Mario Andretti to Visit Aiken County, S.C., Firestone Tire Plant
Racing legend Mario Andretti is set to visit Aiken County’s Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire plant on Tuesday. The factory announced May 5 that Andretti will spend about 1 1/2 hours at the facility during an employee recognition event.
ACC Becomes Silver Sponsor of the Car Care Council Women’s Board
The Automotive Communications Council (ACC) has announced it will sponsor the 2004 Car Care Council’s Women’s Board activities at the “Silver” sponsorship level. ACC is a national, non-profit organization comprised of marketing professionals engaged in public relations, advertising, branding and other communication practices for automotive aftermarket companies.
Grote Publishes New Electrical Accessories Catalog
Recognizing a regular complaint from heavy-duty technicians and countermen, Grote has published its new Grote Accessories Catalog, designed to bring together all the necessary applications for repair and installation work for easy ordering and stocking. The new approach makes it possible to get repair accessories from one source on one order, according to Grote.
Stanford Business School Study Finds Economic Incentives Do Inspire New Products – To a Point
With product life cycles becoming ever shorter, today’s key to market success is speed — continuously creating new items or ever more novel iterations of old ones. Nissan, for instance, has succeeded in a tough automotive market by focusing on frequently designing new models. Logitech has produced a string of ever-changing mice and keyboards in the computer industry. This emphasis on rapid change means that finding ways to motivate product development managers has become critical to business success.
Tower Automotive Union is Rejected
Workers at Tower Automotive in Madison, Miss., voted 162-18 against joining the United Steelworkers of America. Tower is a major supplier for Nissan’s new automotive plant in nearby Canton, Miss.
Jasper Engines & Transmissions Becomes “Silver” Sponsor of the Car Care Council Women’s Board
Jasper Engines & Transmissions has signed on as a “Silver” sponsor of the Car Car Council’s Women’s Board activities for 2004. The Car Care Council Women’s Board recently expanded its sponsorship program in order to support all of the Women’s Board activities for the year.
Duraline Pres-On Abrasives and Future Abrasives Co. form Global Abrasive Products, Inc.
Duraline Pres-On Abrasives Inc., LLC and Future Abrasives Co. recently merged to form Global Abrasive Products Inc. (GAP), a service-driven abrasive supply and manufacturing company. This merger makes Global Abrasive Products Inc. one of the largest abrasive convertors in the U.S.
Executive Interview with Kathleen Schmatz, President and CEO of AAIA
Our latest edition of “Executive Interview” features Kathleen Schmatz, President and CEO of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA). Schmatz became president and CEO of AAIA on Jan. 1, 2004. She had served as executive vice president of the association since January 2002. In addition to filling us in on her first few months at her new post, Schmatz shared with aftermarketNews.com updates on AAIA’s merger with AWDA, Right to Repair legislation and the Be Car Care Award Campaign.
Herman Trend Alert: Transnational Job Movement
Many Americans are upset about the migration of jobs to countries like India and China. While the perception is that a huge proportion of jobs is permanently leaving the U.S., the reality seems to be considerably different.
Grote Unveils New Product and Technology Information System for Distributors and Installers
Grote Industries has launched a new set of catalogs and training materials for distributors and installers. The new system contains information about the company’s products and underlying technology, including information to facilitate product specification, selection, installation and troubleshooting.