1990s that if you didn’t diversify, your automotive repair business was bound to fail.” The industry, at this point, has stabilized. Based on a recent survey, between 70 to 75 percent of NARSA members diversified their businesses and now provide mobile air-conditioning service. Due to this summer’s record-breaking heat, repair shops are busier and more profitable than they have been in the past eight to nine years, he said.

NARSA is a non-profit trade association providing educational, technical, safety and marketing programs for individuals in the engine cooling and heat transfer industry. The association is comprised of 1,500 radiator specialists, manufacturers and suppliers located in 42 countries. NARSA is committed to educating consumers, promoting educational practices and improving procedures, fostering and promoting business friendships, conducting research, and providing solutions for the industry’s issues.

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