Executive Interview with Lee Murray, General Manager, Dana Engine Parts Division
In this week’s Executive Interview, we hear from Lee Murray, general manager for Dana’s Clevite Engine Parts Division. Murray assumed this role in April 2006 and has responsibility for all functions associated with the Clevite, Perfect Circle and Victor Reinz brands. He originally came to Clevite in 2004 as vice-president of marketing. Join us as Murray talks about the sale of Dana’s Engine Parts division to MAHLE, the general health of the engine business and more.
R. L. Polk & Co’s Ask the Industry Looks at the Year Ahead for Aftermarket Companies
With every new year, it is common practice, both in business and in one’s personal life, to evaluate the past 12 months – what went well, what didn’t – and create a plan to make improvements for the new year. For the first Ask the Industry of 2007, we asked a couple of aftermarket professionals what they anticipate will be the biggest issues for their companies this year.
Executive Interview with Dennis Welvaert, President, North American Aftermarket Division, Dayco Products, LLC, A Division of Mark IV Industries
While in Las Vegas, aftermarketNews.com sat down with Dayco’s Dennis Welvaert to discuss the current state of aftermarket brands and the increasing competition from OE parts and service.
R. L. Polk & Co’s Ask the Industry Looks at Predictions for Raw Materials in 2007 (Part II)
In this week’s edition of Ask the Industry, MEMA Senior Market Research Analyst Richard Anderson provides his predictions for some of the industry’s most important raw materials. In our interview with Anderson , he indicated that petroleum, steel, aluminum, copper and nickel will be the top five raw materials for the aftermarket to keep an eye on in 2007. Below, are his thoughts on two of the most talked about raw materials for this industry — petroleum and steel.
Executive Interview with Sean Stanic, Vice President, Sales and Marketing Siemens VDO Service & Special Solutions
This week, we hear from Sean Stanic , vice president, sales and marketing Siemens VDO Service & Special Solutions, one of the world’s leading suppliers of automotive electronics/electrical systems and components. An 18-year veteran of the automotive aftermarket, Stanic was appointed to this position in December 2004 and has been responsible for managing the company’s sales, marketing, engineering services and tech support departments in Allentown , PA. Stanic also sits on the board of AAIA and is active in the government affairs committee. Join us as Stanic talks about the company’s role in the global aftermarket, the company’s core competencies and new product offerings.
Executive Interview with Jose Maria Alapont, President and CEO of Federal-Mogul
This week we feature our exclusive interview with Jose Maria Alapont, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Federal-Mogul. Alapont joined Federal-Mogul in early 2005. Prior to that, he served as CEO of IVECO, the commercial vehicle division of the Fiat Group. In the past 18 months, he has been simultaneously leading the company out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection while also forging the future of the company. Alapont and other Federal-Mogul executives met with Counterman/aftermarketNews Publisher Jon Owens and Counterman Editor Brian Cruickshank at the AAPEX show in Las Vegas last month, where they spoke at length about Federal-Mogul’s emergence from bankruptcy, the current state of the industry and what Alapont thinks the future will look like for Federal-Mogul.
R. L. Polk & Co.’s Ask the Industry Looks at Predictions for Raw Materials in 2007
The U.S. automotive industry is one of the top consumers of a number of raw materials – steel, petroleum, aluminum, plastic resins, to name a few. The fluctuating cost of raw materials over the past few years has caused major problems for the automotive aftermarket, impacting nearly every sector of the industry.
Executive Interview with Hytec Automotive, a DeBartolo Company
This week, we hear from two top executives charged with leading the direction of Hytec Automotive, a DeBartolo Company. Hytec, based in Columbus, OH, has manufacturing facilities in China . Prior to this foray into the automotive aftermarket, DeBartolo was best known for its involvement in development, real estate, retail and professional sports. Hytec made its industry debut last year at AAPEX. Tim Zahler, founder and president of Hytec Automotive, along with Jerry DeNicholas, president and CEO of DeBartolo Holdings, recently gave us an update on the new company’s progress.
R. L. Polk & Co.’s Ask the Industry Looks at the Role of the Internet in Business Today
The Internet has become a mainstay of life today. A flexible, affordable and robust business tool, the Internet has become a primary vehicle for communicating with customers and business partners in the aftermarket. Its uses vary — from e-catalogs to online promotions and product demos — and the quality and ease of use can vary too. The aftermarket executives we spoke with for this week’s “Ask the Industry” touched upon the benefits and challenges of doing business online.
Executive Interview with Joe Pomaranski, Vice President-Sales for Tenneco’s North American Aftermarket
This week we talk with Joe Pomaranski, vice president-sales, North American Aftermarket, for Tenneco Inc., manufacturer of Monroe shocks and struts, Monroe premium brakes, Walker exhaust products, DynoMax performance exhaust, Rancho performance suspensions and shocks, and DuPont Car Care appearance chemicals. Pomaranski was named vice president of sales, North American Aftermarket for Tenneco Inc. in May of 1999. In this role, he is responsible for sales and customer care activities for aftermarket ride control and emission control business, as well as DuPont Car Care chemicals and Monroe brake products in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Executive Interview: Alliance President and CEO Richard Morgan Talks about the 2007 Charity Cars Campaign
Last week at AAPEX, Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance unveiled a new nationwide charitable program through which members of Bumper to Bumper and Auto Value will utilize their unique automotive skills and resources to help provide refurbished vehicles to victims of domestic abuse in their communities. aftermarketNews had the chance to learn a bit more about the campaign from Alliance President and CEO Richard “Dick” Morgan.
R. L. Polk & Co’s Ask the Industry Explores the Value of Vehicle Trend Data
In our previous “Ask the Industry” column, we asked a number of aftermarket companies what tools they use to make future business projections. In a mature industry that is constantly in a state of flux, it is important to use all the tools available to help ensure stability, growth and success. One such tool is vehicle trend data.