Pickups Plus Franchisee to Distribute New ValuGard Line
Aftermarket accessories retailer Pickups Plus, which recently acquired Auto Preservation (AP) from Automotive International Inc. will begin to distribute its new ValuGard product and service offering through a franchisee in Columbus, Ohio. Through the recent acquisition, Pickups Plus will now offer automotive dealerships ValuGard care and warranty products, including paint sealant, undercoating, fabric protector and anti-rust compounds, plus a full line of prep/recon products.
ROL Manufacturing Passes ISO/TS 16949 Certification
ROL Manufacturing’s Marwil facility in Fort Loramie, Ohio, has passed a quality audit completing the requirements for ISO/TS 6949:2002 quality rating and on March 19, 2004 received ISO/TS16949: 2002 certification. The Ohio facility previously received ISO 14001: 1996 certification in February of 2003 and QS9000: 1998 certification in September of 1997.
Mario Andretti to Visit Aiken County, S.C., Firestone Tire Plant
Racing legend Mario Andretti is set to visit Aiken County’s Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire plant on Tuesday. The factory announced May 5 that Andretti will spend about 1 1/2 hours at the facility during an employee recognition event.
Pep Boys Invests in New Distribution Center in California
Pep Boys has announced plans to lease a 600,240-square-foot build-to-suit distribution center in San Bernardino, Calif., at the site of the former Norton Air Force Base, which is being redeveloped for industrial use. The site is now called AllianceCalifornia. Scheduled to open in May 2005, the new distribution center will replace Pep Boys’ existing three-building distribution center complex in Los Angeles.
Who’s Tops in the Aftermarket? Find Out in AASA Top 100 Suppliers List
The 2004 Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) Top 100 Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers list will be distributed this month with Counterman magazine. The list, now in its second year, has been expanded to include the top 100 suppliers (up from 70 in 2003).
Reliable Automotive Completes Acquisition of Add-On Distributing
Reliable Automotive, a Kansas-based wholesale specialty equipment distributor, has completed its purchase of privately-held Add-On Distributing, Inc., a specialty automotive wholesale distributor headquartered in South Burlington, Vermont. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
MEMA Honors Sen. Alexander and Rep. Knollenberg with Joe Magliochetti Industry Champion Award
Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-Mich.) were recently honored as inaugural recipients of the Joseph M. Magliochetti Industry Champion Award, presented by the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) on May 5. The award, which was created to honor the work of legislators helping to advance the automotive industry, was presented at a special dinner during the first MEMA Legislative and Public Policy Summit in Washington, D.C.
Littelfuse Purchases Majority Ownership in German Circuit Protection Business
Illinois-based Littelfuse, Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire an 82 percent majority stake in Heinrich Industrie AG, which makes circuit protection products. Littelfuse has agreed to buy the majority stake for approximately $47.2 million in cash. The transaction was expected to close this week.
Warehouse Distributors’ Sales Increase in March
According to the recently released Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA) “How’s Business?” survey, warehouse distributors’ sales in March 2004 were 8 percent higher than they were a year earlier. This monthly survey of warehouse distributors tracks national and regional data on sales, collection days, return credits and employment.
Quell Unveils Award-Winning B2B Trade and Tech Show Program
Quell Communications Group, which handles marketing for aftermarket companies such as Akebono, has developed a new program to help businesses make the most of trade show experiences. The Quell Communications Group TradeTech Immersion program provides a strategic approach to exhibiting products, technologies and services at trade and tech shows. This ultimately engages customers in a business dialogue that leads to sales, according to the firm.
Two Collins & Aikman Board Members Resign
Two board members investigated internally for insider deals have resigned from auto supplier Collins & Aikman Corp. (C&A), which has lost money three years in a row, and on Thursday reported another first-quarter loss. The quarter’s red ink was slightly less than it was the same period a year ago.
Drivers Hope Rule Changes Make Indy 500 More Competitive
Don’t be alarmed to see cars going slower around Indianapolis Motor Speedway this month. It’s intentional, and depending on which driver is talking, not necessarily a bad thing.