Nextel Debuts TV Spots with Gordon and Kenseth
Nextel Communications entered into the second phase of its NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series advertising campaign on Sunday, May 30, during the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C. Nextel unveiled two television spots featuring series champions Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth and their No. 24 and No. 17 racing teams, respectively.
Former Goodyear Exec Named Alcoa Cast Auto Wheels President
Former Goodyear executive Kevin Kramer has been named president of Alcoa’s Cast Auto Wheels division. In this role, Kramer will be responsible for the development and growth of Alcoa’s cast auto wheel business worldwide. Kramer comes to Alcoa after a 21-year career with Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. in Akron, Ohio, where he most recently served as vice president Original Equipment Sales, North American Tires.
Bendix to Add More Than 30 New Jobs at Ohio Headquarters
Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC, said it will add more than 30 engineers, information technology specialists and supply chain professionals to support its staff. The company said surging demand for its medium- and heavy-duty truck products has resulted in the need for additional staff. Bendix currently employs 1,800 in North America, including 450 at its Elyria, Ohio, headquarters.
ArvinMeritor Establishes Reman Facility in Plainfield, Ind.
ArvinMeritor Inc. Commercial Vehicle Aftermarket (CVA) group has established new remanufacturing processes at its U.S. remanufacturing facility to create heavy-duty reman aftermarket parts. The QS-9000 certified facility supplies parts under both Meritor and Euclid brand names.
AutoZone Sales Up 5.6 Percent
AutoZone has reported sales of $1.360 billion for its third fiscal quarter, which ended on May 8. That’s an increase of 5.6 percent from fiscal 2003. Same store sales, or sales for domestic stores open at least one year, increased 2 percent for the quarter, the company said.
Prolong International Reports First Quarter 2004 Results
Prolong International Corp., parent of Prolong Super Lubricants, Inc., manufacturer and marketer of patented consumer automotive, commercial/industrial and household products, has announced financial results for the first quarter, which ended on March 31.
Monro Muffler Brake Announces Fourth Quarter and Record Full Year Results
Monro Muffler Brake has announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and year, which ended on March 27. The company said the results were in line with the previously announced expectations. Full year sales increased 8.3 percent to $279.5 million from $258 million in fiscal 2003, driven by a 4.7 percent increase in comparable store sales. New stores added $10.9 million, including $3.5 million from the newly-acquired Mr. Tire stores. The company attributed comparable store sales results to an approximate 16 percent increase in scheduled maintenance, a 6 percent increase in brake sales and a 19 percent increase in commercial sales.
Advance Auto Parts Reports Record First Quarter 2004 Results
Advance Auto Parts has announced its revenue and earnings for its first quarter, which ended on April 24.
ArvinMeritor Wins Transmission Technology Dispute
The U.S. Patent Board of Appeals and Patent Interferences has issued judgment in favor of ArvinMeritor against Eaton Corp. on all claims in two related transmission patent interferences. The decision was rendered on April 29. The interferences involved an ArvinMeritor U.S. patent on torque prediction technology. Torque prediction is an enabling technology for some automated transmissions.
ArvinMeritor and Gillig to Collaborate on Emissions Reducing Technologies
ArvinMeritor’s Commercial Vehicle Systems plans to collaborate with Gillig Corp., on new emission control technologies for the North American transit bus industry. The announcement was made at the American Public Transit Association Bus & Paratransit Conference in Denver, Colo. Gillig, which manufactures heavy duty transit buses, is a 114 year old privately held corporation located in the San Francisco Bay Area.