Larry Samuelson Named President of U.S. Automotive Parts Group
Larry Prince, chairman and CEO of Genuine Parts Company (GPC), announced yesterday that Larry Samuelson has been named president of the U.S. Automotive Parts Group, effective immediately. The position was previously held by Bob McKenna, who departed in 2003. GPC CEO Tom Gallagher held the position in the interim. Samuelson is currently president and CEO of NAPA Canada/UAP Inc. He will continue to hold these responsibilities in addition to his new ones with the U.S. Automotive Parts Group.
Superchips Opens New Facility in Florida
Superchips Inc., manufacturers of Max MicroTuners, has opened a new facility in Sanford, Fla. The new 30,000-square-foot building houses Superchips’ corporate offices, manufacturing, research and development facilities.
Oxford Automotive Names Two to Top Management Positions
Oxford Automotive, a $1 billion Tier 1 supplier of specialized welded metal assemblies, has announced two key management changes. Jeffrey Wilson, current president of Oxford Automotive’s North American division, has been appointed president and COO of Oxford Automotive Inc. Patrick Flynn, current vice president of strategic planning, has been named CFO, replacing Martin Welch who resigned last week to pursue other interests.
Cooper Tire Ups Investments in U.S. Manufacturing Plants, Hires 116 Plant Workers
Cooper Tire & Rubber has increased capital equipment investments in three of its four U.S. tire manufacturing facilities. The company said this increase provides additional production capacity of more than 2.4 million units to meet the steadily increasing demand for the company’s tires. The $32.1 million investment will include the purchase of new tire building machinery and presses. An additional 116 manufacturing employees will also be hired.
ArvinMeritor to Sell Ohio Trailer Systems Business to Sypris Solutions
ArvinMeritor has announced plans to sell its Kenton, Ohio, trailer systems business to Louisville, Ky.-based Solutions. ArvinMeritor said the sale of the facility, which employs more than 200 people, will allow the company to focus strategically within trailer products on its core processes for the design and assembly of complete systems, which consist of axles, brakes, suspension and ride control. Once the transaction is complete, Sypris Solutions would become a long-term, key supplier of trailer axle beams to ArvinMeritor’s trailer assembly facility in Frankfort, Ky.
Bekaert Specialty Films Introduces Enhanced Automotive Film Cutting System
Bekaert Specialty Films (BSF) has introduced ComputerCut Version 3.0, a new enhanced version of its automotive window tint, paint protection film and vinyl graphics pattern cutting system. ComputerCut 3.0 maintains all the capabilities of earlier versions, but also offers a variety of new features, including the ability to manage a private image and pattern database, and to import custom graphics from programs such as Adobe Illustrator and Flexi Sign. In addition, ComputerCut 3.0 has a newly designed user-friendly interface, making the system easier to navigate and operate, according to the company.
Intermet to Close Havana, Ill., Foundry
Intermet Corp. intends to close its foundry in Havana, Ill., during the second quarter of this year. The company said the closure is necessary to rationalize excess production capacity and reduce costs. The facility, which manufactures ductile-iron castings for the automotive industry, currently employs 205 people, including hourly and salaried staff. The company will consolidate the plant’s equipment and products into other existing Intermet foundries.
SKF/CR Launches New Online Catalog
SKF/Chicago Rawhide has launched a new online catalog of bearings and seals for car and light truck applications. The online catalog is capable of searching by application, part number or by a manufacturers’ part number. Once a part is selected, a separate screen appears showing an image of the part, as well as the specifications and properties of the part. According to SKF, the online catalog offers the most up-to-date product information and also eliminates the use of printed materials.
Michelin, TRW Automotive Joint Venture Awarded Contracts for TPMS
EnTire Solutions, the joint venture between Michelin and TRW Automotive, has been awarded contracts with Honda and Fiat for its direct tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). Launched at the Tokyo Motor Show in October, EnTire Solutions is now supplying TPMS for the 2004 Acura MDX luxury sport utility vehicle and has also been selected by Fiat to provide advanced TPMS for a range of its upcoming European models. Other customers include several Hyundai, Kia platforms and General Motors.
Harris Interactive Launches Internet-Based Automotive Market Research Product; Names Head of Automotive Research Group
Harris Interactive, a global market research and consulting firm, has introduced enhanced Internet-based market research capabilities for vehicle manufacturers and suppliers. Harris Interactive has developed a consumer panel to be used exclusively for automotive market research. The firm’s automotive insights panel is comprised of a body of respondents identified from among its multimillion-member panel of online survey respondents. The panel can provide vehicle manufacturers and automotive suppliers with insight into consumer preferences, product knowledge, buying behavior and brand awareness. In conjunction with this announcement, Harris Interactive has appointed Scott Upham senior vice president of the Automotive & Transportation Research (ATR). Upham, previously of J.D. Power and Associates, will direct automotive research efforts for the company.