The Pulse: Made in America Still has Value
There has been a lot written recently about quality issues with product manufactured in China. While I’m not going to rehash the history of those problems, it did prompt us to have our Babcox Research department survey repair shop owners and managers to see if it has had any impact on the way automotive parts are viewed.
BASF Product Receives GM Aftermarket Approval
SOUTHFIELD, MI – The BASF Automotive Refinish Group has received GMW15406 approval from General Motors for the R-M waterborne basecoat, ONYX-HD. The GMW15406 standard was established by GM this year as a global automotive refinishing standard to ensure quality repairs to GM vehicles. GM was the first domestic car company to establish such standards for
Freightliner LLC Announces Company Name Change
Freightliner LLC will be changing its corporate name to Daimler Trucks North America LLC, effective Jan. 7, 2008. This corporate identity change occurs in conjunction with the name change for parent company DaimlerChrysler AG to Daimler AG. Freightliner LLC has been a part of Daimler AG or one of its predecessor companies since 1981. A new Daimler logo was unveiled this week in Stuttgart, Germany, and in Daimler business units worldwide, underscoring the company transformation which began with the divestiture of the former Chrysler Group (now Chrysler LLC) on Aug. 3. At the same time, the name of the former DaimlerChrysler Truck Group was changed to Daimler Trucks.
The Week in Review (Oct. 8-12, 2007)
by Amy Antenora The Week in Review offers a snapshot of the most 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 the
Herman Trend Alert: Sabbaticals — The Right Way
From “Herman Trend Alert,” by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists GREENVILLE, SC — On numerous occasions in the past, we have written about sabbaticals. Originally offered to college educators, sabbaticals now provide employees of non-academic institutions with an opportunity to disconnect from their jobs for a period of between three months and
Raybestos Adds 70 Part Numbers to ABS Control Module Coverage
Raybestos had added 70 part numbers to its ABS control module coverage, part of a larger plan for the Raybestos brand to expand its first-to-market action strategy. A total of 270 new part numbers will be released, both in the hydraulic and computer control module lines. The line includes everything from brake drums to rotors, pads, shoes and hydraulic parts.
C&A May Go out of Business This Week
From Detroit Free Press SOUTHFIELD, MI — Collins & Aikman Corp., once a Fortune 500 auto supplier, is expected to officially go out of business this week. What will remain, even after the company ceases to exist, are nearly 400 patents that a small staff will try to sell. The patents primarily relate to vehicle
DENSO Develops World’s First Passenger Vehicle Refrigeration Cycle System Using an Ejector
DENSO Corp., parent company of Long Beach-based DENSO Sales California has developed the world’s first refrigeration cycle system for passenger vehicles that uses an ejector. The system is used for both an air conditioner and cooler box and is installed on Toyota Motor Corp.’s Land Cruiser, launched in Japan in September. This system will also be installed in the Land Cruiser launched in October in North, Central and South America, Asia and other regions throughout the world.
Federated Announces New Training Initiative for Professional Service Technicians
Federated has announced a new training initiative that will provide professional service providers with business management techniques designed to improve profits and enhance customer satisfaction. The Federated Profit Improvement Seminar Program, which was developed in association with Affinia and the Essential Action Design Group, consists of field training coupled with workbooks and an interactive CD that allows for benchmarking of statistical data and development of profit plans specific to each service providers’ business.
Former Big O Tires President Named to TIA Hall of Fame
DENVER — The Tire Industry Association (TIA) has announced that Norman (Norm) Affleck, retired president, chairman and CEO of Big O Tires, is one of the recipients of the 2007 Tire Industry Hall of Fame. Affleck is a Denver, CO, resident. Big O Tires, Inc. serves more than 540 franchised stores, primarily in the Western