Awards Ceremony
Celebrating Excellence & Innovation
The Power Progress Awards will celebrate excellence and success in the engine and powertrain sector and will provide a venue for relaxed business networking; an opportunity to strengthen existing relationships and build new ones.
Awards entry deadline: July 1, 2024
2024 Awards Categories
Final Award
A final award, the Achievement of the Year, is a "best of the best" selected from the category winners.
2024 Awards submissions deadline: July 1, 2024
2024 Judging Criteria
Nomination Guidelines
The following are the award categories for the 2024 Power Progress Awards. Judging will be based on the nomination information provided, and on the industry knowledge and experiences of the judges. Judges will look at the nominations received for each category and rank them accordingly. The quality of the nomination information received is extremely important, as it will be the primary basis on which the judging selections are made.
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This award is for new internal combustion engines (all fuel types including diesel, gasoline, natural gas, hydrogen, etc.) targeted for use in on-highway commercial vehicles or off-highway equipment (construction, mining, agriculture, turf management, etc.), as well as stationary applications (e.g., power generation) and marine. The engine must have been introduced in calendar year 2023 through June 30, 2024, with a target production date specified.
Judges will consider innovations relating to engine design, emissions, telemetry/connectivity, control technology, packaging, IoT systems and ease of maintenance and ownership considerations. (Products already entered the previous year will not be considered unless significantly altered.)
This award is for new technologies used with internal combustion engines, such as fuel injection systems, valve actuation systems, turbochargers, thermal management technologies (fans, coolers, etc.), aftertreatment components and systems and software solutions. Technology must have been introduced in calendar year 2023 through June 30, 2024, with a target production date specified.
This award is for any mechanical or hydraulic drivetrain component used in a traditional/conventional powertrain. This could include (but is not limited to) transmissions, axles, hydraulics pumps and motors, hydrostatic drives, and wheel drives/wheels. Joint entries from component suppliers, OEMs, and end users will be accepted. The component must have been introduced in calendar year 2023 through June 30, 2024, with a target production date specified.
This award is for new technologies related to the hydraulic function of vehicles and equipment in mobile and stationary applications. This could include hydraulic pumps, motors, valves and other related components. The technology must have been introduced in calendar year 2023 through June 30, 2024, with a target production date specified.
This award recognizes achievement in digital and electronic controls and monitoring products, human machine interface and related technologies used in mobile and stationary applications. Products must have been introduced in calendar year 2023 through June 30, 2024, with a target production date specified.
This award is for new off-highway equipment or vehicles (construction, mining, agricultural, turf, marine, etc.) and is intended primarily for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). It highlights unique, technologically advanced or “ground-breaking” applications of power systems (all fuel types) and/or powertrain components.
Third-party submissions from suppliers, OEMs, distributors and end users for applicable products will be accepted. The product should have been introduced in calendar year 2023 through June 30, 2024. While products with a target production date are preferred, operational prototypes/concepts will also be considered.
This award is for new on-highway commercial vehicles (trucks, vans, buses, etc.) and is intended primarily for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). It highlights unique, technologically advanced or “ground-breaking” applications of power systems (all fuel types) and/or powertrain components.
Third-party submissions from suppliers, OEMs, distributors and end users for applicable products will be accepted. The product should have been introduced in calendar year 2023 through June 30, 2024. While products with a target production date are preferred, operational prototypes/concepts will also be considered.
This award is for new power generation equipment and is intended primarily for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). It highlights unique, technologically advanced or “ground-breaking” applications of power systems (all fuel types) and/or related components.
Third-party submissions from suppliers, OEMs, distributors and end users for applicable products will be accepted. The product should have been introduced in calendar year 2023 through June 30, 2024. While products with a target production date specified are preferred, operational prototypes/concepts will also be considered.
This award is for a supplier who has developed electrified components or related technology used in pure electric or engine/electric hybrid powertrains. This technology might include batteries, battery management systems (including cooling), electric motors, fuel cells, etc. This award is targeted primarily at suppliers of power and drivetrain components, although OEMs can also enter with complete machines incorporating new power technologies. Products must have been introduced in calendar year 2023 through June 30, 2024, with a target production date specified.
Entries for this category should detail why this distributor, based in North America (USA, Canada, Mexico), excelled in 2023 and early 2024. It may have expanded its sales, provided world class customer service, added services and capabilities, or been innovative in its dealings with engine OEMs and/or equipment end users. Excellence in training and safety will also be considered. Distributors may enter themselves for this award, and an engine manufacturer, OEM or end user can also submit entries on behalf of a distributor.
Entries for this category should detail why this distributor, based outside North America, excelled in 2023 and early 2024. It may have expanded its sales, provided world class customer service, added services and capabilities, or been innovative in its dealings with engine OEMs and/or equipment end users. Excellence in training and safety will also be considered. Distributors may enter themselves for this award, and an engine manufacturer, OEM or end user can also submit entries on behalf of a distributor.
