Pep Boys Remodels Stores, Adds New Brands and Product Categories
Yesterday, Pep Boys celebrated grand re-openings at five newly remodeled stores in Jacksonville, Fla. The re-openings — which featured special retail and service promotions, ribbon-cutting ceremonies, remote radio broadcasts and a market-wide sweepstakes promotion — are part of a major “retail renewal” initiative that the company has undertaken.
SEMA Teams with Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum on Safety Safari Vehicle
SEMA and the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum are supporting the rebuild of a 1954 Dodge station wagon that will be an exact replica of the original NHRA Safety Safari vehicle which traveled across country 50 years ago to spread the word on drag racing safety to local car clubs, skeptical civic leaders and police.
Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum Unveils New Interactive Web Site
The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum has launched a new interactive Web site — http://museum.nhra.com — designed to give visitors a history of motorsports as well as information on museum programs and events.
Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion Gives Bowling Green $3.5 Million Economic Boost
When participants and fans cruise into Bowling Green, Ky., for the June 18-20 Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion, they’ll bring their hot rods, cool cars…and their wallets. It’s estimated the Reunion, presented by DuPont Automotive Refinishes, and now in its second year at Beech Bend Raceway Park, will generate more than $3.5 million to the Warren County area, which is more than 2.19 percent of the almost $161 million economic impact of tourism on Bowling Green for the year, according to the Bowling Green Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Pep Boys Chooses Continental Tire for Name-Brand Push
Pep Boys has selected Continental Tire to supply tires for the introduction of its name-brand tires. Pep Boys will begin selling Continental and General tires starting Sunday, May 16 at its network of nearly 600 stores. The addition of name-brand tires puts Pep Boys in a position to compete for a share of the $24 billion replacement tire business in the U.S.
Lextron Files for Chapter 11
Delphi customer Lextron Corp. has filed for bankruptcy protection a year after the company ended its contract with the Jackson, Miss.-based manufacturer. The contract cancellation forced Lextron to shut down its automotive production line, according to the TheDeal.com.
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.
Former Allied Signal President Michael Monti Dies
Michael Monti, former president of Allied Signal Inc., died Friday at age 66. A former MEMA board member, Monti retired from Allied Signal in 1995 after 37 years with the company. Before becoming president, he had worked as president of the Allied Fram division and vice president and general manager of the Bendix automotive aftermarket operation in Jackson, Tenn.
Auto Suppliers Under Pressure to Shift Production Abroad
A new study soon to be released by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) is showing that the pressure to move automotive manufacturing jobs abroad will continue, despite federal and local government efforts to maintain or increase industry employment levels in the U.S. The SAE will release the report at the 2004 SAE World Congress in Detroit next month. The study, which is still under development, will outline “best practices” for global automotive suppliers. The Odyssey study seeks to help suppliers understand how their global manufacturing operations will need to change and how best to make those changes to survive and thrive.
Walker Exhaust Announces Special Spring Trade Promotion
Walker Exhaust is offering a special spring trade promotion that enables undercar professionals to earn $25 gift cards, be entered into weekly $500 cash giveaways and participate in a sweepstakes drawing for a premium home theater system.