More than 3,000 attendees expected September 18-19, 2013 in Exhibit Hall area

CLEVELAND (February 13, 2013) – Cleveland Medical Mart & Convention Center (CMMCC) and Positively Cleveland have announced that the 2013 Great Lakes Truck Expo (GLTE) will be held at Cleveland Medical Mart & Convention Center (CMMCC) in downtown Cleveland September 18-19, 2013. The exhibits will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, September 18 and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, September 19.

Online registration for attendees will open April 1, 2013 at www.greatlakestruckexpo.com. Exhibitor registration is already open. Interested exhibitors should contact Beth Trnka at beth@greatlakestruckexpo.com.

The Marriott Hotel at Key Center will serve as the host hotel for the GLTE event.

“We are excited about the 2013 GLTE as we move another step forward towards the industrial revolution that is happening in Ohio,” said Beth Trnka, GLTE Show Manager. “This opportunity to showcase the natural balance between trucking and the oilfield industry has been our dream that is finally turning into a reality. The attendees and exhibitors at the GLTE in September will see an event like none other.”

The annual GLTE is the premier show in Northeast Ohio with participation by major truck and engine manufacturers, trailer manufacturers, truck body manufacturers and countless product and service suppliers. Also spotlighted at the two-day show will be the refuse, cement mixers and snow/ice vocations. Among the more than 3,000 expected GLTE attendees include senior level management from local and national companies representing the trucking industry.

In addition to these industry segments, the Great Lakes Truck Expo will focus on the latest advances in the Utica shale play in Ohio and information about the Natural Gas Industry. This information will range from new engine technology, CNG and LNG options, education and training which will define the trucking industry for years to come.

The GLTE will also offer multiple and varied educational sessions to industry attendees. The Office of Energy at the Ohio Development Services Agency will be conducting an educational presentation on The Alternative Fuel Transportation Program. This is a new state program that improves air quality through financial assistance for the purchase and installation of alternative fuel refueling, blending, or distribution facilities and terminals.

“For many years there has been a steady and growing interest in establishing a truck show for the Great Lakes region based on our market strength in this area and its potential for growth,” said Craig Thompson, director of sales of the Cleveland Convention Center. “We are excited to be a part of this shows’ expansion and to showcase the facility’s capabilities as a venue that can host events with oversized equipment displays.”

The Great Lakes Truck Expo is sponsored by Crain’s Cleveland Business, Shale Directories.com, Progressive Commercial, and Allstate Peterbilt Group. The new Cleveland Convention Center, managed by Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (MMPI), has 59 trade shows, conferences, and meetings booked into the facility and is scheduled to open ahead of schedule in July, 2013.

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