Midas Launches New Safety and Reliability Advertising
Midas is launching a new series of television commercials that feature everyday life stories to dramatize how people can depend on Midas automotive services to help customers keep their vehicles operating safely and reliably. With the focus on safety and reliability, the new commercials add a higher level of importance to the “trust” campaign that Midas began in March 2004.
Jeff Simmons to Drive for Team Ethanol in Place of the Late Paul Dana
The ethanol legacy will live on with the Indy Racing League (IRL). Rahal Letterman Racing, one of the leading open-wheel race teams in North America, announced yesterday the selection of Jeff Simmons as the driver for the No. 17 Team Ethanol Honda/Panoz/Firestone car. Simmons will replace Paul Dana who died in a practice accident March 26.
Delphi Outlines Transformation Plan
Delphi this morning outlined its strategy to prepare for its return to stable, profitable business operations through a broad-based global restructuring in order to complete the Chapter 11 cases for Delphi and 41 of its domestic U.S. subsidiaries in the first half of 2007 as previously announced. Delphi’s transformation plan is intended to allow the company to become competitive in the global marketplace.
HDA Founders Scholarship Awarded By Northwood
Northwood University has awarded its inaugural scholarship in Heavy-Duty Aftermarket Management from the recently created Heavy Duty America (HDA) Founders Fund. The award went to Chris Kugler, a senior from Waterford, MI. Kugler will graduate this summer from Northwood with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. His major was Aftermarket Management.
SEC Probes Dana Accounting Errors
Dana Corp., the largest supplier of light-truck axles, said Wednesday that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is investigating accounting errors that led Dana to restate more than three years of earnings. In September, directors of the Toledo-based company began investigating accounting problems related to inaccuracies in its commercial-vehicle business. They also hired an outside firm to conduct a separate investigation. During October and November, Dana’s directors reported the preliminary findings of the investigations and decided to restate financial statements for the first and second quarters of 2005 and for the years 2002 through 2004. Consequently, the firm Dana hired informed the SEC of the investigations and restatements.
MACS Presents Simon Oulouhojian Technical Achievement Award
Gunnery Sergeant Joshua Draper, USMC, was honored with MACS Simon Oulouhojian Technical Achievement Award at EXPRESS TRAIN! MACS 26th annual Convention and Trade Show. Created to honor the legacy of MACS co-founder, mobile A/C industry leader and technical training advocate Simon Oulouhojian, Sr., the Technical Achievement award recognizes and encourages efforts by mobile A/C industry service technicians to work to attain a high level of technical knowledge and proficiency. Gunnery Sergeant Draper is MACS certified and a Section 609 MACS Proctor Trainer helping to certify United States Marines in refrigerant recovery and recycling and A/C field repair.
Bosch Marks 100 Years in U.S.
Robert Bosch Corp. is celebrating its first 100 years in the U.S. With its high-voltage magneto ignition system for cars, Bosch entered the U.S. market in 1906 and helped pave the way for reliable motorization, according to David Coolidge, president of Bosch’s North American Aftermarket Division. Forbes magazine recently recognized that spirit of innovation and featured the leading auto part manufacturer in its Nov. 28, 2005 issue.
Bosch Wins Lincoln Award for Performance Excellence
The aftermarket division of Robert Bosch Corp. has won the 2005 Lincoln Silver Award for Progress Towards Excellence. Given by the Lincoln Foundation for Performance Excellence, the award recognizes any Illinois-based industry, service, health care, education or governmental entity for its organizational strength and performance as measured against the seven criteria of the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award – leadership, strategic planning, customer and market focus, information and analysis, human resources focus, process management and organization results.
IMACA Turns Section 609 Certification Program Over to MACS
The board of directors of the International Mobile Air Conditioning Association Educational Foundation (IMACA) has voted to discontinue and transfer its EPA-approved Section 609 refrigerant recovery and recycling certification program to the Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) Worldwide-Educational Institute Foundation (EIF).
Hytec Automotive Partners with DeBartolo
DeBartolo will announce the partnership with Columbus, OH-based, automotive aftermarket company, Hytec Automotive at a press event and reception to be held at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, NV from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Nov. 1.