SKF to Continue as Roush Racing Sponsor
SKF USA Inc. and Roush Racing have signed a new sponsorship agreement that features SKF as the primary sponsor of Jeff Burton’s No. 99 Ford Taurus for two NASCAR Nextel Cup events: February 22 in Rockingham, N.C., and March 14 in Atlanta, Ga.
Siemens VDO Automotive to Establish Diesel Systems Group; Focus on R&D, Testing
Siemens VDO Automotive has announced plans to establish a new division with headquarters in Columbia, Richland County, S.C. The new division — Powertrain Diesel Systems North America — will become a national center for research and development, engineering and testing of diesel fuel technology, including piezo electronic fuel injectors, diesel pumps and fuel rails, said the company. The company will invest $25 million in the new facility, which will employ 120 people, 70 of whom will be new hires from the region.
CBS Segment Featuring ASA’s Ron Pyle Sparks Criticism from Insurers, Repairers
The Automotive Service Association’s (ASA’s) Chief Staff Executive Ron Pyle was recently featured in two CBS programs that addressed the issue of insurer-owned body shops. A number of insurers and repairers responded negatively to the segment, including the National Auto Body Council (NABC), which sent a stern letter to CBS News stating that the segment didn’t live up to its sensationalized billing, when Dan Rather told the viewing audience to stay tuned to see how consumers are possibly being ripped off by collision repair shops.
Edelbrock 2004 Catalog Now Available
The new 2004 Edelbrock Catalog for American Cars & Trucks is now available. Sporting a historic cover shot of Vic Edelbrock Jr. with his father’s just-restored ’32 Ford Roadster, the new catalog has 244 pages of automotive parts including manifolds, shocks, cylinder heads, fuel pumps, carburetors, camshafts, headers, crate engines, etc. It is also the company’s largest catalog to date.
PERA Announces Schedule for 2004 Marketing and Technical Program
The Production Engine Remanufacturers Association (PERA) has announced the schedule for its 2004 Marketing and Technical Program, which is slated to take place April 1-3 at the Seelbach Hilton Hotel, in Louisville, Ky.
Tower Takes Charges, Posts Loss
Tower Automotive Inc., the world’s largest maker of vehicle frames, had a fourth-quarter loss of $24.7 million because of expenses for restructuring operations and writing down assets. The loss was 43 cents a share, compared with profit of $17.3 million, or 29 cents, a year earlier. Sales rose 5.2 percent to $717 million from $681.6 million, the Novi-based company said.
Tower Plant Move to Affect Nearly 500 Employees
Earlier this week, Tower Automotive announced that in 2005 it will move production of Dodge Ram frames from its facility in Milwaukee to a plant in Mexico. In response to this news, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ran a story detailing the impact this move with have on Wisconsin’s manufacturing base. According to the Sentinel report, nearly 500 Milwaukee factory workers will lose their jobs as a result of the move. Almost 80,000 factory jobs have already disappeared from Wisconsin since 1999, the article stated.
ASA Chief Staff Executive Addresses Consumer, Insurer Issues on Two CBS Programs
The Automotive Service Association (ASA) and its Chief Staff Executive Ron Pyle played a significant role in two CBS programs that addressed the issue of insurer-owned body shops. Pyle was recently interviewed at ASA’s headquarters in Bedford, Texas, and appeared Wednesday, Feb. 11, on the “CBS Evening News” during its “Eye on America” segment. On Thursday, Feb. 12, Pyle provided follow-up coverage on this issue when he was interviewed again by CBS during an appearance on “The Early Show.”
CBS News to Address Insurer-Owned Shop Issues This Week, ASA’s Ron Pyle to Be Featured
Two CBS programs are scheduled to address the insurer-owned body shops issue this week. The first program is slated to air today, Wednesday, Feb. 11, on the CBS Evening News during its “Eye on America” segment. Ron Pyle, ASA’s president and chief staff executive, was recently interviewed for the segment at ASA’s headquarters in Bedford, Texas. Pyle will provide follow-up coverage on this issue when he is interviewed again by CBS during an appearance on The Early Show Thursday, Feb. 12.
New Ideas Should Help Old Favorite
After getting whacked by big upheavals in the automotive supply world, the wobbly SAE World Congress, Detroit’s biggest and most important trade show, seems to be finding its legs again.