PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

NORTHEAST 2021: A Sense of Normalcy and High-Quality Attendees

by JERRY MCNEE

First off, I’d like to thank every sponsor, exhibitor, speaker, volunteer and attendee who made it possible for AASP/NJ to host the 44th Annual NORTHEAST® Automotive Services Show this year. Since we last gathered at the Meadowlands Exposition Center (MEC) in March 2019, it’s been rough, so it was great for AASP/NJ to return to some sense of normalcy – just getting out and gathering with industry peers allowed many of us to enjoy a breath of fresh air. But NORTHEAST provides a lot more than that! It’s the biggest automotive show on the East Coast, and it’s held right here, in the Garden State, providing you with a chance to find out what new tools and equipment are available from your preferred vendors.

Due to several reasons, including the ongoing pandemic most obviously, NORTHEAST 2021 was not as well-attended as it has been in recent years. Though there was less traffic on the floor this year, the people who came showed up to do business. One vendor left with three pages’ worth of leads! Listen: We all know that this industry is changing at such a rapid pace that it seems like our tooling and equipment needs are endless. We often get overwhelmed and place these things on the backburner instead of purchasing them immediately. I believe the industry is finally starting to realize that you need to spend money in order to make money. That means investing in the right tooling and equipment to properly repair our customers’ vehicles. NORTHEAST makes it easy to buy the equipment you need by bringing the industry’s best suppliers and vendors right to our own backyard.

Of course, as technology continues to evolve and the industry constantly changes, we also need the education to perform those safe and proper repairs with the investments we make.

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