The LeMans Corp., the parent company of distributors Parts Unlimited and Drag Specialties welcomed manufacturers, dealers and sales representatives to the National Vendor Presentation,  Aug. 16-21, at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison, Wis. The LeMans team tweaked this year’s event schedule to rave reviews, holding their Saturday evening Meet & Greet event on-site at the Monona Terrace instead of at the company’s Janesville, Wis. HQ.
While Saturday’s luau-themed party was a show stopper, the true highlight of the event was the Dealer Showcase, which closed out the week-long event in style. More than 125 different vendors showcased their upcoming 2011-2012 products, and both dealers and vendors were incredibly positive about the success of the event. "Overall, everything was great in Madison," said Vance & Hines’ John Potts. "It is typically our most important show of the year, and 2011 was not any different. Both Parts and Drag reps were attentive and interested in the new products we were discussing. And the new schedule really gave us more time with the reps and dealers all at the Monona Terrace on Saturday and Sunday. On the metric side, our new GL Monsters were a big hit for the Honda Gold Wing."
The Lemans crew was also satisfied with the event. "Overall we are extremely happy with how the show went," said Greg Blackwell VP of sales for the LeMans Corp. "We think staying in Madison 100% of the time was a huge hit. Everyone mentioned that they liked having more time to spend together, and the dealers and vendors both appreciated more face time. There really did seem to be a very positive vibe for sure. The reps and dealers I spoke with mentioned that they were very happy to finally start to see so much new product from the vendors. There has been a lack of a lot of new product for the past few years because a lot of vendors have had a tough time through the market decline. There is now a positive vive coming from the dealers whose sales are improving, which rubs off on the reps who visit these dealers, which rubs off on the vendors that are talking to the reps. Something this industry has needed for the last three years — a very good trend."
If you missed out on the NVP, be sure to connect with your Parts Unlimited/Drag Specialties rep for an invite to the new Reno Showcase to be held March 24-25, 2012, in Reno, Nevada.