TIA rolling along with preparations for Tires, Wheels & Equipment show

With summer drawing to a close, the Tire Industry Association (TIA) is gearing up for the Tires, Wheels & Equipment (TWE) Section of the fall Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show and for several gala events at its new host hotel, the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.

“With the strong sponsorship support we have been receiving, along with relevant and entertaining presenters, we are confident that this year’s TWE events will be better than ever,” says Roy Littlefield, TIA executive vice president. “We encourage everyone to stop by our booth and learn more about how TIA membership is a tremendous value – especially in the current economic climate.”

In spite of a difficult economy, more sponsors than ever are lining up to be a part of the TWE events, he reports. On Tuesday, Nov. 4, Michelin North America is sponsoring TIA’s Breakfast with the President, where this year’s TIA Hall of Fame and Historical Contributor award recipients will be inducted. And, TIA’s international members can take advantage of the opportunity to network at the invitation-only, Toyo Tire-sponsored International Reception, which will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 5.

Other event sponsors include Yokohama, Zurich, Coface Collections North America, Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, Dunlop, Bartec USA, Meadowbrook Insurance, the Automotive Training Institute, Dill Air Controls Products, ASA Tire Systems and Southeastern Wholesale Tire.

Sponsorships are still available.

Yokohama will be hosting the Monday, Nov. 3 Welcome Reception. Concurrent with this year’s move of the TIA’s hotel headquarters to Planet Hollywood, the location of the reception has been shifted to the resort’s Privé nightclub, which boasts a “glamorous décor and A-list ambience; attendees will feel as though they have been whisked past the velvet ropes into a Hollywood hotspot,” according to Littlefield.

Members will have the use of a lounge at the TIA booth, No. 40027, in the TWE Section of the SEMA Show at the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Here the membership can network, take a quiet break from the busy show floor and enjoy free refreshments, he points out.

The TIA has a history spanning more than 80 years that includes several name changes. Originally known as the National Tire Dealers & Retreaders Association (NTDRA), the organization gave birth over the years to the American Retreaders Association (ARA) and the Tire Association of North America (TANA). ARA changed its name to the International Tire & Rubber Association (ITRA) and merged with TANA in 2002 to form the current organization.