Car Suppliers Determined to Pass on Costs
Caught between a rock and a hard place, automotive suppliers say they are determined to pass on steep rises in raw material costs to their customers even as carmakers step up pressure for lower manufacturing costs.
APRC/PRSA-Detroit, Automotive Council Will Host Informative Program
APRC, along with the PRSA-Detroit’s Automotive Council, will host a program and panel discussion, “The State of Media Relations and Public Relations in China” on Tuesday, July 26, at the Automotive Industry Action Group in Southfield MI.
Casalbore Joins Conti to Head Passenger, Light Truck Tire Sales
Carl Casalbore, who recently left Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., has joined Continental Tire North America as director of passenger and light truck tire dealer sales for the U.S. and Canada.
Conti Set to Sell Bryan, Ohio, Plant
The Toledo Blade and international news sources have reported that Continental Tire North America (CTNA) will sell its Bryan, Ohio, OTR tire plant to Germany’s Roesler Group.
Live from D.C.: MEMA Members Go to Capitol Hill
Day two of the MEMA Legislative Summit began with an unexpected twist – a fire in the Rayburn Congressional building – where MEMA intended to start its day of lobbying. However, in true aftermarket fashion, MEMA members didn’t miss a beat. The attendees split up into 12 groups to meet in closed door sessions with representatives from the House and Senate.
Publisher’s Perspective: The Proliferation Puzzle
In the age of computers, you’re either a “PC” or a “Mac” person. I’m a PC person, and I’m currently typing out this column on my Dell laptop. In fact, Dell is the world’s top supplier of branded, personal workstations with a stunning 50 percent share of the worldwide market. When it comes to PCs, Dell is king. Dell’s commitment to forging good partnerships and developing products has been based on open, rather than proprietary, standards; it’s been the key to their success. This brings us to the automotive aftermarket, where proprietary standards are the norm. In our market, a sense of hyper-competition has fed a desire to differentiate from both a product and service perspective.
Advance Auto Parts Reports Record First Quarter Results, Announces Board Elections
Advance Auto Parts has announced record revenue and earnings for the first quarter of 2005, which ended on April 23. Earnings per diluted share for the first quarter were 94 cents, a 38 percent increase compared to earnings per diluted share of 68 cents for the first quarter last year.
de Louw Out as Head of CTNA
Continental Tire North America president and CEO and member of the Continental AG management board Martien de Louw has abruptly left the company.
Analysis: Top 100 Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers
For the third year in a row, global tiremakers such as Bridgestone and Michelin have come out on top of the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association’s 2005 Top 100 Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers list. In fact, the first five companies ranked are all tiremakers.
Automotive Communicators Honored for Outstanding PR Achievements
The winners of the fourth annual Excellence in Automotive Public Relations Award were honored April 28 at the Spring Conference of the Automotive Public Relations Council (APRC) held in Dearborn, Mich. The only award of its kind, the Excellence in Automotive Public Relations Award identifies public relations programs that have successfully addressed an automotive-related public relations issue with exemplary professional skill, creativity and resourcefulness. The annual award honors complete public relations programs that incorporate sound planning, execution and evaluation.