NATDA, NATM team up for industry education

The North American Trailer Dealers Association (NATDA) and the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (NATM) have launched a “strategic collaboration” designed to strengthen the trailer industry by consolidating events and resources and aligning flagship shows to better serve dealers, manufacturers, and vendors more effectively, the organizations reported May 6.

This collaboration was designed to reduce industry fragmentation and create more collaboration by leveraging the strengths of both organizations, NATDA’s dealer-focused events and education and NATM’s manufacturer experience and standards.

The expected result is a broader reach and stronger events, education, and compliance training that deliver greater value across the trailer industry.

Aligning flagship events

As part of the transition, NATM will not host the NATM Trailer Expo scheduled for October 2026, and NATDA will not host Trailer Tech Expo in 2027. Instead, the organizations will align education and event resources to better meet the needs of the industry.

Beginning this September, NATM will deliver a dedicated dealer education track at the 2026 NATDA Trailer Show in Nashville.

“This collaboration is about delivering more value to our members by working together,” said Andria Gibbon, executive director of NATDA. “By aligning our flagship events and education efforts with NATM, we’re creating a more connected experience for dealers, bringing manufacturer expertise, standards, and education directly into the spaces where dealers already gather and learn.”

Expanding cross-event collaboration

Building on the 2026 alignment, the collaboration will expand in 2027 through coordinated cross-event presence on dealer education and training programs. The collaboration also includes joint efforts on dealer education, training, and compliance initiatives.

“Our members benefit when education, standards, and dealer engagement are more closely connected,” said Alex Stowe, executive director of the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers. “This agreement with NATDA allows NATM to expand its reach with dealers while maintaining our focus on compliance, safety, education, and manufacturing excellence. It ultimately strengthens the entire trailer industry.” 

Shared efforts to strengthen the industry

The collaboration will provide “a single trusted source” that the industry can rely on for outstanding events, dealer education, training, and compliance initiatives, according to the news release.

By aligning resources, this emerging partnership will:

• Streamline niche industry events, making each stronger rather than fragmenting attendance
• Solidify NATDA’s position as the primary resource for dealer education
• Deepen NATM’s value to members through dealer access and compliance alignment
• Create greater efficiency and more harmonization across dealers, manufacturers, and vendors

Together, NATDA and NATM are focused on delivering a more coordinated, efficient, and valuable experience for its members and the entire trailer industry, the organizations stated.