Our top story this week comes from Affinia Group, manufacturer of Raybestos brand brake components. The Michigan supplier wants technicians and consumers to be on the look-out for thin plate rotors, which the company says can pose serious safety concerns. The parts manufacturer said it recently discovered a serious potential brake safety concern regarding the replacement and use of certain imported brake rotors that are significantly different from the Original Equipment (OE) rotors they replace. In its warning to the public, Affinia recommends a series of actions to be taken if you suspect you have purchased or are using thin-plate rotors.
Meanwhile, the struggling Detroit Three are doing their best get back on their feet. Just two weeks after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, General Motors has announced that former AT&T CEO Ed Whitacre will become the chairman of the new GM when the company is established later this summer. GM’s interim Chairman Kent Kresa, along with Whitacre and current board members Philip Laskawy, Kathryn Marinello, Erroll Davis, Jr., E. Neville Isdell and President and Chief Executive Officer Frederick "Fritz" Henderson, will serve as the nucleus of the New GM board.
Uni-Select USA this week announced that it is expanding its marketing program for members of the distribution group. In light of the numerous dealership closings taking place across the country, Uni-Select is utilizing this time to increase public awareness of its Auto Service Plus professional service dealer members. Uni-Select has created the autoserviceplus.biz website for Auto Service Plus members to provide customers with car care tips, store locator information, promotions, rebate offers and maintenance schedules. Earlier this month, Uni-Select USA launched a sister site called Autoplus.biz. Both sites are part of Uni-Select’s new strategy to reach out to new service and repair customers.
On the legislative front, the Detroit News reported earlier this week that the House and Senate have now agreed to add a $1 billion “Cash for Clunkers” provision to the $106 billion War Supplemental bill currently under review. This follows the House’s approval last week of a $4 billion version of the "Cash for Clunkers" bill. While insiders reported that the Senate version of the bill was expected to pass this week, more recent reports say this may no longer be the case. The Examiner.com has reported that some Senators are suffering from ‘auto bailout fatigue’ and have begun voicing opposition to the bill based on the fact that the government has already provided ample funds to support the reinvention of Chrysler and GM. Others complain that the bill in its current state would not do enough to improve the make-up of fuel-efficient vehicles on the road.
Finally, in the last of our top stories for the week comes some promising news for the manufacturing sector. According to a new annual index released this week by Deloitte LLP and The Manufacturing Institute, Americans view manufacturing as the most important industry for a strong national economy. The survey, Public Viewpoint on Manufacturing, shows that the majority of respondents (71 percent) view manufacturing as a national priority with 59 percent agreeing that the United States manufacturing industry effectively competes on a global scale. When asked what industry they would most want to have creating 1,000 jobs in their community, respondents listed manufacturing as their top choice, followed by technology, energy, healthcare, retailing, communications and financial institutions. However, while Americans see manufacturing as a strong economic base, they are hesitant to pursue careers in this industry. Only 17 percent named manufacturing as among their top two industry choices to start a career, and only 30 percent of parents said they would encourage their children to pursue jobs in manufacturing.
