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MARCH/APRIL 2022

By Kendra Ansley, NATM Executive Director

Spring is nearly upon us, which means trailers will soon be out in full force. Warm weather and budding plants mean landscaping, camping, road construction, and outdoor activity galore. The roadways are sure to be packed and I bet many of you will be searching for the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (NATM) sticker on trailers passing by. Hopefully dealerships will be packed with customers and the fervor of 2021 continues well into 2022.

Spring often marks the kick-off of a months-long busy season for trailer manufacturers. So, too does the work of NATM’s compliance staff as they visit members across the country. As we look to tighten our belts and wisely use the investment of members for programming, we ask that your teams be responsive to our requests to schedule appointments as we group members together to save time and money. With more than 250 members seen each year and growing, your timely response is vital.

As many trailers have sat dormant through the cold winter months, getting back into the swing of maintenance is a must. NATM has made it easier for manufacturers and dealers to educate consumers on proper maintenance. The NATM Safely Towing a Trailer Brochure, a glove-boxsized pamphlet that can be provided with each trailer can be purchased at www.NATMShop.com. End users can also find more information at www.TrailerSafetyWeek.com.

The 2022 Trailer Safety Week will be held June 5-11, 2022. Trailer Safety Week is a national awareness campaign providing end users with need-to-know information, from selecting the right trailer to driving and general maintenance tips. Finding an opportunity to engage with the event is easy! NATM offers three levels of participation – Allies, Champions, and Partners. Allies sign up online and are provided a marketing kit with pre-crafted materials and resources for industry members to support Trailer Safety Week through social media posts and direct to customer communications. Champions take participation to the next level, committing to online posts and customer outreach, but are rewarded with brand promotion. Partners is the most intensive commitment to Trailer Safety Week and is reserved for industry experts who plan to curate content for Trailer Safety Week within their area of expertise. I hope you’ll join our effort to make roadways safer and sign up at TrailerSafetyWeek. com/interest. To find out more about the 2022 Trailer Safety Week and how you can get involved, see page 16.

2022 is off to a great start! The NATM Board, Committees, and Staff are already hard at work to bring more value to members than ever before. Educational programming is increasing, with more opportunities for engagement right from your desk. NATM continues to engage with elected officials and other interested parties on workforce shortages and supply chain delays, looking for any opportunity to provide relief and support to the industry. So much is to come, and for those of you who have not yet paid your membership dues in 2022, I’ll hope you’ll do so soon, you won’t want to miss anything! ■