Modine Named One of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens for Fifth Year in a Row
For the fifth year in a row, Modine Manufacturing has been named one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens for 2004 by Business Ethics magazine. Modine finished 32nd overall, the same ranking as last year, ahead of such companies as Delphi, Eastman Kodak, Fed Ex and PepsiCo, Inc.
BFG Challenge Turns Ordinary Drivers Into Test Drivers At SEMA’s International Auto Salon
BFGoodrich Tires is putting its money where its mouth is. The brand of tires is turning ordinary drivers into test drivers at SEMA’s International Auto Salon (IAS) in Atlantic City, N.J., this weekend.
Dan Daniel Talks about the Future of ArvinMeritor’s LVA Business
Dan Daniel, president of ArvinMeritor’s Light Vehicle Aftermarket (LVA) division, shared his predictions and plans for the future of ArvinMeritor’s LVA unit during an exclusive presentation on May 11 to Babcox editors and media representatives. ArvinMeritor is an $8 billion dollar company, with $850 million in annual sales at its Light Vehicle Aftermarket division, which Daniel leads. Two-thirds of the company’s business is in North America.
Former RMA VP Joins MEMA
On June 1, Ann Wilson, formerly of the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) in Washington, D.C., will join the staff at the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA). Previously, Wilson served as the vice president of government affairs at RMA. She will serve in the same role with MEMA.
NHTSA to Release Defect Data to Public
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said this week data collected from its defect warning system will be made public sometime this year. The agency agreed to keep warranty claims and consumer complaints confidential after automakers claimed access to the data would allow competitors to learn proprietary information about their vehicles. However, NHTSA dismissed manufacturers’ attempts to limit some information, such as the states in which defect-related deaths are occurring.
Ford Recalls Escapes; Engine Stalls Cited
Ford Motor Co. is recalling 363,440 Escape compact sport-utility vehicles from model years 2001-2003 because the engine may stall at certain speeds.
MEMA Names New Executive Director of Association Management Division
Brent Hazelett has been promoted to executive director of Management Services Group (MSG), the association management division of MEMA. He has served as the executive director of the Filter Manufacturers Council (FMC) since May 1998, and will continue to serve in that capacity as well.
Durakon Recalls Chevy, GMC Bedliners
Durakon Industries, in cooperation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), is recalling approximately 8,000 over-rail bedliners on 1999 – 2004 model year Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks in order to change the system that fastens the bedliner to the bed of the pickup truck.
High-tech is Giving Drivers Another Set of Eyes on Highways
Advances in automotive technology are giving drivers another set of eyes. There is parking assistance that backs a car into a parking space, miniature cameras that help a driver see at night and in blinding sunlight, detection devices that sound an alert when a driver crosses into a lane without activating the turn signal or starts to get too close to a pedestrian.
Lean Manufacturers Recognized for Excellence
Ten automotive suppliers are among the recipients of the 2004 Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing. Dubbed the “Nobel prize of Manufacturing” by Business Week magazine, the Shingo Prize recognizes manufacturers who follow Toyota’s LEAN manufacturing principles. Administered by the College of Business, Utah State University, nine state-level awards and a public-sector category, primarily for Military Depots doing re-manufacturing, have been implemented in recent months.