Canada May Copy California in Car Emissions
Canadian officials are considering following California’s lead in tightening vehicle emissions standards, the Detroit News reported Monday. In September California’s Air Resources Board adopted the nation’s first regulations of automotive greenhouse gas emissions, requiring a 30 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane, by the 2016 model year.
ArvinMeritor Receives EPA, CARB-Compliant Rating for MetalCat Catalytic Converters
Last week at AAPEX, ArvinMeritor announced that its Supreme Performance brand, part of the Light Vehicle Aftermarket (LVA) business group, has received EPA and CARB-compliant ratings for its MetalCat high-performance metallic catalytic converters. MetalCat high-performance metallic catalytic converters are the first high-performance metallic converters to be rated both EPA- and CARB-compliant for the automotive aftermarket.
CARQUEST Named Title Sponsor of 45th Annual Winternationals at Pomona Raceway
CARQUEST Auto Parts has signed a multi-year agreement to become the title sponsor of the 45th annual Winternationals in Pomona, Calif. The agreement begins in 2005. It is the first of three NHRA event sponsorships for CARQUEST Auto Parts, which will also headline the CARQUEST Auto Parts Nationals at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill., June 9-12, as well as the CARQUEST Auto Parts Nationals at Pacific Raceways in Seattle, July 22-24.
Automotive Lift Institute Leader to Retire
E.K. “Chic” Fox has spent a lifetime helping small manufacturing trade groups. At a recent meeting, Fox announced he plans to retire from his post as president and CEO of the Automotive Lift Institute (ALI), a relationship that began in 1962.
Advance Auto Parts Reports Record Third Quarter Sales and Earnings
Advance Auto Parts has reported record sales and earnings for its third quarter, which ended on Oct. 9. Net sales increased 6.1 percent in the third quarter to $890.2 million from $839.1 million in the same quarter last year. Comparable store sales grew 3 percent in the third quarter. Do-it-yourself (DIY) comparable store sales decreased 0.6 percent and do-it-for-me (DIFM) comparable sales increased 21.4 percent.
BorgWarner Says Higher Sales Expected
BorgWarner said it expects products that make engines more fuel efficient will raise sales by $1.4 billion in the next three years. Turbochargers, engine timing systems and parts that control emissions will account for 66 percent of the new business. Four- and all-wheel-drive systems will account for the rest.
Johnson Controls Promotes Two Executives In Its Automotive Business
Johnson Controls has appointed two top executives to new leadership positions within its automotive group, which is one of the world’s largest suppliers of automotive interiors and batteries. Byron Foster has been appointed group vice president and general manager, customer business units — North America. Carolyn Woznicki has been appointed vice president of purchasing — North America.
Honda to Build Automatic Transmission Plant in U.S.
Honda Motor Co. plans to invest about $100 million in a new plant in Georgia to produce automatic transmissions for four-wheel vehicles from late 2006, sources said Tuesday. The Japanese carmaker also plans to increase automotive parts production capacity at its Ohio and Alabama plants as its annual vehicle production capacity in North America is scheduled to expand by 150,000 units to 1.4 million in 2005, they said.
Live from AAPEX: Independent Service Dealers Discuss the Increasing Competition from OE Dealerships
On Sunday in Las Vegas, Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association Chairman Dave Caracci led a panel of successful service dealers through a candid discussion on the current state of the independent service dealer business and the increasing competition from OE dealerships. The discussion took place during the afternoon sessions of the University of the Aftermarket’s University Forum. A day full of educational seminars, University Forum is held annually prior to the kickoff of AAPEX.
AFFINIA Exec Discusses State of Acquisition
One of the biggest news stories of the year was the sale of the Dana Automotive Aftermarket Group (AAG) to New York-based buyout firm Cypress Group, which agreed to purchase the AAG unit for approximately $1 billion. That deal was announced in early July of this year, and two months later, on Sept. 8, it was announced that Dana AAG would have a new name under its new owners – AFFINIA. aftermarketNews.com sat down with AFFINIA’s John Washbish in Las Vegas just prior to the start of the AAPEX show to update show attendees on the state of the transition. Washbish is AFFINIA president of Customer Relationship Management (CRM), a position he has held since 2003. Recently, his duties were expanded to include serving as vice president and general manager of the AFFINIA Undercar Group, which includes the Raybestos, Spicer, Aimco and McQuay-Norris brands.
AIA Honors Industry Award Winners
The Auto International Association (AIA) presented its 2004 Industry Awards in Las Vegas last Tuesday during AAPEX. Mike Brown, president of Olympus Imported Auto Parts Corp., and vice-chairman of AIA, announced the winners and made the award presentations. Now in its 16th year, the awards program recognizes manufacturers and marketers for excellence in developing high-quality products and innovative marketing programs for import cars or trucks – ranging from products that enhance performance, appearance or convenience, to the cataloging, merchandising and advertising that create awareness and fuel demand.
Chinese Automakers Urged Not to Copy Western Automotive Consumer Culture
Despite growing demand, Chinese automakers should be careful to promote the automotive industry and develop a related culture and not simply clone American or European automotive consumer cultural models, said an expert. Liu Gang, a doctor of scientific and technological philosophy at Northeast China University based in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning Province, said the automotive consumer cultural concepts now prevailing in the U.S. and Europe are characterized by stimulated consumption or forced waste at the automobile buyers’ expense.