Monro Muffler Brake to Acquire Mr. Tire Locations from Mile One Automotive
Monro Muffler Brake has signed a definitive agreement with privately held Mile One Automotive to acquire 36 Mr. Tire locations in Maryland and Virginia. The company has no plans to close any of the Mr. Tire locations, and the stores will continue to operate under the current brand name. Monro also said it intends to retain substantially all Mr. Tire store employees.
Treading a New Path
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. is hoping to make a huge splash with a new high-end line of all-season tires. The Akron, Ohio-based company will roll out its Assurance line this spring with its biggest advertising blitz in more than a decade. Goodyear is counting on the new tires to help deliver a turnaround after four years of disappointing sales.
Rema Tip Top/North America Announces Two Executive Appointments
Rema Tip Top/North America’s TRM division has expanded its national account department and appointed two new executives. As part of the expansion, Kevin Sapp has been named national account manager. In this new role, Sapp will continue to develop Rema Tip Top’s business with OEM tire manufacturers, retread material manufacturers, retail tire chain, mass merchandisers and automotive distribution chains. Additionally, the company has named Michael Gibson as its new south central zone territory manager. Gibson brings 11 years of experience to the position, coming from Schrader-Bridgeport where he fulfilled various responsibilities in sales, operations and purchasing.
Tenneco Automotive and Pep Boys Sign Long-Term Deal
Tenneco Automotive has announced a long-term agreement with Pep Boys to supply Monroe shock absorbers, struts and off-road Rancho products to all of Pep Boys’ stores nationwide and in Puerto Rico. Tenneco Automotive’s Monroe, Rancho and DNX shock absorbers and struts and DNX and Dynomax performance exhaust products will be available at all Pep Boys’ stores beginning in February 2004.
Executive Interview with John Washbish, President – Customer Relationship Management, Dana Automotive Aftermarket Group (AAG)
Every other week, aftermarketNews.com offers an interview with a high-profile individual in the automotive aftermarket. We give executives free rein to express their views on anything from the state of their corporations to recent legislative news to future trends in their niche markets. Here you see what matters to the newsmakers themselves.
Polk Canada, Inc. Changes Name to R. L. Polk Canada, Inc.
R. L. Polk & Co., the world’s largest automotive market intelligence, database marketing and retail consulting company, announced that its Canadian subsidiary has changed its name to R. L. Polk Canada, Inc. as part of the company’s overall global branding strategy.
Study Says Online Parts Ordering Expands Quickly
Using the Internet to order automotive parts and accessories has increased dramatically, according to a Harris Interactive survey conducted online.
ContiTech Signs Cloyes to Distribute Automotive Timing Belts
ContiTech Power Transmission Systems, a business unit of the ContiTech Division of Continental AG, has signed an agreement to supply timing belts to Cloyes Gear & Products, Paris, Ark.
Bendix Brakes Awards “Drive it Home” Promotion Grand Prize
Bendix Brakes has awarded Vinemont, Al-based technician Rick Holland a new 2004 Ford F150 truck. Holland, a customer of warehouse distributor Walter White and a technician for National Tire & Battery, was the grand prize winner of the brand’s “Drive It Home” scratch and win promotion.
Delphi Becomes Official Safety Supplier to IRL
In the first-ever agreement of its kind, Delphi has been designated the “Official Safety Supplier” to the Indy Racing League (IRL). Beginning this year, the league’s safety and rescue team will become the Delphi Indy Racing League Safety Team. The Delphi Indy Racing League Safety Team includes 15 trained professionals who will attend all IndyCar Series and Menards Infiniti Pro Series events to handle on-site emergencies. In addition, Delphi will provide new safety technologies for safety vehicles used by the team and will provide hydraulic sled testing and analysis services at the Delphi Safety Systems Test Center, a state-of-the-art safety testing facility in Vandalia, Ohio.