BorgWarner in Right Place to Compete
BorgWarner Inc., the new auto supplier on the block in Auburn Hills, Mich., has a competitive edge that hasn’t gone unnoticed on Wall Street. While some automotive-related stocks have seen double-digit declines in the past year, BorgWarner has seen double-digit gains. And, even with the difficulties faced by auto stocks, BorgWarner has continued to get favorable marks from Wall Street analysts.
MEMA to Honor Rep. Mike Rogers as ‘Industry Champion’
The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) has selected Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) as the 2005 recipient of the “Joseph M. Magliochetti Industry Champion” award. Rogers will be honored during an award presentation on Thursday, June 9, at the MEMA Legislative Summit in Washington, D.C. MEMA established the Industry Champion award in 2004 in the memory of Joseph M. Magliochetti, who served as the chairman and CEO of Dana Corp. until his death in 2003. The award celebrates and recognizes those who have worked diligently on behalf of automotive parts manufacturers in the United States. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-Mich.) were the first recipients.
ArvinMeritor and Meritor WABCO Unveil New Medium-Duty Hydraulic ABS/Disc Brake Package
ArvinMeritor and Meritor WABCO Vehicle Control Systems have unveiled their new Premium Hydraulic Braking System for medium-duty truck and bus applications. Meritor WABCO is a joint venture of ArvinMeritor and the WABCO Automotive Products Group of American Standard Companies Inc. The package includes Meritor WABCO’s Hydraulic Power Brake (HPB) — the next-generation of its hydraulic actuation and anti-lock braking system (ABS) — and the Meritor Quadraulic hydraulic disc brake. The package is available immediately for North American original equipment manufacturers’ vehicles.
Navistar Wins Department of Defense Contract for Afghanistan Rebuilding Program
Navistar International Corp. has won a contract from the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) to provide vehicles for the Afghanistan National Army to conduct operations in support of rebuilding and providing stability in Afghanistan. The contract has a potential value of $467 million.
Executive Interview with Dave Ellingen, President and CEO of Mitchell 1
Mitchell 1 got its start back in 1946 when Glen Mitchell started a business out of creating simplified parts replacement books. In those days, OE parts replacement books could be complicated and difficult for the counterperson to use. As a counterperson himself, Mitchell saw a better way to organize parts replacement books, and from his vision, Mitchell 1 was born. Dave Ellingen, president and CEO of Mitchell 1, shared with aftermarketNews.com some of his thoughts on the roadblocks to getting more repair shops to embrace technology, and how parts suppliers are working to move the effort forward.
Beck/Arnley Partners with Activant on eCatalog
Beck/Arnley, a leading supplier of replacement components for import vehicles, has teamed up with Activant Solutions Inc. to revamp the entire Beck/Arnley eCatalog data set. Beck/Arnley is an operating unit of Affinia Group Inc., Ann Arbor, Mich.
Babcox Produces First Publication in the U.S. for Hispanic Aftermarket Professionals
Servicio Automotriz, a new automotive repair magazine from Babcox Publications, is the first publication for Hispanic automotive aftermarket professionals in the United States. The mission of Servicio Automotriz, is to provide Hispanic readers with high-quality technical information in Spanish in order to help them advance in their automotive careers and stay current with the latest automotive technology.
Tower Takes Out GE Loan
Tower Automotive Inc., the biggest maker of vehicle frames, obtained a $50-million loan from a unit of General Electric Co. to help make up for a cash shortfall as customers stop paying in advance for parts. The Novi, Mich.-based company, which has posted losses in four of the last five quarters, will get about $44 million from GE Commercial Finance, using accounts receivable as collateral, according to a statement Tuesday.
Spring ASE Certification Testing Schedule Announced
The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) will offer its full complement of 40-plus certification tests for repair professionals and parts specialists this spring over the course of three evenings on May 3, 5 and 10, 2005. The tests will be given at more than 750 locations throughout the United States and Canada. The registration deadline is March 25, 2005.
Executive Interview with James Croston, Director of Marketing, Trico Products
Our latest Executive Interview features James Croston, director of marketing, Trico Products. As director of marketing for Trico Products, Croston has surfaced as a leader in today’s highly competitive automotive aftermarket. He has dedicated the last 15 years at Trico to developing new products that fill voids in the marketplace, educating the sellers and the buyers alike and finding better ways of communicating with potential and existing customers. Croston recently shared with us his opinions on the future of the wiper blade segment, as well as details about Trico’s recent product launches for the Innovision and Oktane lines.