Suppliers Losing Contracts to Rivals
Bankruptcy is not the worst thing troubled automotive suppliers have to contend with. Even as these distressed suppliers work to restructure, they also must deal with a growing trend: automakers stripping away contracts and giving them to healthier suppliers. Automotive suppliers, already squeezed by rising raw material prices and customer production cuts, are finding the gap widening between their healthy and weak peers. The trend is driven by automakers’ desire to safeguard their operations by ensuring a continuous flow of parts.
Goodyear Promotes Three in Consumer Tire Organization
From Tire Review Goodyear’s North American Tire operations has made a number of personnel changes. The moves, said Goodyear, were made with “an emphasis on promoting our primary consumer tire brands and further evolving our market-driven focus.” Andy Traicoff, previously director of the company’s Dunlop brand, was promoted to a new position of director of
Executive Interview with Lee Murray, General Manager, Dana Engine Parts Division
In this week’s Executive Interview, we hear from Lee Murray, general manager for Dana’s Clevite Engine Parts Division. Murray assumed this role in April 2006 and has responsibility for all functions associated with the Clevite, Perfect Circle and Victor Reinz brands. He originally came to Clevite in 2004 as vice-president of marketing. Join us as Murray talks about the sale of Dana’s Engine Parts division to MAHLE, the general health of the engine business and more.
Executive Interview with Jose Maria Alapont, President and CEO of Federal-Mogul
This week we feature our exclusive interview with Jose Maria Alapont, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Federal-Mogul. Alapont joined Federal-Mogul in early 2005. Prior to that, he served as CEO of IVECO, the commercial vehicle division of the Fiat Group. In the past 18 months, he has been simultaneously leading the company out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection while also forging the future of the company. Alapont and other Federal-Mogul executives met with Counterman/aftermarketNews Publisher Jon Owens and Counterman Editor Brian Cruickshank at the AAPEX show in Las Vegas last month, where they spoke at length about Federal-Mogul’s emergence from bankruptcy, the current state of the industry and what Alapont thinks the future will look like for Federal-Mogul.
Executive Interview with Joe Pomaranski, Vice President-Sales for Tenneco’s North American Aftermarket
This week we talk with Joe Pomaranski, vice president-sales, North American Aftermarket, for Tenneco Inc., manufacturer of Monroe shocks and struts, Monroe premium brakes, Walker exhaust products, DynoMax performance exhaust, Rancho performance suspensions and shocks, and DuPont Car Care appearance chemicals. Pomaranski was named vice president of sales, North American Aftermarket for Tenneco Inc. in May of 1999. In this role, he is responsible for sales and customer care activities for aftermarket ride control and emission control business, as well as DuPont Car Care chemicals and Monroe brake products in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Counterman Magazine Presents 2006 Reader’s Choice Awards
Counterman magazine is proud to announce the winners of the 2006 Reader’s Choice Awards, the magazine’s prestigious, annual readership-based recognition program. This year’s winners are: Akebono, Airtex, Bendix, Delphi, Denso, Monroe Shocks, Brakes and Struts, Morse, NAPA Echlin, NGK/NTK and WIX.
Shell Oil Signs Multi-Year Sponsorship with Richard Childress Racing
Shell Oil has announced its return to NASCAR through a multi-year primary sponsorship of Richard Childress Racing (RCR). Through the sponsorship both Shell and Pennzoil brands will be featured on the No. 29 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS to be driven by Kevin Harvick in the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup series. Shell will also be the associate sponsor on other RCR cars including the No. 31 Cup car driven by Jeff Burton and the No. 07 Cup car driven by Clint Bowyer.
Sales for the Automobile Aftermarket Reached $35 billion in the U.S.
Research and Markets has released a new study titled, "Automobile Aftermarket: The Market – US" which shows that the aftermarket was responsible for approximately $35 billion in sales this year. According to the report, between 2001 and 2006, the aftermarket exhibited solid growth of 18 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars, driven by largely positive factors, such as an increase in the number of registered motor vehicles, an increase in the median age of cars in operation and a corresponding decrease in the scrappage rate as well as an increase in total miles driven.
Affinia Group Restructures Marketing Organization
Affinia Group Inc. has announced the transformation of its marketing organization, including the creation of four new, high-level positions, first announced to the public last week. According to Terry McCormack, president and chief executive officer of Affinia, this move will place increased emphasis on global thinking and the use of category management to drive customer-facing decisions.
The Plan Behind Plan-o-grams: How Smarter In-Store SKU Placement Can Dramatically Improve Sales
For decades, auto parts retailers and jobbers alike have attempted to prop up eroding profit margins by lowering product cost or increasing prices. Between the growth of retail chains and the evolution of program groups, product cost reductions have been exhausted. Now, through category management research, and plan-o-gram development, today’s parts stores can effectively change the profitability mix of the parts their customers buy.