Seven smart ways the Power Progress Networking Forum breaks with tradition

Every fall since 2018, the Power Progress Summit has brought together leaders from across the engine and powertrain industry to share insights and explore what’s ahead. Feedback from past events has indicated that attendees also found significant value in networking with their colleagues. As such, organizers are taking a different approach this year that honors this input and reflects how business relationships are evolving across the off-highway and commercial vehicle sectors.

The Power Progress Networking Forum, scheduled for October 6 in Louisville, Ky., is a one-day event built not around presentations but strategic, high-value connections. It’s designed to be a more focused networking event that prioritizes direct engagement over conference sessions and exhibit halls.

Here’s a closer look at what makes this event different — and what those differences reveal about how the industry is changing.

1. No unnecessary distractions.

Traditional trade events emphasize visibility, with suppliers of all stripes investing in elaborate displays hoping for just the right foot traffic. Meanwhile, buyers might be distracted by offerings that could be unrelated to their business. For some in the powertrain and off-highway sectors, especially those with specific sourcing goals, that model may be less efficient.

Nonetheless, lead generation firm Trade Show Labs reported in April that 78 percent of trade show attendees found engaging with exhibitors increased the likelihood they would make a purchase. Thus, the Power Progress Networking Forum removes the distractions that can impede that engagement. The shift reflects what many companies already crave: fewer interruptions, more substance and meetings with people who matter.

2. Pre-scheduled, one-on-one meetings between buyers and suppliers

At the heart of the Networking Forum is something of a matchmaking model: structured, face-to-face conversations arranged in advance based on mutual business needs. Suppliers don’t have to pitch cold, and buyers don’t have to sit through product presentations that may not apply to them.

It’s an approach that mirrors a broader shift in the industrial supply chain ecosystem — a move away from transactional interactions and toward relationship-based sourcing. For instance, in an April blog post on its website, event planning provider Cvent said that 93 percent of trade show exhibitors value the events’ networking opportunities, while 92 percent of attendees actively explore new products and solutions. Thus, the value of the Power Progress Networking Forum lies in intentional conversations that can lead directly to solutions, partnerships or pilots.

3. Free registration for buyers

Attending conferences and trade events often means convincing your boss to pay a registration fee. However, if you’re a buyer, procurement lead or just a networker wanting to connect with key suppliers — like Kirloskar, Rehlko, Ymer Technology and Zenith Power Products, which have already signed up — registration for the Power Progress Networking Forum is free. While buyers will need to cover travel and hotel costs, the forum itself, complete with those pre-arranged supplier meetings as well as refreshments, is provided at no cost.

This reflects an emerging norm in the business-to-business networking space: access is everything. Because it’s a strategic opportunity to meet with suppliers who have opted in to the conversation, event organizers have chosen to waive any registration fees.

4. A venue that supports serious business conversations

The Networking Forum will take place at the Galt House Hotel in Louisville, Ky., a well-known venue overlooking the Ohio River. Unlike conventional expo halls, the Galt House offers a quieter, more curated environment, which is something that’s valued by industry executives and technical buyers alike looking to make deals.

The venue supports the event’s larger goal: enabling more focused conversations in a setting designed for clarity and connection.

5. Industry networking with built-in social engagement

While scheduled meetings are central to the event, informal networking is also a priority. The evening includes a celebration marking Power Progress’ 90th anniversary, giving attendees the chance to foster new relationships in a social setting.

This hybrid format — professional by day and social by night — offers everyone in attendance flexibility in the way they meet and interact with colleagues. For suppliers and buyers alike, even casual conversations can create long-term opportunities.

6. One fully focused day.

With a compressed schedule, the forum acknowledges something many attendees already think: not every business event needs to be several days long. By making the Networking Forum a one-day, high-impact experience, organizers have aimed to maximize ROI on both sides of the table.

It aligns with what OEMs, component suppliers and fleet operators often seek: meaningful outcomes, not marathon sessions.

7. A new format for a once-in-a-generation milestone

Organizers don’t plan on permanently replacing the Power Progress Summit. Instead, the Networking Forum has been designed to mark 90 years of Power Progress’ coverage of evolving power systems across on- and off-highway applications. Future editions of the Networking Forum will be incorporated into the Power Progress Summit.

As business development and sourcing strategies evolve, the forum offers a format that allows attendees to experiment with a new kind of connection-building.

From purposeful meetings to a no-distractions format, the Power Progress Networking Forum reflects the changing ways the engine, powertrain and commercial vehicle sectors build partnerships. As the business environment becomes more selective and strategic, industry events are evolving in turn.

This year, that evolution takes the form of one day in Louisville built around one-on-one engagement. Whether buying or selling, it’s a new kind of event for a new kind of connection.

Editor’s Note: this story was written with the assistance of AI.