REVVING HER ENGINE: Girls Enjoy Being Gearheads, Too
The full set of acrylic nails Ashley Pawlowski got before going to the senior prom with her boyfriend is not quite so full. The nail on her left pinky has come off and the air-brushed french manicure is chipping away. This, said the 17-year-old Canton, Mich., High School junior, comes from repeatedly washing oil and grease off her hands with an acetone-based soap. Ashley is a “gearhead,” slang for self-professed auto mechanic junkies whose tastes range from routine maintenance to restoring old cars to high performance engineering.
Herman Trend Alert: The New Recruiting
Recruiting has increased across industry lines in recent weeks. The numbers are not dramatic yet, but the trend is steady. That signal is positive, compared to the fluctuating numbers we have seen recently.
Steel Prices Rise Again
The price of steel in the U.S. is rising again, six months after the Bush administration lifted tariffs that had been intended to protect the American steel industry from cheaper foreign imports.
Nearly All Top Executives Go Online at Work
A new survey published in the Wall Street Journal online found that 99 percent of senior executives at larger companies use the Internet at work.
John Kerry Wants Timken, Union to Talk
Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry on Thursday asked President Bush to help settle the dispute that threatens to close Timken’s three bearings plants in Canton, Ohio. The Canton Industrial Bearing Complex includes the plant where the president promoted his tax-cut plan last year. Kerry said Bush should urge the Timken Co. and the United Steelworkers of America Local 1123 to accept a federal mediator to help settle their disagreement.
IBM: China’s Auto Suppliers Could Face Bumpy Road
China is the world’s fastest growing automotive market, but a new study suggests the auto suppliers fueling that expansion may be growing too fast. In fact, says the report, there could be over capacity and a resulting shakeout in the supplier market within five years.
Auto Trim Market Seen Growing
CSM Worldwide of Michigan Wednesday predicted the North American automotive interior trim market will grow to more than $10 billion by 2009.
Appearance Accessories Capture More of Market
Over the past eight years, appearance/body accessory products have shown the largest growth of any product group in the industry, increasing 96.4 percent. Following closely is custom wheels, with performance chemicals in third place.
Leadership for Change
This week we start a series of articles on the subject of leadership for change. Whether you’re a senior executive whose goal is to transform the entire organization, or a first-time manager trying to improve your department’s performance, we think you’ll find something useful.
“DST Asks: Do You Get Everything You Need from Your Current Computer System?
We’re going to go out on limb and make the assumption that the goal of your business is to make a profit by acquiring customers, selling and servicing them, and retaining them for generating future revenue. If this is not the goal of your business, there’s no need to read further in this week’s column – although if that’s the case, we would love to hear what actually is the goal of your business.
Attention Manufacturer’s Reps — List Your Company in aftermarketNews.com’s Free Online Rep Directory
As an added service for our subscribers, aftermarketNews.com is creating a free online directory of Manufacturer’s Reps, representing manufacturers throughout North America. The directory, which is expected to be complete in late summer, will be housed on the www.aftermarketNews.com home page.
Rep. Knollenberg Introduces Bill To Fight Counterfeit Goods
U.S. Representative Joe Knollenberg (R-Mich. 9th District) yesterday introduced legislation to strengthen the federal law used to prosecute counterfeiters whose products threaten public health, harm American manufacturers and cost jobs in the U.S. The Stop Counterfeiting in Manufactured Goods Act would require the mandatory destruction of equipment used to manufacture and package counterfeit goods. In addition, the proposed legislation addresses methods that counterfeiters have used to evade prosecution, such as the selling of patch sets or medallions that can later be attached to generic merchandise and given the appearance of a genuine product, as well as placing a counterfeit mark on goods not specifically listed in the trademark registration.