Ford to Sell Ohio Tail Light Plant
Ford Motor Co. will sell a plant that makes lights as part of its plan to rid itself of its automotive components holdings unit, the automaker said Tuesday. The plant, halfway between Toledo and Cleveland, OH, makes front, rear and signal lighting for about 60 percent of the company’s vehicles made in North America. Terms of the deal to sell the plant to Meridian Automotive Systems Inc. were not released. The deal is contingent upon reaching agreement with the United Auto Workers.
Valeo, Tata Group in Talks for Stake in Visteon
From AFX News Limited MUMBAI — French auto parts maker Valeo and India’s Tata Group are said to be in early talks to acquire a stake in New York-listed Visteon Corp, the Business Standard reported, citing sources close to the deal. Company officials declined to comment on market speculation, the paper said. A stake in
Affinia Expands Its Presence in India and China Through Joint Venture with MAT Holdings
Affinia Group has signed a joint venture agreement with MAT Holdings, Inc. to produce brake products in China and India.Through its subsidiaries, MAT Holdings specializes in the manufacture of automotive braking components, fencing, hardware, tools, air compressors and outdoor power equipment, as well as automotive aftermarket appearance and lighting products.
R. L. Polk & Co.’s Ask the Industry Looks at the Environmental Benefits of Remanufacturing
Last month in our bi-weekly Ask the Industry column we looked at the various ways automotive companies work to reduce their overall impact on the environment. With Earth Day just around the corner, we focus on one segment of the industry that has become known as the ‘ultimate form of recycling’ – remanufacturing.
R. L. Polk & Co’s Ask the Industry: Great Ideas for National Car Care Month Events
National Car Care Month (NCCM) officially begins in just under a week, but there’s still time to take a few cues from current NCCM participants and plan your own great event. To mark NCCM, automotive repair shops, parts stores, distributors and vocational schools throughout the country will offer free vehicle check-up events and car care aware fairs for consumers, according to the Car Care Council, the organization that spearheads the campaign. During these events, automotive technicians check the vehicle’s lubricants and fluids, windshield wipers, belts and hoses, the battery, tires and lighting. But many aftermarket organizations go way beyond simply offering vehicle safety inspections, developing events that showcase the aftermarket industry and also reach out to their communities.
Annual Convention Early-Bird Discount Ends Today
BEDFORD, TX – Today is the final day to qualify for early-bird registration for the Automotive Service Association’s (ASA) Annual Convention. The 2007 ASA Annual Convention will be held May 3-5 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, TN. Members who register before the early-bird deadline will enjoy significant savings. In addition,
Denso: Continually Improving
by Arianne Anderson Managing Editor, Counterman MARYVILLE and ATHENS, TN — Walking into the Denso manufacturing plants in Tennessee, all the typical sounds can be heard: moving belts, air compressors, fork lifts, beeping and buzzing. But, you also hear random jingles of classical music and other types of video game-like music, a by-product of the
Visteon Reports Fourth Quarter, Full Year Results
Visteon has announced fourth quarter and full year results for 2006. For fourth quarter 2006, Visteon reported a net loss of $39 million, or 30 cents per share, on total sales of $2.84 billion. EBIT-R for the fourth quarter of 2006 was a loss of $37 million, an improvement of $82 million over the same period a year ago. For full year 2006, Visteon reported a net loss of $163 million, or $1.28 per share, on total sales of $11.4 billion. EBIT-R for full year 2006 was $27 million compared with a loss of $388 million for 2005.
Truck-Lite Announces Executive Appointments
FALCONER, NY — Truck-Lite, a producer of lighting, wiring harnesses, mirrors, turn signal switches and safety accessories for the heavy duty truck, trailer and commercial vehicle industries, has announced several executive appointments this week. Tim Walker, formerly senior vice president of worldwide sales for Truck-Lite, has been named executive vice president, sales, for Europe and
The Top 10 News Stories of 2006
For the third year in a row, the editorial staffs of aftermarketNews and Counterman magazine take a look at the events that have had the most impact on the automotive aftermarket in the past year.