The Product Development Team of the Year recognizes collaboration and innovation in the field of new product development. The award is targeted to power system and component manufacturers, distributors/packagers and OEMs who wish to recognize the contributions made to the company and the industries it serves by the members of its product development team.
The judges will choose between the winners of all the categories and present a ‘best of the best’ award, showcasing what the judges assess to be the company or technology deserving the ultimate accolade of The Power Progress Award. No separate submissions are required for this award.
2023 Awards Categories and Shortlist
Engine of the Year
AGCO Power Core75 diesel engine
Hatz 4H50N diesel engine
Isuzu 6H-Series open gen-set power units
Engine Technology
of the Year
Gits Mfg. Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valves and Exhaust Back-pressure valves
Stored Energy Systems (SENS) SuperTorque 8Z battery-charger engine starting system
Engine Distributor
of the Year:
North America
DPC Mid-America, Mansfield, Texas
Engine Power Inc., Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
M & L Engine LLC, Schriever, Louisiana
Engine Distributor
of the Year:
International
Bimotor, Cirie, Italy
Rama Motori, Reggio Emilia, Italy
Secodi, Nantes, France
Powertrain Product
of the Year
Dana Spicer HVT1 powersplit transmission
Danfoss Thorx cam lobe motors
John Deere 8 Series eAutoPowr Electric Variable Transmission
Power Application
of the Year
WINNER: Bobcat
Shortlisted: Caterpillar
New Power
Technology Award
Dana e-Driveline and e-Motion drivetrain solution
John Deere EMD 100 single-speed electric motor drive
Employer of the Year
WINNER: Cummins
2023 Judges
Sam Freesmeyer
CEO, Freesmeyer consulting, llc
Sam Freesmeyer has led development teams in the off-road mobile industry for well over 40 years, having worked at AGCO, Caterpillar, Chrysler, and International Harvester companies, among others. He has most recently held vice president positions at AGCO Corporation, where he led Diesel Engine and Electronic teams through the difficult transitions to comply with Tier IV and Stage V Diesel Emission requirements.
Mr. Freesmeyer currently leads Freesmeyer Consulting, LLC, where he provides Product and Organizational guidance to Ag Equipment manufacturers and Tech Startups. He also serves on Executive Advisory boards to several tech startup companies.
Tim A. Hess
Director, Cascade Engine Center, LLC
Tim A. Hess, a 1984 Seattle University MBA graduate, is a longtime participant in the distribution business. Hess has spent 11 years of his career as the Marketing Manager for John Deere C&F Division and then 14 years as both the VP of Sales & Rentals and the VP of Product Support for a substantial John Deere Construction Equipment Dealer based in Tacoma, WA. Presently, he is the co-owner of Cascade Engine Center, LLC., the John Deere Engine Distributor in the Pacific Northwest.
Cascade Engine Center, LLC. has been operating since 1995 and represents John Deere, Yanmar Industrial, Scania Marine, Mitsubishi Large Bore Marine and Suzuki Outboards. Hess has served as the President and Chief Operating Officer of the company for 26 years and is now the company Director of Planning & Strategy.
Cascade Engine Center LLC. is very diversified ranging between industrial, agricultural and marine market divisions. It is one of the only ISO Certified Engine Distribution companies in North America.
Oliver Lythgoe
Chief Marketing Officer, The Fétis Group
An electronic engineer by education, Oliver has over 25 years of technical and commercial experience in gas turbine and reciprocating engines. Many of these years were with Perkins Engines in the UK, leading the electronic applications team, and later in the product concept marketing of low emissions industrial diesel engines, where he developed a deep knowledge of both the technology, global emissions regulations and the off-highway industry.
More recently, Oliver was Senior Marketing Manager at Arm for the automotive segment with a particular focus on autonomy and functional safety. Recent work as Marketing VP of Israeli startup Visionary.ai continued the high tech theme.
Currently Oliver is the Chief Marketing Officer for the France based Fétis group, who integrate engines, batteries or hydrogen fuel cells into OEM machines along with software, hydraulics and telemetry.
Fun Fact: Oliver’s most unusual career achievement is writing code to enable a 6 cylinder diesel engine to play the tune to Elvis Presley’s ‘Love Me Tender’.
Steve Zumbusch
President, Starting Block, LLC
Steve Zumbusch is currently President of Starting Block LLC, an environmental design firm based in the US.
Steve recently retired as Director of Technology Development for Eaton’s Hydraulics Business.
Steve joined Eaton as a product Development Engineer and through his career has worked on a number of product lines and applications in a variety of capacities. Steve’s duties have included Engineering Manager for Eaton’s Power Division, and Director for Eaton’s applications teams. Through his work at Eaton, he has received a number of patents related to customer solutions.
Steve earned his degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Minnesota and he serves on several industry committees promoting fluid power research and education.
If you have any questions regarding the awards program, please contact:
Becky Schultz
VP – Content, KHL Power Group
Cell: +1 480-408-9774
Email: becky.schultz@khl.com
