Interview with Packard Industries’ Robert Rovegno: Packard Expands Rebuilder’s Choice Offerings
Every year, manufacturers add new part numbers to their catalogs. To add coverage, some part numbers have to go. But, the vehicles do not go away. When the shops that service them start to hear terms like “no longer available” or “on back order” from their traditional part source, they should start thinking about Packard Industries and its Rebuilder’s Choice line. Recently, Packard Industries announced it expanded the Rebuilder’s Choice line into brake and suspension components. Packard Industries has more that 50 years of experience catering to the automotive enthusiasts and shops. Robert Rovegno, manager for Packard Industries, is overseeing the launch of the line. Rovegno is an aftermarket veteran and the owner of several classic cars.
OPINION — Copper in Brake Pads: The New Asbestos, But for Fish; Great Idea, Bad Tax
I applaud the spirit of these new laws lowering copper levels in brake pads. Chances are that with the wide time horizons and aftermarket participation, all automakers and brake pad manufacturers will be able to meet the standards of the new laws without an impact to vehicle performance or consumer safety. The biggest issue bothering me is the lack of enforcement mechanism for the new law in Washington.
OPINION: Rotors, Resurfacing and the Law: How the Glad/Midas Lawsuit Will Change How You Sell Brakes
In my opinion, this lawsuit has been a black eye for all shops. The true victims in this case are not the consumers, but the honest independent shops and Midas franchisees who now have to face an even more skeptical public.
Executive Interview with Dino Crescentini, CEO and Founder, Centric Parts
Dino Crescentini began his import automotive industry career working with his father for Alfa Ricambi in the late 1970s. In 2000, Crescentini began Centric Parts, a full line brake and clutch product company. In today’s Executive Interview, Crescentini talks about the momentum Centric has built in the decade it’s been in business, and also shares his thoughts on the future of the competitive brake products market in general.
McCourt Introduces New Line of Tire Balancers and Changers
The line is being marketed under the Wheel Products name. Included in its initial offering will be passenger-vehicle tire changers and balancers.
Executive Interview with Daniel Randon, CEO and Director of Investor Relations for Fras-le
Daniel Randon brings more than 15 years of experience within the Randon organization to his role as Fras-le S.A.’s chief executive officer. His international business experience and years spent studying the inner workings of the organization allow him to steer the company on its course of global growth. In this exclusive interview, Randon talks to Brake & Front End Editor Andrew Markel about the company’s long-standing history in the global friction materials market for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, as well as its more recent introduction of light-vehicle friction materials in 2009.
Shop Owner Wins New Truck and Training Through O’Reilly ‘First Call All-Stars’ Contest
The promotion rewarded shops with various prizes for every 50 invoices that included Wagner ThermoQuiet, MOOG, Precision or Fel-Pro parts. Six finalists were chosen to travel to Federal-Mogul Technical Education Center in St Louis, Mo., where they received three days of training courtesy of Federal-Mogul.
Delphi Announces Product Line Enhancements at Seventh AAPEX Appearance
Francisco (Frank) Ordonez, president, Delphi Product & Service Solutions, addressed the media on the state of Delphi post-bankruptcy with a look forward to the future of Delphi and its aftermarket operations.
VIEWPOINT: The Carpocalypse — What Does it Mean to Shops?
Last month, I had a chance to attend a panel discussion at Northwood University in Midland, Mich., titled “Reinventing the Wheel.” The panel featured the usual analysts and industry experts, but it also featured a new car dealer and an executive vice president of a major aftermarket parts program group. The event was held in conjunction with the Northwood University International Auto Show.
Northwood University International Auto Show Puts the Aftermarket on Display
The completely student organized show featured more than 400 cars and booths for aftermarket companies including Roush, NGK and NAPA.
Executive Interview: Zomar Oliveira, FRAS-LE, Director of Operations and Corporate Secretary
The most recent entry into the light-vehicle brake pad market is FRAS-LE. The company has been a player in the heavy-duty truck brake block market in North America for more than 30 years and claims more than 33 percent of the market. Heading up the launch for FRAS-LE is brake industry veteran Zomar Oliveira as the director of North American operations. For this week’s Executive Interview, Oliveira talks to aftermarketNews about FRAS-LE’s strategy for the North American market.
Standards and Certifications: Can We Regulate Replacement Brake Parts?
You have probably heard the stories about brake rotor manufacturers taking metal out of the castings to save money, or brake pad manufacturers using a single formulation across an entire line of pads. It starts to get even scarier when you realize there are no enforceable government or industry accepted regulations for replacement brake parts.