Snap-on announced it is offering an add-on component that attaches to certain toolbox models and provides a secure, powered station for technicians to charge tools and batteries.

The Master Series PowerCab (KRL1099) fits on the side of any double bank or larger 1000 Series Snap-on Roll Cab. It is a lockable, vertical drawer bank with built-in power access that the company said offers plenty of space to hold the most commonly used cordless and air powered tools so that they are fully charged and easily accessible.

“Having the ability to recharge their tools is a ‘must have’ as technicians are using more and more cordless power tools,” said Chris Potter, president of tool storage for Snap-on Tools. “PowerCab makes it easy for technicians to be better organized because all of their power tools are at their fingertips. They won’t have to waste any more time trying to untangle cords or move tools around to find the right one. This could translate into huge time savings and improved productivity.”

Polk has launched a new monthly online report for the light and commercial vehicle aftermarket. Polk says the Market Entrance Report, available within days of the end of each month, provides detailed information on new vehicles that have entered the market and enables customers to make timelier product planning decisions.

The Market Entrance Report is available independently or in conjunction with Polk’s National Vehicle Population Profile Online (NVPP). Polk says the monthly report, which leverages Polk’s new vehicle registrations in the United States, provides up-to-date and timely information on vehicle counts and month-over-month volume changes to help component suppliers, retailers and distributors in the light and commercial vehicle markets.

After two consecutive weekly increases, the national retail price of on-highway diesel dipped 0.9-cent to $2.951 per gallon during the week ending Monday, Sept. 27. The price of diesel is 35 cents higher than the same week last year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration.

Diesel prices declined in all regions except the West Coast and New England, which were up 0.1-cent and 0.7-cent, respectively. The Rocky Mountain region enjoyed the largest decline at 2.3 cents, followed by the Midwest at 1.6 cents.

As usual, prices were highest in California at $3.139 a gallon, followed by $3.121 in other West Coast states. The nation’s least expensive diesel by region, $2.883, was found in the Gulf Coast region.

Average retail prices for all regions are available on EIA’s website.

New Life Transport Parts Center announced it is the exclusive distributor of Dorsey Trailer parts.

According to the announcement, “Adding the Dorsey trailer line of parts to New Life’s extensive product offering continues to make New Life your ‘one true source’ for truck and trailer parts.

New Life operates seven U.S. locations.

The 2010 International Big R Show will feature a complimentary session on how to transform diesel engines into liquefied petroleum gas engines on Oct. 31 at the Las Vegas Hilton.

The session will be presented by Clemens Ortgies of BU Drive USA and Germany along with Ronny Fritsche of the University of Bayreuth in Germany.

The session will cover how to remanufacture and upgrade used truck or stationary engines into gas-powered engines that conserve resources and are environmentally friendly. These newly developed engines will cut purchases and operating costs by 30 percent over those of conventional engines. This particular market has developed because engine manufacturers cannot justify the investment needed to develop special engines for such a small market, according to the announcement.

For complete details on the program of events and how to register for the BIG R Show, please visit www.BIGShow.com or call 703-968-2772.

FleetPride, Inc. announced it acquired Southwest Brake & Parts which has eight Michigan locations – Detroit, Burton (Flint), Hazel Park, Jackson, Lansing, Mt. Pleasant, Saginaw and Wixom.

Southwest Brake & Parts was founded in 1958 by the Holaski family. According to the announcement, employment offers have been extended to all employees.

“As one of the leading heavy-duty truck parts distributors in Michigan, Southwest Brake & Parts brings longevity, a track record of steady growth, a reputation for parts availability and a dedication to outstanding service,” said Lee Stockseth, FleetPride’s chief operating officer. “We are excited that in this one event we are able to add eight prime locations in new FleetPride markets, all with knowledgeable, long-term employees, perfectly suited to our FleetPride culture.”

W.M. McGee, FleetPride president and CEO, added “As we continue to analyze potential business opportunities in specific markets, we consider a myriad of factors including size, location, sustained profitability, management and employees, complimentary product lines, and reputation in the industry. Whether a company has one or multiple locations, FleetPride is looking for strong, independent organizations that enable us to quickly expand our national footprint. The driving force behind each acquisition is whether or not it will ultimately add value to FleetPride, expand our customer base and enhance our ability to serve existing customers. Southwest Brake & Parts fits all of our qualifications and demonstrates our ability to acquire and integrate a company of this scale into our FleetPride family.”

