Streamlined Format and High-Level Technical and Business Content Highlighted the SAE International 2009 Commercial Vehicle Engineering Congress

WARRENDALE, Pa., Oct. 27, 2009 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Timely, relevant information in a user-friendly environment were the hallmarks of the SAE International 2009 Commercial Vehicle Engineering Congress, held recently in Rosemont, Ill. Executive leadership for the event was provided by Caterpillar Inc.

"This meeting has grown into one of the premier events in the commercial vehicle industry and this year's event carried on that tradition. We saw a blend of relevant topics with insightful discussion by some of the top minds that the commercial vehicle industry has to offer," Gwenne Henricks, Co-Executive Chair of the event and Vice President, Industrial Power Systems Division, Caterpillar Inc., said.

Mark Pflederer, Co-Executive Chair of the event and Vice President, Electronics and Machine Systems Division, Caterpillar Inc., agreed saying, "Almost immediately following this year's meeting we heard comments from attendees talking about the value they experienced, both from technical knowledge and general networking experiences."

The event featured a two-day format to better meet the needs of today's busy commercial vehicle engineering professionals. The two days were full of informative and interactive panel discussions and technical sessions, along with an exhibit featuring some of the latest technology and products for the commercial vehicle industry. Highlights from the event included:

  --  Several executive-level panels, including a Global Executive
      Leadership Panel that looked at how engineering and management of
      innovation impact the business side of the commercial vehicle
      industry.
  --  A Workforce Development and Pipeline Panel that focused on the
      challenges in making the transition from academia to industry - what
      has worked and what hasn't.
  --  A Tier 4 Panel Series that reviewed the various machine impacts of
      off-highway Tier 4 emission solution, along with the upcoming service
      and after-market impact of Tier 4. This series incorporated some of
      the learning from the on-highway segment from the 2007 regulations for
      on-highway engines.
  --  Technical sessions that featured innovations and breakthroughs
      affecting the technology of tomorrow. Topics included
      drivetrain/powertrain, chassis, suspension, braking, steering, fluid
      power, electronics, maintenance, safety, fuels, sustainability,
      legislation/regulation, emissions/environment, and executive
      management.

  --  Several special Sessions, including 2010 Emissions Solutions,
      Visualization and Virtual Reality in Vehicle Design, Connectivity, and
      Intelligent Transportation /the I-95 Corridor Project.

The SAE 2010 Commercial Vehicle Engineering Congress and Exhibition will be held Oct. 5-6 in Rosemont, Ill.

SAE International is a global association of more than 121,000 engineers and related technical experts in the automotive, aerospace and commercial-vehicle industries. SAE International's core competencies are life-long learning and standards development. SAE International's charitable arm is the SAE Foundation, which supports many programs, including A World In Motion(R) and the Collegiate Design Series.

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