Portals Help Manufacturers Predict Delays in Material Shipments
It’s 10 o’clock on Sunday night — do you know where your raw materials, parts, components and sub-assemblies are? That shipment of motors from Taiwan? The load of automotive frame parts bound for the Port of Oakland that you’ll need a week from Thursday on a just-in-time basis? How about those disk drives and capacitors your materials chief ordered from a new supplier in China for your finished-goods assembly plant? Chances are, if yours are among the billions of dollars worth of goods crossing the Pacific Ocean — or any ocean, for that matter — you’re not sure where your cargo is.
Executive Interview with USA Industries President and Owner Vince Trapani
Vince Trapani, owner and president of USA Industries, recently took some time to talk with aftermarketNews.com. Trapani talked about the rapid growth his company has undergone since its founding in the mid-80s. He also shared his insights on the starter and alternator segment of the industry, competition from China and a recent factory visit from President Bush.
Street Glow to Sell a Portion of Its Ownership, President Steps Down
Street Glow, Inc., which produces performance lighting products for the aftermarket, has signed a letter of intent to sell a portion of ownership to a Chinese investment group called Street Glow (Hong Kong), Ltd. This group includes members from Street Glow’s long-time Chinese vendor which manufactures virtually all of the Street Glow brand of Auto-Neon and performance lighting products. With the sale comes some internal restructuring, the company said. Lou Merz, who joined the company in June 2003, has stepped down as president. John Bailey, Street Glow’s CFO since 1998, will assume COO duties and responsibilities. The company will not be naming a new president.
Visteon’s Pallash Emphasizes Keys to Success in Chinese Automotive Market
Robert Pallash, vice president and general manager of Visteon Corporation’s Asian Customer Business Group (CBG), recently spoke at the Automotive News China Congress in Beijing, where he emphasized five keys to success for operating in the Chinese automotive market.
White-Collar Jobs Also Exiting U.S.
Rows of engraved faces stare from plaques on the Inventors Wall. These are the faces of engineers who have made design breakthroughs used on some of the world’s most popular cars and trucks. All of the engineers work for Delphi, a Michigan company, at its Mexico Technical Center.
AASA: U.S. Trade Deficit Hurts Automotive Supplier Industry
The disparity between automotive parts exports ($48 billion) and parts imports ($74 billion) drove the U.S. auto parts trade deficit to $26 billion in 2003, according to the 2004 Automotive Aftermarket Status Report, just released by the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA).
Chinese Autobuyers Have No Brand Loyalty Yet
China’s thriving car market boasts huge business opportunities, yet automakers should put more effort into making the local consumers loyal to their products, according to a recent survey of three major metropolitan Chinese cities. The survey was conducted by market research company AC Nielsen, in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, China’s three major automobile markets.
Visteon Appoints New Director of Product Development for Asia Pacific
Following news earlier this week of the company’s continued expansion in the Asia Pacific region, Visteon has named Daniel Linder to the position of director of product development, Asia Pacific. Based in Shanghai, China, Linder will guide Visteon’s technical capabilities to support new business opportunities in the region, and will facilitate coordination with Visteon’s network of global engineering centers.
Visteon Continues Expansion in Asia Pacific Region
Visteon is continuing to expand in China and the Asia Pacific region. The company recently broke ground for its YanFeng Visteon Technical Facility and opened an Asia Pacific corporate office. The two new facilities in China will further support the company’s expanding business in the region. In 2003, Visteon recorded $1.5 billion in sales for Asia Pacific — an increase of approximately 25 percent from 2002 revenue of $1.2 billion in the region.
Ninth Annual GAAS Kicked Off in Chicago
While the theme of this year’s Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) — Leaner, Faster, Better — may connote the automated efficiency of a well-run machine, the true focus of the day’s numerous presentations was on the talented pool of people who make up that machine and how to make better use of them. “The core of any great business is the people,” said GAAS founder and chairman Mort Schwartz, who welcomed approximately 400 aftermarket executives to the event.