Kenworth Truck Co. will showcase a T370 diesel-electric hybrid tractor at the 10th annual Hybrid Truck Users Forum Sept. 28-30 at the Hyatt Regency in Dearborn, Mich. The national forum brings together fleets, suppliers and manufacturers to examine the latest in hybrid technology for the trucking industry.

The T370 diesel-electric hybrid tractor will participate in the HTUF Truck Convoy through the streets of Dearborn Thursday, Sept. 30. The Kenworth hybrid also will participate in the HTUF Ride and Drive later that same day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Andy Douglas, Kenworth national sales manager for specialty markets, will give a 20-minute briefing on the latest in Kenworth’s environmentally friendly trucks starting at 3:50 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 28, the opening day of the HTUF event.

Kenworth offers T270 Class 6 and T370 Class 7 diesel-electric hybrid trucks for utility, pickup and delivery, and service applications. Kenworth hybrid tractors, available up to 55,000-lb. GCW, are for local haul applications, including beverage, general freight and grocery distribution. Kenworth’s goal is to enhance fuel economy by up to 30 percent in both pickup-and-delivery and hybrid tractor applications and up to 50 percent in utility operations.

More than 5,500 attendees gathered at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., for the annual Snap-on Franchisee Conference to learn about the company’s latest products, as well as information and tools for managing their business.

The three-day business conference held in late August, which was attended by nearly 2,200 Snap-on mobile stores, also included a celebration to honor Snap-on’s 90th anniversary and pay tribute to all those who helped build and sustain the company.

“This milestone conference was the single largest gathering of Snap-on franchisees in our company’s history,” said Alicia Smales, vice president of marketing for Snap-on. “Not many companies get to celebrate a 90th anniversary. This year’s franchisee conference was a standout, not only because we paid tribute to our past successes, but because we had the opportunity to prepare our franchisees for the future. The SFC was an outstanding opportunity to help our franchisees stay ahead of the curve when it comes to the productivity solutions, business skills and technology that will help them grow their businesses.”

On display at the event was nearly 100,000 square feet of the latest hand tools, power tools, diagnostic tools and tool storage solutions from Snap-on. More than 150 new products were introduced, and franchisees had hands-on opportunities to speak directly to the engineers and product managers and learn the features and benefits of these new innovations. In addition, a variety of seminars focused on improving business performance and the customer experience, as well as increasing productivity and efficiency.

“The feedback we received from attendees has been enthusiastic and positive,” Smales said. “Our franchisees are experts when it comes to tools and information to help technicians in their jobs, and at the SFC, they were able to build on that expertise. They are really upbeat about their future with Snap-on.”

Bee Line Company introduced a new heavy-duty alignment system, a mobile variation of the company’s LC7000 Series computer alignment gauging system.

Bee Line said features of the new system include:

• The ability to gauge toe, rear tracking and camber, the top three causes of steer tire wear;
• The ability to easily self calibrate, ensuring the equipment is always accurate;
• The ability to align wheels to the centerline of the chassis, ensuring maximum tire life; and
• The ability to gauge the alignment of tractors and trailers very fast with a computerized system.

The package includes a laptop computer with Bee Line’s WindSpeed alignment software and redesigned major components that the company said improves mobility and efficiency, including new wireless gyro alignment heads, 22000 Rear Axle Aligner and FPT8500 Floor Plates.

The company said transporting the equipment is practical in a van or trailer making

it ideal for performing onsite alignments.

For additional information, visit www.beeline-co.com.

New Pig Corporation introduced its Pig Oil-Only Weighted Blanket that it said is ideal for capturing fluid leaks and drips in windy, outdoor conditions.

The new product features a hydrophobic polypropylene filler that absorbs petroleum-based liquids but not water. New Pig said the blanket’s durable, spunbond outer shell is guaranteed to resist UV rays for 12 months and repels water to preserve the efficiency of the filler. Heavy-duty seams form self-contained pockets within the blanket to maximize coverage area and keep the filler evenly distributed. Additionally, ballasts provide extra weight and grommeted corners allow the blanket to be staked down.

For additional information, visit www.newpig.com.