GM to Close Four Assembly Plants; 10,000 Hourly Employees Affected
General Motors Corp. announced this week that it will close four of its assembly plants in 2010. The plants, located in Janesville, Wis.; Moraine, Ohio; Oshawa, Ontario; and Toluca, Mexico; all assemble either pickup trucks or SUVs.
The Week in Review (June 2-6, 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, just click on the link that says "News Archives" at the
AOCA Announces Date Change for 2009 Convention and Fast Lube Expo
DALLAS, Texas — The Automotive Oil Change Association’s (AOCA) 2009 Annual Convention and Fast Lube Expo will take place in Atlanta on May 26-30. The original late March dates were changed to avoid conflicting with another industry event. Plans are being made now for a roster of education sessions, open forum discussions and programs tailored
Members and AAPEX Show Exhibitors: Beware of Expo Guide Scam
The International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) has reason to believe that www.expo-guide.com, a company operating out of Mexico, is targeting AAPEX exhibitors and members to purchase a three-year commitment of advertising that is cleverly disguised as an offer of a free directory listing. At this time, the IAEE has not determined if the
John Sanderson Retires from Continental’s North American Operations
John Sanderson has retired from Continental, effective June 1. Sanderson joined Continental in connection with Continental’s acquisition of Siemens VDO Automotive last fall, where he was president and CEO of the firm’s North American operations. In his role as President and CEO of Siemens VDO Automotive Corp., a position he was appointed to in 2000, Sanderson had responsibility for Siemens VDO’s North and South American business and profitability initiatives.
Lewicki to Rejoin Wilson Auto Electric
WINNIPEG, MB, Canada — Jeff Lewicki has rejoined Wilson Auto Electric as the vice president of sales and marketing. He will be responsible for national oversight of all U.S. and Canadian automotive and heavy duty relationships under the Wilson Auto Electric brand. Lewicki most recently served as the director of marketing and sales for Autoline
Potential Scam Targets SEMA Members, Exhibitors
From SEMA eNews The International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) has reason to believe that www.expo-guide.com, a company operating out of Mexico, is targeting SEMA Show exhibitors and SEMA members to purchase a three-year commitment of advertising that is disguised as an offer of a free directory listing. At this time, the IAEE has
Martin Fischer to Head Hella’s U.S. Business Units
Dr. Martin Fischer has been named president of Hella’s U.S. Corporate Center, with responsibility for the automotive supplier’s lighting, electronics and aftermarket business units in the United States. Based in Plymouth Township, Mich., outside of Detroit, Fischer also will continue to serve as president of Hella Electronics Corp., a position he assumed in early 2007. Hella Electronics has manufacturing and product development facilities in both the United States and Mexico.
LIVE FROM GAAS: Respecting Cultural Norms is Key When Doing Business in New Markets
by Amy Antenora CHICAGO — Mirroring similar comments made earlier in the day at the 2008 Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium, Ernst & Young’s (E&Y) Mike Hanley stressed the importance of respecting cultural norms when looking to do business in another country. This was just one of the many recommendations he made during his presentation on
AutoZone Third Quarter Sales Increase 3 Percent
AutoZone has reported net sales of $1.5 billion for its third quarter (12 weeks) ended May 3, an increase of 3 percent from fiscal third quarter 2007. Domestic same store sales, or sales for stores open at least one year, decreased 0.3 percent for the quarter. Net income for the quarter increased 4.6 percent over the same period last year to $158.6 million, while diluted earnings per share increased 14.7 percent to $2.49 per share from $2.17 per share in the year-ago quarter.