Babcox Editor Andrew Markel leads off this week’s top news stories, with his latest editorial. This time around, the Brake & Front End editor shares his thoughts on recent legislation passed in the state of Washington that will limit the use of copper and other toxins in car and truck brake pads starting in 2014. In his column, Markel writes, “I applaud the spirit of these new laws lowering copper levels in brake pads. Chances are that with the wide time horizons and aftermarket participation, all automakers and brake pad manufacturers will be able to meet the standards of the new laws without an impact to vehicle performance or consumer safety. The biggest issue bothering me is the lack of enforcement mechanism for the new law in Washington.” To read his entire column, click here.
The second most popular news item on AMN this week comes from the University of the Aftermarket, which just kicked off the final week of the 2009-2010 Leadership 2.0 program. The 26 members of the class reconvened Sunday evening on the campus of Northwood University in West Palm Beach, Fla., to begin the final week of the annual executive development experience for aftermarket professionals. A key element of this week’s session will be presentations of team research projects completed during the six-month intersession period. Each year, the team with the best research project, as judged by the class and University of the Aftermarket leadership, is invited to present its findings during the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS). The 2010 GAAS will be held May 18 and 19 in Chicago.
AMN readers also were interested this week to learn more about a new project from Raybestos and Hollywood Hot Rods. The Raybestos brand is sponsoring the build of a traditionally inspired 1932 Ford hot rod roadster pickup. Troy Ladd, a rising star in the world of hot rod and custom car builders, will tackle the project with his crew at Hollywood Hot Rods in Burbank, Calif. The Raybestos Roadster Pickup (RPU) will be given away to one lucky professional mechanic or DIY Raybestos customer as part of an upcoming summer 2010 sales promotion and the build process will be chronicled in national television, magazines, and exclusive Web site content. The project aims to celebrate Raybestos’ unrivaled brake and chassis product lines – with thousands of part numbers covering vehicles from the 2010 to the 1920s, from “late model to Model A.”
Swedish industrial firm Atlas Copco will open a new 131,000-square-foot national distribution center in Charlotte, N.C., this May. The new DC will distribute products under the Atlas Copco, BeaconMedæs, Desoutter and Chicago Pneumatic brands and is forecasted to process 476,000 orders annually, with an average of more than 1,000 parcels per day. The custom-fitted facility will become the central distribution point for a wide variety of compressors, medical gas equipment and industrial and vehicle service tools, as well as thousands of spare parts. The company said this increased parts capacity means the company’s customers in North America can now receive 24-hour delivery on all stocked parts.
The final item in our recap of the week’s top news comes from Schrader, which announced its sponsorship of the launch of a new three-in-one Web portal that addresses the specific TPMS needs of aftermarket retailers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and drivers. Schrader enlisted a range of safety and industry experts to discuss the implementation and impact of TPMS on the site, including Jackie Glassman, who served as chief counsel at the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) when the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation (TREAD) Act, which mandated TPMS for all vehicles in the United States, was passed. Industry association executives, environmental journalists and other experts also appear on the site, highlighting the safety, economic and environmental benefits of TPMS. The site can be access via TPMSMadeEasy.com, TPMSMadeRight.com or TPMSMadeSimple.com.
