Polk Presents Tenth Annual Automotive Loyalty Award Winners
R. L. Polk & Co. presented the 10th Annual Polk Automotive Loyalty Awards on Tuesday at the 2006 Automotive News World Congress.
R. L. Polk & Co.’s Ask the Industry Looks at the Value of Motorsports Marketing Programs
Racing. Fortune magazine has called it the “fastest-growing, best-run sport.” One in three Americans consider themselves fans. And, today, businesses across all industries want a part of the action.Over the past decade, motorsports marketing and racing sponsorships have become among the most successful and lucrative vehicles for building brand awareness, so much so that companies today have executives dedicated solely to building their brands through motorsports marketing efforts. For this week’s Ask the Industry, we asked a number of aftermarket businesses that are active in motorsports marketing and racing sponsorships to tell us what they get out of it and where they see it all heading.
Tenneco Automotive CEO Optimistic About New OE Business
Mark P. Frissora, chairman, CEO and president, Tenneco Automotive said the company is winning new OE business with its advanced suspension and emission control technologies. Its products are featured on more than 30 vehicle model premieres at the 2005 Frankfurt Auto Show (IAA).
Car Makers Cut Free Maintenance
In an effort to trim costs, car makers are eliminating their free-maintenance programs — a move that could cost drivers thousands of dollars in additional upkeep over the life of a vehicle. Now, however, a growing number of manufacturers — including some of the same brands that kicked off the free-maintenance movement more than a decade ago — are requiring new customers to pay for maintenance services like oil changes, tire rotations and other routine tasks that used to be free.
Henkel Teams Up with NASCAR Stars Bobby and Terry Labonte for Brumos Porsche 250 at Daytona International Speedway
Henkel in North America has teamed up with NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series stars Bobby and Terry Labonte as they race for the checkered flag in today’s Brumos Porsche 250 at Daytona International Speedway. The talented brothers will combine their skills to champion the No. 44 Doran Racing Pontiac Doran sponsored by Henkel, its Loctite brand, and Daytona USA.
Executive Interview with Guy Bargnes, Director of Marketing, North American Operations for BASF Corp. Refinish Group
Guy Bargnes has spent his entire life in the collision repair industry. He was born and raised in Buffalo, NY, where his father ran a family business, V. H. Bargnes Co., Inc., which distributed automotive paints, supplies and equipment to area collision shops. In 1992 Bargnes joined BASF full-time, and he is now director of marketing, North American Operations, for the Refinish Group. Bargnes recently sat down to a phone interview with aftermarketNews and shared with us some of the insights from his lifelong career in the industry. Join us as Bargnes talks about BASF’s four leading principles, trends in the refinish business and the return of paint companies to industry trade shows.
Cleveland-Based Buyout Firm Acquires Phillips & Temro Industries
Morgenthaler Partners, private-equity buyout firm based in Cleveland, Ohio, has acquired Phillips & Temro Industries (PTI), a supplier of products for diesel engine related markets. Phillips & Temro supplies cold start and emissions control products to both the aftermarket and original equipment market through its brands ZeroStart, Temro, EM Products, Cowl and Cab Power.
J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Gas Mileage Concerns Influence SUV Shoppers
Concerns about gas mileage continue to influence new-vehicle shopping, particularly among consumers who consider purchasing SUVs, according to the 2004 J.D. Power and Associates Escaped Shopper Study. The study, which examines the reasons new-vehicle shoppers consider but reject a vehicle finds that approximately 15 percent of new-vehicle buyers reject a model due to its gas mileage.
Flat Auto Part Prices Result in Lower Margins for Entire Supply Chain
The prices consumers pay for motor vehicle parts and equipment have increased very little since 1982, which has made growth in margins difficult, according to the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA). In an analysis of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) appearing in MEMA’s bimonthly newsletter Market Analysis, the index shows that prices for auto parts have grown very little in the 22 years following the resetting of the CPI in 1982.
Executive Interview with Tom Ward, President, Snap-on Diagnostics
Our latest edition of “Executive Interview” features Tom Ward, president of Snap-on Diagnostics, a global business focused on improving technician and workshop productivity around the world. Join us as Ward gives us an inside look at Snap-on Diagnostics, including information on some recently launched products. Ward also talks about the trends and challenges in automotive diagnostics and repair and how the division works to address these issues.