DENSO Announces 2005 Motorsports Sponsorships
DENSO Corp. has announced its motorsports sponsorship plan for the 2005 season. The company has been sponsoring motorsports since 1971. This year, DENSO is adding to the products supplied to motor sports teams with a new compact alternator for Panasonic Toyota Racing in Formula 1 and spark plugs to the Subaru World Rally Team in the World Rally Championship.
Executive Interview with Jeff Berman, Managing Director, Bosal US
As managing director, Bosal U.S., Jeff Berman is responsible for all of Bosal’s aftermarket customers in the NAFTA region. He was recently appointed to this position and is now responsible for managing operations, sales and marketing for Bosal’s U.S. aftermarket and performance divisions at Bosal USA, Inc., based in Whippany, NJ, as well as the sales and marketing for Bosal Canada in Kingston, Ontario. Recently, Berman took time to talk with aftermarketNews.com about the company’s OEM heritage and its role in the aftermarket. Berman shared his insights on the future of the import segment and the keys to tapping this segment.
Chicago Tribune’s Jim Mateja on the Chicago Auto Show
Perhaps Don King should sponsor the Chicago Auto Show. In this corner, General Motors Chairman Rick Wagoner will address the Economic Club of Chicago at the show Feb. 10. In the other corner, Malcolm Bricklin will tell the automotive media of his new venture importing cars built in China to the U.S.
NBC to Broadcast International Auto Show
NBC Sports is shifting into overdrive to produce a live two-hour, high-octane telecast of . . . the International Auto Show. Cars. On display. In Detroit. Surrounded by hordes of people. “We’re using our NASCAR team, who are used to creating a live, fast-paced feel to events,” says NBC Sports programming chief Jon Miller. “Imagine it as a two-hour pit stop that celebrates the automotive industry.”
Chinese-Made Cars to be Sold in U.S.
The man who brought the Yugo and Subaru to the U.S. has a new project – becoming the first mass importer of low-cost Chinese-made cars.
Japan’s Automakers and U.S. Tool and Equipment Manufacturers Meet in Japan for 17th Annual Tech Week
A 24-member delegation from the Equipment and Tool Institute (ETI), led by current president Greg Potter of Chief Automotive Systems, met with Honda, Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota in Japan earlier this month. The visit marked the 17th annual ETI Japan Tech Week, co-sponsored by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA). This year the meeting attracted a record number of ETI participants, up 60 percent from the last time the event was held in Japan in 2002.
NSA Named Preferred Supplier of New Starters and Alternators for IAPA
NSA Corp. has been approved by the Independent Auto Parts of America (IAPA), as its preferred supplier of new starters and alternators. NSA offers coverage of more than 95 percent of late-model domestic passenger applications and 90 percent of late-model Toyota, Honda, Isuzu, Suzuki, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Subaru and European passenger vehicles. The company also provides extensive coverage of leading commercial-truck applications.
AIA Honors Industry Award Winners
The Auto International Association (AIA) presented its 2004 Industry Awards in Las Vegas last Tuesday during AAPEX. Mike Brown, president of Olympus Imported Auto Parts Corp., and vice-chairman of AIA, announced the winners and made the award presentations. Now in its 16th year, the awards program recognizes manufacturers and marketers for excellence in developing high-quality products and innovative marketing programs for import cars or trucks – ranging from products that enhance performance, appearance or convenience, to the cataloging, merchandising and advertising that create awareness and fuel demand.
It’s Not Your Father’s Vo-tech – Warwick, RI, Area Career & Technical Center Named Nation’s Best
Many high school seniors worry about what they will do after graduation. But thanks to a school program and a mentorship, Jason Marley, a senior at Warwick Veterans Memorial High in Rhode Island, already has a job. Marley is one of 45 students in the Warwick Area Career & Technical Center’s automotive training program. This past summer, the 17-year-old student started working under a mentor at Bald Hill Subaru, repairing cars.
Dura Automotive to Open Production Facility in Romania
Dura Automotive Systems today announced plans to open a manufacturing plant in Timisoara, Romania. The facility will produce a broad range of automotive components for automakers in Central and Eastern Europe. Groundbreaking will begin this month, with production expected to start in 2005.