Prolong Expands Retailer Lineup for 2005
Prolong Super Lubricants has announced a significant expansion into more retail stores this year. Prolong products will be carried in close to 15,000 retail stores in the U.S. in 2005, which the company said is a significant increase in the number of outlets over the prior year.
The Top Ten Newsmakers of 2004
For the first time ever, Counterman magazine and aftermarketNews.com bring you The Top 10 Newsmakers of the Year. Our editorial team took a look at some of this industry’s most influential leaders and selected the 10 we believe have had a direct impact on the success of the aftermarket in 2004. Beyond that, we believe these individuals have helped set the stage for an even more productive future for our industry.
Consumer Auto Parts Joins IAPA
Independent Auto Parts of America (IAPA) recently announced that Milford, Mass.-based Consumer Auto Parts, has joined the group as its newest member. Established in 1973, Consumer Auto Parts serves more than 3,000 installers from its 22 company owned stores located in Massachusetts and Southern Vermont. The company, led by President Merrill Cohen, has a mix of customers that is 50/50 installer/retail. Annual consumer sales for the last fiscal year were $35 million.
The Year in Review – A Look at the Top 10 News Stories of 2004
Whether you believe 2004 was a good or bad year for the aftermarket, no one can argue this was a big news year for our industry. The year included noteworthy shifts in leadership, mergers, acquisitions and more, most of which will significantly impact the industry for many years to come. Here’s a month-by-month look at what aftermarketNews.com considers to be biggest news events that happened in our industry in 2004.
Fine-tuning the Midas Touch
Alan Feldman, president and CEO of Midas Inc., may not share the ability of his company’s fabled literary counterpart, King Midas, to turn whatever he touches to gold, but much of what Feldman has touched in his 21-month tenure at the automotive aftermarket giant has had a golden effect on the company.
Coalition for a Level Playing Field Files Antitrust Suit Against Auto Retailers and Manufacturers
A coalition of 160 auto parts retailers and warehouse distributors, known as The Coalition for a Level Playing Field, have filed an antitrust suit in federal court in New York against AutoZone, Advance Auto, Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club and 13 auto parts manufacturers, including Dana, Ford Motor Co, Standard Motor Products and CARDONE Industries.
New Car Care Council Executive Board Created
The Car Care Council, which directs the “Be Car Care Aware” consumer education campaign, established a new Executive Board at a special meeting held last month in Detroit. Eleven industry executives were named to the new board, which will provide a leadership and oversight platform to the council.
Bill France, Sr. to Be Inducted Into Hall of Fame
Bill France, Sr., the man who founded NASCAR in 1947 and established the family dynasty that still rules the sport, will be one of eight inductees into the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Mich., on Oct. 5.
Johnson Controls to Acquire Grupo IMSA Automotive Battery Business
Johnson Controls announced that it is acquiring 100 percent ownership of Grupo IMSA, a joint venture automotive battery business that the company shared with a group of Mexican and South American partners. Grupo IMSA is the leading automotive battery producer in Mexico and South America. The company reported fiscal 2003 sales and operating income for the business of $429 million and $88 million, respectively. Johnson Controls has been a major customer of the joint venture since it was formed in 1998.
National Pronto Association Adds Fourth New Shareholder This Year
National Pronto Association announced yesterday that Ken Smith Auto Parts has become the newest shareholder to join the programmed distribution group. Ken Smith Auto Parts is the fourth auto parts business this year to become a shareholder of National Pronto Association. It is the second company to join the group in recent weeks. According to Bill Maggs, president of National Pronto Association, these new additions are part of a concerted effort to build Pronto’s network throughout the country.