Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance Holds Annual Winter Meeting in Sunny Florida
The shareholders of Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance, Inc. gathered in Boca Raton, FL, for the group’s annual winter meeting held Dec. 2-6. Each shareholder of the Alliance was represented. The meeting is a culmination of the past year’s efforts of Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper parts stores and certified service centers. Reports and breakout meetings focusing on marketing, product and education were reviewed. New vendors were reviewed and approved and the 2007 marketing strategy was presented.
United Components Completes Sale of Its Flexible Lamps Unit
United Components, Inc. (UCI) has completed the sale of its Flexible Lamps business unit. The sale price for the transaction was approximately $39 million, subject to post-closing adjustments. The sale of Flexible Lamps, a U.K. manufacturer of lighting systems for commercial vehicles, follows UCI’s divestitures earlier this year of the company’s Neapco and Pioneer business units. These divestitures further UCI’s "Centers of Excellence" strategy, allowing the company now to devote full focus and attention to its core automotive aftermarket businesses: Airtex Products (fuel systems), ASC Industries (cooling systems), Champion Laboratories (filtration) and Wells Manufacturing (engine management).
Car Care Guide PSA to Air During Two Guys Garage and Truck Universe on SPEED Channel
Television public service announcements (PSA) highlighting the Car Care Council’s new Car Care Guide will air throughout the seasons of Two Guys Garage and Truck Universe on the SPEED Channel, beginning at the end of October.
Visteon Celebrates Opening of $10 Million Technical Center in India
CHENNAI, India — Visteon recently announced the opening of a new technical center in India. The $10 million Visteon Technical and Services Center, located in Chennai, India, is set to become Visteon’s center of excellence for automotive embedded software, providing support to Visteon globally, including joint ventures and aftermarket business. The Indian arm of Visteon
Advance Auto Celebrates 3,000th Store Opening
Advance Auto Parts opened its 3,000th corporate store yesterday in Salina , KS . The Salina store is part of the company’s Western area, which spans from the Great Lakes to Texas and west to Colorado . This particular region has experienced significant organic growth, according to the company, with more than 170 new stores opening since 2004. Advance currently has more than 600 stores that employ more than 6,000 team members in this region.
Visteon Reports Second Quarter Net Income of $50 Million
For the second quarter of 2006, Visteon reported net income of $50 million or 39 cents per share compared to a loss of $1.2 billion or $9.85 per share in the second quarter 2005. For the second quarter, product sales were $2.86 billion and services sales were $138 million. Sales for the same period a year ago totaled $5 billion. Product sales were lower by $2.14 billion due to the Oct. 1, 2005, transaction with Ford that transferred 23 Visteon facilities to Automotive Components Holdings (ACH), LLC, a Ford-managed business entity.
Tomorrow’s Technician Editor Serves as Team Judge to Winning Team in National Student Auto Skills Competition
Earlier this week, 50 two-person student teams from across the country competed against each other, and against the clock, to accurately diagnose and fix vehicles in the 2006 Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills National Finals. The competition took place June 27 in Dearborn, MI. Two aspiring techs Bradley Bolton and Aaron Clay, seniors at Paris High School in Paris, TX, only needed 29 minutes and 34 seconds to accurately diagnose and fix their Ford Mustang Convertible and win the 2006 Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills national finals on Tuesday. Ed Sunkin, editor of Tomorrow’s Technician, a B-to-B automotive tech magazine that is distributed to 1,200 NATEF-certified schools, reaching more than 50,000 automotive technician students, served as a Team Judge for the Paris, TX, duo.
Visteon Begins Production in Slovakia, Strengthens Manufacturing Footprint in Eastern Europe
Visteon has begun producing automotive components at its new manufacturing plant in the Slovak Republic. The company’s investment in the Nitra plant was announced in October 2004. The facility manufactures interior and climate control products and gives Visteon a manufacturing base to serve the rapidly expanding automotive market in Slovakia and Eastern Europe.
ACDelco Congratulates Its Technician Of The Millennium IV Regional Semi-Finalists
Only 40 technicians remain in ACDelco’s fourth annual Technician of the Millennium (TOM) IV Regional Semi-Finals. These 40 automotive service professionals – whose Independent Service Centers (ISCs) participate in ACDelco’s Total Service Support (TSS) program – will compete against the clock – and each other – in ACDelco’s Technician of the Millennium (TOM) IV Regional Semi-Finals.
Ford Taps Hella to Join Family of Strategic Suppliers
Ford Motor Co. has chosen Hella KGaA Hueck & Co. to join Ford’s family of strategic suppliers. Hella develops and manufactures components and systems for lighting and electronics for the automotive industry, including advanced driver-assistance systems enhancing safety and comfort.