Pentius Signs McConaughey Associates Northeast
LOS ANGELES — Pentius Automotive Parts, a provider of automotive replacement filters and wiper blades, has entered into a sales representation agreement with McConaughey Associates Northeast. The McConaughey organization will provide Pentius product representation in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and upstate New York. McConaughey Associates Northeast, based in East Greenwich, RI,
Erika Turner Named CFO of Superior Industries
Erika Turner has been named chief financial officer (CFO) for Superior Industries International. Prior to joining Superior, Turner was chief financial officer/VP Finance since 2004 at Monogram Systems, Carson, CA, a leading supplier of cabin systems and equipment to the global aerospace industry. Earlier, she served as CFO of the Storage Solutions Group at Quantum Corp., in Irvine, CA. From 2000 to 2003, Turner was controller of Rockwell Collins Passenger Systems in Pomona, CA, following several years as division chief financial officer at Arvin Meritor (formerly Rockwell Automotive) in Frankfurt, Germany. She also served as chief financial officer at the Autospecialty division of TRW, Carson, CA.
SEMA Manufacturers and WDs Complete First Phase of Product Information Synchronization
After instituting a pilot program among its manufacturer members and their warehouse distributor trading partners, SEMA’s Business Technology Committee (BTC) announced that it has completed the first of three phases in its SEMA Data Pool Pilot Program. SEMA said findings from Phase I demonstrate that standardized and synchronized product and application information immediately lowers costs of doing business, increases customer satisfaction and has the potential to substantially increase sales.
DENSO to Dissolve Capital Alliance with Doowon Climate Control in South Korea
KARIYA, Japan – DENSO Corp. has reached an agreement with Doowon Climate Control Co., Ltd., the second-largest car air conditioning system manufacturer in South Korea, to dissolve their capital alliance. “Since October 2002, DENSO has held a 33.4 percent stake in Doowon Climate Control,” said Nobuaki Katoh, senior managing director responsible for Corporate Center and
The Week in Review (Feb. 18-22, 2008
By Amy Antenora The Week in Review offers a snapshot of the most highly read stories of the week as seen on aftermarketNews. To access the complete stories, simply click on the highlighted links. If you missed reading one of our daily news emails, click on any of the dates listed at the bottom of
Herman Trend Alert: Digital Dirt Hurts Candidates
According to the executive recruiter Execunet, a large majority of recruiters used Internet search engines in 2007 to "uncover information about candidates." In fact, the number is a whopping 83.2 percent — an increase of 11.4 percent over the percentage of recruiters using the Internet in 2005. Recruiters are using online information to augment resumes. Moreover, here is the real news: 43 percent said they eliminated candidates based on this "digital dirt" — before even making the first phone calls.
Congressional Hearing Held on Automotive Design Patent Repair Clause
In a hearing on Feb. 14 before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet and Intellectual Property, the Consumer Federation of America (CFA), in conjunction with Public Citizen, Consumers Union, the Center for Auto Safety and Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, testified in support of preserving competition in the automobile replacement parts marketplace.
RMA Chief Shea Resigns, Interim in Place
Don Shea has resigned as president and CEO of the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA). Shea, according to a statement by the RMA, left to “pursue other opportunities.” His resignation was accepted by the RMA Executive Committee and is effective immediately. Dr. Charles Cannon was appointed interim CEO while a search is conducted for a permanent successor. RMA officials expect the search to take six months.
Deal Reached, Michelin Managers Released
Groupe Michelin and some of its European labor unions reached an agreement Monday that facilitated the release of two plant managers the unions had held hostage. The managers were taken hostage at Michelin’s Toul, France, plant — one of two tire plants in France slated to be closed by Michelin.
GPC 2007 Sales Increased 4 Percent, EPS Increased 8 Percent
Genuine Parts Co. (GPC), which just completed its 80th year of operations, reported record sales and earnings for the year ended Dec. 31, 2007. Tom Gallagher, chairman, president and chief executive officer, announced that sales in 2007 were $10.84 billion, up 4 percent compared to 2006. Net income for the year was $506.3 million, an increase of 7 percent compared to $475.4 million in 2006. Earnings per share on a diluted basis were $2.98, up 8 percent compared to $2.76 in 2006.