Leading off our top stories of the week is the announcement of a new president for Genuine Parts Co. (GPC). Tom Gallagher, chairman, president and CEO of GPC, announced yesterday that its board of directors has elected Paul Donahue to the position of president of Genuine Parts Co., making him only the seventh president in the company’s 84-year history. Donahue, 55, was previously executive vice president of GPC and also serves as president of the U.S. Automotive Parts Group. Gallagher will continue in the roles of chairman and CEO. According to GPC spokesman Sid Jones, Donahue’s appointment is part of a planned succession.
Also in top news this week, Underhood Service Editor Ed Sunkin sought comments from some of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of automotive refrigerant on the recent report of widespread, global contamination in R-134a cylinders. Much of the contaminated R-134a refrigerant has been shown to contain significant quantities of R-40 (aka Methyl Chloride or Chloromethane). R-40 is extremely toxic, flammable and highly reactive when exposed to aluminum in that it forms a third, highly volatile compound.
On a lighter note, Parts Plus this week announced it will sponsor six-time world champion Clay Millican and his Parts Plus Top Fuel dragster for the entire 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Series. Starting with the Feb. 9–12 race weekend in Pomona, Calif., Parts Plus affiliates will benefit from promotional product tie-ins and also will have the opportunity to host the Top Fuel show car and driver at their businesses.
On Monday, aftermarketNews ran an Executive Interview with Dino Maggioni, head of Magneti Marelli’s After Market Parts and Services Division. In this highly read interview, Maggioni talks about the continuation of Magneti Marelli’s plans to expand its presence in the North American aftermarket, as first announced last year.
Last in our recap of the week’s top news, we learn that KPS Capital Partners is acquiring the Bosch Group’s automotive foundation brakes business. Headquartered in Drancy, France, Bosch Foundation Brakes is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of automotive foundation brakes and foundation brake components. The business generated sales of $1.1 billion in 2010.
