Fred Diaz ? Photo from Ram Truck files
On March 5 and 6, 2013, well over 10,000 people attended the Work
Truck Show at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. Put on by
the Nation Truck Equipment Association (NTEA), this annual convention is the
place for industry players like Ram Trucks to share their latest
offerings with journalists and, more important, the people for whom
commercial trucks are built?business owners.
Numbered among the 10,000+ attendees at this year?s show was our own
Fred Diaz, President and CEO, Ram Truck brand and Chrysler de Mexico,
Chrysler Group LLC. Mr. Diaz, who was on hand to help promote the new
Ram Commercial division, took time out of his busy schedule to answer a
few questions for the RamZone blog.
RamZone: Why is it important for Ram Trucks and Ram Commercial to be at the NTEA Work Truck Show?
Fred Diaz: If you?re in the truck business?moreover, if you?re in the commercial
truck business?you absolutely have to be at the NTEA Work Truck Show.
The who?s who among commercial truck and van buyers are here
specifically to see what corporations have to offer and how their
businesses can be helped, whether that business is big or small. So it?s
the businesses, they?re the reason we?re committed, and always have
been committed?ever since we became the Ram Brand?to being at the Work
Truck Show.
The new 2014 Ram ProMaster
RZ: What insights or impressions of the Ram Truck brand are
you hoping that the journalists and business owners in attendance will
take away from the NTEA Work Truck Show?
FD: The most important thing that we want these journalists
and industry people to take away is just how very serious we are about
our commercial truck offerings, so much so that we created our own
division?the Ram Commercial division. Beyond that, we want people to be
aware of all the fine commercial products we have to offer, whether it?s
the light- and heavy-duty trucks or the all-new ProMaster van that we
revealed just last month at the Chicago Auto Show.
RZ: The NTEA Work Truck Show is a great place to showcase
two things, upfits and partner brands. With that in mind, is there one
particular upfit that you?re really looking forward to seeing at this
show? And is there a partner relationship right now that you find
especially exciting?
FD: The fact that we now have compressed natural gas (CNG)
technology and that we do the CNG upfitting ourselves?the fact that
we?re the only company to offer a CNG upfit in the factory
without having to send it to a third party?I think this is significant
for the Ram Truck brand and the commercial business buyer.
To
answer your second question, Bosch has been a great partner for us
recently, helping us promote the use of commercial vehicles alongside
their commercial-grade tools. In fact, they are here with us at the
show. But really, all our partners have helped us achieve brand success,
and they continue to help us create our own separate, distinctive
personality, which, in turn, is letting people know that we?re here to
stay and that we?re here to grow in the commercial business.
RZ: The Ram brand has a strong presence in the world of
social media?the brand is active and popular on Facebook and Twitter.
This interview, in fact, will appear on the RamZone blog. Is there one thing you want to say to those ?social? communities in particular?
FD: Just this: we are devoted to listening to our customers
and delivering on what they need. That idea has been the fundamental key
to our success as the new Ram brand.
RZ: Imagine you?re a business owner. If you had to name your
favorite Ram Truck feature?or one feature that could help a business
run more smoothly?what would it be?
FD: I would have to say that my number one favorite feature
[pause]?man, there are so many to choose from?it?s almost an unfair
question, like asking me to name my favorite child. I?ll give it a shot.
[Pause] Because it can be used for business applications, recreation
and for your vocation, I?d have to say my favorite feature is the
RamBox. You can use it to store tools, hunting rifles, fishing rods?you
can chill your favorite frosty beverage in there as well. There are just
so many things that you can do with that RamBox, but I don?t know if I
can stop there. The RamBox, the link coil suspension, the active air
suspension?these are three of the features I love the most with the
light-duty Ram Truck.
As for the heavy duty, what I love is the fact that we?ve whooped the
competition?s rear end when it comes to our gross combined weight
rating at 37,600 pounds and the fact that, at an incredible 30,000
pounds, we have by far the best in-class towing capability. It?s unheard
of, those two numbers combined.
