DENSO 2005 A/C Compressor Catalog Now Available
DENSO announced this week that its new 2005 catalog for A/C Compressors and Components is now available. The new print catalog offers expanded domestic coverage for DENSO’s First Time Fit brand A/C program, including popular Ford and General Motors vehicles such as the Ford F150 truck and the Chevrolet Cavalier. In addition, the program now includes coverage for popular Volkswagen, Nissan and Hyundai models.
American Automobile Manufacturers Have Invested More Than $26 Billion in U.S. Over Past Two Decades, Says AIAM
A new study released today by the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers (AIAM) finds that new American automakers have invested nearly $27 billion in new factories and created more than 55,000 new, high-paying jobs over the past two decades.
ALLDATA Releases 2005 First Quarter Computer-Based Training Disc
ALLDATA, computer-based automotive repair information and software solutions provider, has released its first quarter 2005 professional disc product to repair professionals nationwide. ALLDATA’s new release offers more than 60,000 pages of new OE information and more than 1,100 technical service bulletins.
GKN Driveline Acquires Velcon in Mexico
GKN Driveline has acquired full ownership of Celaya, Mexico-based Velcon, a joint venture company formed in 1979 by GKN and Grupo DESC, one of Mexico’s largest industrial companies. GKN has held a 49 percent share in the joint venture since it was established in 1979. The new GKN Driveline operating unit will be called GKN Driveline Celaya.
Automakers Sue California Over Emissions
Automobile manufacturers sued on Tuesday to block the world’s toughest vehicle emissions standards, adopted by California regulators in September to cut greenhouse gases. The manufacturers argue in their lawsuit the standards, which could set a precedent for other states, must by law be the responsibility of the federal government.
Many Recalled Cars Remain Unrepaired
Timothy Michaud died in May after falling from the tailgate of a Chevrolet pickup and suffering severe head injuries. The 19-year-old from Maine never knew General Motors Corp. had recalled the pickup two months earlier because the tailgate cables could corrode and snap. At the time of the accident, Michaud’s employer, which owned the used 2000 pickup, hadn’t received a recall notice, said Stephen Schwarz, an attorney for the Michaud family. The pickup was one of the millions of recalled vehicles that go unrepaired each year. Sometimes vehicle owners are at fault for not getting repairs. But some safety experts say automakers and federal regulators share the blame because they haven’t developed a better system to track whether a vehicle has in fact been repaired.
Executive Interview with Ron Pyle, President and Chief Staff Executive of the Automotive Service Association (ASA)
Every other week, aftermarketNews.com offers an interview with high-profile individuals in the automotive aftermarket. We give executives free rein to express their views on anything from the state of their corporations to recent legislative news to future trends in their niche markets. Here you see what matters to the newsmakers themselves.
Magna to Take Auto Parts Subsidiaries Intier, Decoma and Tesma Private
Magna International Inc. has made a $1.3-billion bid to take its three publicly traded auto parts subsidiaries private in a move the company says will help it win business from Japanese and South Korean carmakers.
Valeo Launches New Premium Aftermarket Wiper Blade Line
Valeo has announced the launch of a new line of premium wiper blades for the aftermarket, featuring the same technology as it uses in its OE product. “With original equipment design and quality and Valeo innovations such as Tec3 rubber, these wipers will ensure a long lasting quality wipe and continued customer satisfaction. Simply put, these wiper blades will wipe like new, longer,” said Marc Senaux, aftermarket business & product development manager for Valeo Wiper Systems North America.
Dura Automotive to Open Production Facility in Romania
Dura Automotive Systems today announced plans to open a manufacturing plant in Timisoara, Romania. The facility will produce a broad range of automotive components for automakers in Central and Eastern Europe. Groundbreaking will begin this month, with production expected to start in 2005.