Motor Vehicle Lighting Council Names New Officers
Daniel Robusto, president and COO of Illinois-based North American Lighting, Inc., was recently elected chairman of the Motor Vehicle Lighting Council (MVLC). He succeeds Joseph Borruso, president and CEO of Hella North America, who served as the MVLC’s first chairman. The Motor Vehicle Lighting Council (MVLC) is a coalition of global automotive lighting and component manufacturers and related education and research institutions committed to bringing new lighting advancements to market in order to increase vehicle performance and vehicle and pedestrian safety.
Jose Maria Alapont Chosen as President and CEO of Federal-Mogul
Federal-Mogul Corp. has just announced that Jose Maria Alapont has been chosen to be the new president and CEO of the company. The appointment was authorized by the court presiding over Federal-Mogul’s Chapter 11 proceedings. Alapont also will join the board of directors of Federal-Mogul. Alapont, who served as CEO of IVECO, the commercial vehicle company of the Fiat Group, will replace Robert “Steve” Miller, who has been serving as interim CEO of Federal-Mogul since January 2004. Miller will continue to serve as chairman of Federal-Mogul’s board of directors.
Manufacturer to Establish U.S. Headquarters in Toledo, Ohio
After considering a number of competitive sites within a two-hour driving radius of Detroit, Egelhof Controls Corp., a German-based manufacturer serving the automotive and heating industries, has selected Toledo, Ohio, to house its U.S. headquarters and manufacturing operations. Cornel Broenner, currently at Egelhof’s production facility in Breitenbach, France, will relocate to Toledo to become the plant manager. Sales and engineering activities, which were established in metro Detroit in 2000, will also relocate to the new facility in Toledo.
BorgWarner Buys Majority Stake in Beru AG; William Cline to Lead Acquisition Team
In a deal first announced in November 2004, BorgWarner has completed the purchase of approximately 62 percent of the outstanding shares of German-based Beru AG from its major shareholders, The Carlyle Group and a group of family shareholders. The sale, made as a cash transaction, totaled approximately $490 million. BorgWarner has tapped William (Skip) Cline to lead the BorgWarner task force for the Beru acquisition and provide coordination between the two companies. He has been named vice president, acquisition coordination and special projects.
Diggory Elected Chairman of Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association
William “Bill” Diggory, vice president and general manager of Chicago Rawhide, Elgin, Ill., has been elected 2005 chairman of the Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association (HDMA). Diggory served as HDMA vice chairman in 2004.
Five Industry Leaders Join MEMA Board
Five automotive supplier industry leaders joined the board of directors of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) at the board’s meeting, which took place on Oct. 31 in Las Vegas.
2005 Automotive News Pace Award Finalists Named
More than 30 automotive suppliers have been named finalists in the 11th annual Automotive News PACE Award competition. Open to suppliers that contribute products, processes, materials or services directly to the manufacture of cars or trucks, the PACE (Premier Automotive Suppliers’ Contribution to Excellence) Award is presented by Automotive News, Capgemini and Transportation Research Center Inc. (TRC Inc.). Judges selected 23 finalists and 10 honorable mention awardees based on extensive written responses to the 2005 PACE Award application. Finalists will now host site visits by industry, academic and business leaders to select the winners, which will be announced in April during the Society of Automotive Engineers conference in Detroit. Judges will evaluate each company’s innovation as well as its management team.
Executive Interview with Randy Mordue, Director, Aftermarket Division, Akebono Corp.
Our latest edition of “Executive Interview” features Randy Mordue, director, Aftermarket Division, Akebono Corp. Mordue joined Akebono North America in 1999. He has more than 20 years of sales, national account and new business development experience within the automotive aftermarket industry. Mordue recently took the time to talk with aftermarketNews.com and bring us up to speed on the latest developments at Akebono.
Bosch Appoints Corporate Communications Director
Bosch announced Chandra Lewis has assumed the position of director, corporate communications.
GKN Driveline Names New Managing Director of Operations
Philippe Cabassol has been named managing director of operations for GKN Driveline Americas. Cabassol replaces Richard Best, who was recently named strategic director for global projects.