New Book Focuses on Bringing Marketing and Sales Teams Together
The Marx Group’s Tom Marx (president and CEO) and Tom Herndon (vice president) have collaborated with Fred Janssen, vice president of field marketing (EMEA) for FileNet to author a new book for sales and marketing executives. The new book entitled “Marketing Sucks! (and Sales, Too!)” features proven techniques from Janssen, Marx and Herndon, on bringing marketing and sales teams together to grow their companies.
Three Take Top Honors in 2004 AAPEX New Packaging Awards
With most everyone in the industry getting back to work after the successful and productive Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week, there is still some important news from the show shuffling in. Three aftermarket manufacturers took top honors in the 2004 Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) New Packaging Awards, held Nov. 2 during the annual trade event sponsored by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) and the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA).
Executive Interview with Greg Gyllstrom, Vice President and General Manager for Visteon’s North American and Asian Aftermarket Operations
Our latest edition of “Executive Interview” features Greg Gyllstrom, Vice President and General Manager for Visteon’s North American and Asian aftermarket operations. In this role, Gyllstrom is responsible for expanding the organization’s North American and Asian aftermarket business by coordinating and directing the company’s sales, product development and marketing activities. Gyllstrom recently talked with aftermarketNews.com about his first two years at Visteon, the company’s motor sports initiatives and its presence in Asia.
Federal-Mogul Signs Agreement to Sell Dayton Transmission Operation
Federal-Mogul and Sinterstahl Group have signed an agreement under which Federal-Mogul would sell its Dayton, Ohio, powdered metal operation to Sinterstahl. The Sinterstahl Group is one of the three business units of the Plansee Group, which supplies automotive OEMs and their first tier suppliers with products used in powertrain, chassis and racing applications.
Visteon Offers Worker Buyouts
Blaming shrinking sales to key automotive customers, Visteon Corp. told its 8,300 white-collar workers Thursday that it plans to offer buyouts to a “significant” number of employees by the end of the year. In what analysts expect to be the first step in a much larger corporate restructuring, the Van Buren Township, Mich.-based maker of automotive interiors, steering components and fuel systems told all of its salaried employees in the U.S. that it is seeking to eliminate jobs through a voluntary buyout program.
Douglas Battery Restructures its Automotive Division
Douglas Battery, one of the nation’s leading battery manufacturers, said it is confident that a recent internal restructuring of its automotive division will ensure its position in a highly competitive market. “Good companies make tough decisions,” said William Spears, vice president of sales and marketing for Douglas Battery Automotive. “Douglas understands we’re in a world economy and to remain competitive and viable, changes are necessary.”
Activant Unveils New Automotive eCatalog Products at AAPEX
Activant Solutions introduced its next generation of eCatalog technologies last week in Las Vegas during AAPEX. The company launched two new products at the show — Activant Cover-to-Cover for PartExpert, LaserCat and ShopCat users, and the stand-alone Activant Catalyst Web Version.
Pep Boys Reports Third Quarter Results
Pep Boys has announced results for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks, which ended on Oct. 30. Sales for the quarter were $559,198,000, 4 percent more than the $537,691,000 recorded last year. Comparable sales increased 4.1 percent, resulting from an increase of 5.1 percent in comparable merchandise sales and flat comparable service revenue. Recategorizing sales to more accurately reflect the two areas of the automotive aftermarket in which the company competes, comparable retail sales (DIY and commercial) increased 10.3 percent and comparable service center revenue (labor plus installed merchandise and tires) decreased 3.4 percent.
Investor Slams GenCorp
Hedge fund Steel Partners II LP on Thursday, Nov. 11, launched a $708 million hostile bid for GenCorp Inc., attacking the aerospace conglomerate for its subpar financial performance and questioning the company’s deal making record. “Management and the board appear to have engaged in what can be best described as a game of gin rummy by buying and selling businesses with no clear corporate strategy and with very poor results, including the recent sale of the GDX Automotive business at a loss of over $300 million,” said Warren Lichtenstein, managing partner at Steel, in a letter to GenCorp’s board.
Littelfuse to Increase Ownership of Heinrich Industrie AG
Littelfuse, Inc., a global provider of circuit protection products, has signed an agreement for the purchase of an additional 10.1 percent of shares in Heinrich Industrie AG of Witten, Germany. This will increase the company’s ownership to 96.8 percent. ich Industrie, headquartered in Witten, Germany, is the holding company for the WICKMANN Group of circuit protection products, which has three business units: electronic, automotive and electrical.
Dates Announced for 2005 Aftermarket Legislative Summit
The 2005 Aftermarket Legislative Summit has been scheduled for March 1-2, 2005 in Washington, DC. This biannual event provides an opportunity for aftermarket professionals to come to Capitol Hill to meet with key congressional leaders about issues that affect and impact their businesses.
Standard Motor Products Supports Car Care Council’s 21st Century Tune-up
Standard Motor Products said it has incorporated the Car Care Council’s new 21st century tune-up concept into its marketing and public relations programs. Standard wants to help the automotive aftermarket industry re-define and promote the term “tune-up.”