GCR Tire Centers Earns ISO 9001:2000 Quality Certification
The retreading facility of GCR Tire Centers, located in Clearwater, Fla. has achieved ISO 9001:2000 certification. It is GCR Tire’s first retreading facility to receive the quality designation.
Women’s Board to Present First Aftermarket Woman of the Year Award
The Car Care Council Women’s Board will be announcing the very first Aftermarket Woman of the Year during the 2004 Women’s Board reception, taking place on Tuesday, Nov. 2, at 5 p.m. in rooms 106 and 107 at the Sands Expo Center during the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) in Las Vegas, Nev. The recipient of the Aftermarket Woman of the Year was chosen by the Women’s Board Executive Board based on her longevity in the aftermarket, her career accomplishments, her leadership capabilities and dedication to the automotive aftermarket industry.
Learn How to Inspire Sales and Management Staff at University Forum
This year at University Forum, popular motorsports anchor Rick Benjamin and Tom Easton, AAP, a senior partner with Essential Action Design Group, will use lessons from racing to show you how to inspire managers and sales people to do their best. The University of the Aftermarket’s annual University Forum can help you stay competitive, and keep pace with our ever-changing market. The event takes place on Sunday, Oct. 31 prior to the kickoff of AAPEX 2004. This afternoon session is designed for those industry professionals who feel that their skills and talents are being stretched too thin. Easton will add his training philosophy that “learning should be fun” to Benjamin’s belief that there are parallels between news teams and race teams. The two will discuss how to stretch goals “collaboratively.”
Texas Insurer-Owned Repair Shop Lawsuit Begins Today
The Allstate v. Abbott trial on Texas’ new Insurer-Owned Repair shop law is scheduled to begin this Monday, September 20, at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division. On June 20, 2003, Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed into law Texas House Bill 1131, the Insurer-Owned Repair Facility Legislation. Earlier in the year, the Texas Senate passed the legislation by a unanimous vote of 31 to 0.
Johnson Controls Threatens Layoffs If No New Business
Auto supplier Johnson Controls Inc. is seeking new business to prevent layoffs and avert a possible plant closure. Unless the situation changes soon, 81 people would be laid off Nov. 15, when the Battle Creek, Mich., plant goes from two shifts to one. The remaining 100 employees could lose their jobs by the end of the year if no new business is found.
ContiTech and Litens Win 2004 Automechanika Innovation Award
ContiTech Power Transmission Group and the Litens Automotive Group of Canada recently received the Automechanika Innovation Award for 2004 for a joint project the two companies worked on to improve the service life of camshaft drives. Automechanika, held every two years in Frankfurt, Germany, is Europe’s largest auto show and attracts exhibitors and participants from all over the world. This year’s event was held September 14-19. Industry judges selected six new developments from 105 innovations submitted from 12 countries.
Bosch Names Mike Eversole as Category Manager, National Accounts
Robert Bosch Corp. recently named Michael Eversole as its new category manager, National Accounts. As head of the Category Management Department, Eversole will be responsible for defining category strategies with Bosch customers to increase sales and profitability of Bosch products and the whole category.
Dogs & Hogs Announces New Lower Price
The third annual NASCAR Caf
Two Guys Garage Cameras Roll During Industry Week
Two Guys Garage is filming a special episode from AAPEX in Las Vegas. Hosts Dave Bowman, Sam Memmolo and Dave McBride will host this special on-site episode that allows their viewers to share in the excitement of industry week and learn about the companies and organizations participating in the nation’s biggest automotive aftermarket event of the year.
Cooper Tire & Rubber to Sell Automotive Unit to Cypress Group
Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. has signed a definitive agreement to sell its automotive business, Cooper-Standard Automotive, to an entity formed by The Cypress Group and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners for approximately $1.165 billion in cash. The Cypress Group is by now a familiar name to many in the aftermarket. The private equity group recently bought Dana Corp.’s Automotive Aftermarket Group, which has been renamed Affinia.
Wichita, Kan., Economic Board Wants to Bring Automotive Jobs to Area
An economic group in Wichita, Kan. has added the automotive industry to a list of industries that it would like to target in its effort to draw more jobs to the town. A Sept. 14 article in the Wichita Eagle reported that the Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition — the area’s main economic development group — plans to start calling on companies in the automotive industry, among other industries, as part of its plan to bring more than 8,000 jobs to the area in the next five years.
BorgWarner Emissions/Thermal Systems Appoints Aftermarket Business Manager
BorgWarner Emissions/Thermal Systems has appointed Joe Meyer to the position of aftermarket business manager. In this role, Meyer will be responsible for leading the sales initiatives in North America for the independent aftermarket business. According to Mark Linton, director, North American Fleet and Aftermarket Sales for BorgWarner Emissions/Thermal Systems, Meyer’s new assignment will help the company reinforce its product leadership strategy with our independent aftermarket customers.