Group Issues PSA Alerting Consumers About the Risks of Hydrocarbon Refrigerants
While the industry is trying to cope with the current supply and demand issues related to HFC-134a mobile A/C refrigerant (also known as R-134a), vehicle manufacturers, automotive parts suppliers, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and other organizations are warning car and truck owners to avoid the use of flammable hydrocarbon refrigerants, which are being marketed as substitutes for R-134a, on the Internet, at flea markets and swap meets, and in some service shops. Hydrocarbon refrigerants are not authorized for this use and can pose risk to both vehicles and service technicians.
Midas Sells Pipe Bender Manufacturing Operation
Midas has sold Huth, Inc., the company’s pipe bender operation located in Hartford, Wis., to Hartford Benders, Inc., a newly formed company owned by current Huth plant manager Joseph Becker and Tom Hechimovich, owner of Hechimovich Machining, Inc., of Hartford. The company produces Huth Benders, used in muffler installation shops to bend exhaust pipes to meet specific exhaust system applications. Midas acquired Huth in 1966.
Executive Interview with Guy Bargnes, Director of Marketing, North American Operations for BASF Corp. Refinish Group
Guy Bargnes has spent his entire life in the collision repair industry. He was born and raised in Buffalo, NY, where his father ran a family business, V. H. Bargnes Co., Inc., which distributed automotive paints, supplies and equipment to area collision shops. In 1992 Bargnes joined BASF full-time, and he is now director of marketing, North American Operations, for the Refinish Group. Bargnes recently sat down to a phone interview with aftermarketNews and shared with us some of the insights from his lifelong career in the industry. Join us as Bargnes talks about BASF’s four leading principles, trends in the refinish business and the return of paint companies to industry trade shows.
ArvinMeritor and Meritor WABCO Unveil New Medium-Duty Hydraulic ABS/Disc Brake Package
ArvinMeritor and Meritor WABCO Vehicle Control Systems have unveiled their new Premium Hydraulic Braking System for medium-duty truck and bus applications. Meritor WABCO is a joint venture of ArvinMeritor and the WABCO Automotive Products Group of American Standard Companies Inc. The package includes Meritor WABCO’s Hydraulic Power Brake (HPB) — the next-generation of its hydraulic actuation and anti-lock braking system (ABS) — and the Meritor Quadraulic hydraulic disc brake. The package is available immediately for North American original equipment manufacturers’ vehicles.
Executive Interview with Tom Marx, President and CEO of The Marx Group
The Marx Group was founded in Los Angeles more than two decades ago, in 1984. Since 1997, the full service marketing communications company has been based in Northern California, and includes a staff of eight, with locations in Chicago (public relations), New York (creative), Los Angeles and Denver (account services). The Marx Group began as an advertising agency serving the apparel agency. Today nearly three-quarters of its business is focused on the automotive aftermarket. Join us as the company’s founder, Tom Marx, shares his experiences from a colorful career as a professional race-car driver, repair shop owner, author and advertising executive, and gives us the keys to getting sales and marketing to work in collaboration.
Clevite Engine Parts Salutes Women’s Contributions to Engine Building
Clevite Engine Parts is giving women in the engine building industry the opportunity to take center stage during the first ever Women’s Engine Builder Challenge at the AERA Show in Las Vegas.
Clevite Engine Parts Salutes Women’s Contributions to Engine Building
Clevite Engine Parts is giving women in the engine building industry the opportunity to take center stage during the first ever Women’s Engine Builder Challenge at the AERA Show in Las Vegas
CARDONE Collaborates with Activant Solutions on Product Roll-Out Program
CARDONE Industries and Activant Solutions are collaborating on a project to maximize the accuracy and speed to market of eCatalog data for CARDONE’s growing line of remanufactured and new automotive replacement parts. CARDONE Industries and Activant Solutions are collaborating on a project to maximize the accuracy and speed to market of eCatalog data for CARDONE’s growing line of remanufactured and new automotive replacement parts.
Tenneco Automotive Enhances Expert Plus Program
This week, Tenneco Automotive revealed enhancements to its longstanding Expert Plus marketing program for its Monroe and Walker brands. Now in its eighth year, Expert Plus provides member shops with exclusive marketing and merchandising tools and national promotions designed to drive sales within the ride control and exhaust categories.
Meineke Car Care Centers and Comdata Bring New Fleet Team Maintenance Services Online
Meineke Car Care Centers has partnered with Comdata Corp., a provider of electronic payment systems for the transportation industry, to create a data logging system that will provide online maintenance service tracking for Meineke’s commercial fleet customers throughout the U.S. and Canada, at no additional cost to the customer.