This week’s top story is a bit unconventional, but perhaps that is what made it such a popular read. Not actually a news story, it is a special message from aftermarket parts manufacturer Affinia Group. In this message, supplied to aftermarketNews by Affinia’s Global Brake & Chassis Division, the company alerts readers to a new concern regarding ‘lightweight’ rotors. Affinia believes the decision made by some manufacturers to reduce plate thickness by expanding the air gap and reducing the weight of their rotors can lead to serious consequences.
Another popular news item this week brought word of bad news at one of Daimler’s truck divisions. It was reported earlier this week that Daimler will close its Sterling Trucks division and will eliminate 3,500 jobs. According to a company spokesman, the Sterling division, which makes medium-size trucks, "never met expectations." Daimler is one of the world’s biggest producers of heavy duty vehicles.
In more positive news, National Pronto Association held its annual Fall Shareholders meeting late last month in San Diego. At the meeting, which was attended by more than 300 Pronto members, warehouse owners and vendors, the group presented a number of awards. Among the awards presented were Executive of the Year, Supplier of the Year and numerous top vendor awards.
Aftermarket companies looking for a little more insight into developing market situations need to look no further than R. L. Polk & Co. The company announced this week that it will begin offering its Vehicle Statistics reports to the automotive aftermarket. According to Polk, users will be able to track all newly-registered vehicles in the United States and identify when new models leave the showroom and hit the road, providing valuable insight into assessing market trends.
The final item in our recap of the top stories of the week brings news of a new addition to Beck/Arnley’s product management team. William P. “Paul” Brosius recently joined Beck/Arnley as a product specialist. In this role, he oversees various categories within the engine filtration and engine management product modules, and reports to Tom Fritsche, director of product management for Beck/Arnley.
