Index To Decline, FTR Says

FTR Associates’ Shippers Conditions Index (SCI) for November dropped 2.5 points from the previous month to a reading of -6.1 reflecting seasonal tightening of shipping capacity. The SCI sums up all market influences that affect shippers; a reading above zero suggests a favorable shipping environment, while a reading below zero is unfavorable.

FTR’s January Shippers Update published January 6 reports that the trucking industry is currently in a stable phase with firm rates and modestly tight capacity, a situation that is expected to continue throughout much of the year, according to FTR.

Now that the revised federal hours-of-service regulations have been issued, the acute trucking capacity shortage that had been expected to hit in 2012 has been postponed until 2013.

“The final hours-of-service regulations recently issued by the FMCSA were not as onerous as originally feared,” says Larry Gross, senior consultant for FTR.

“The enforcement date of mid-2013 provides plenty of time for the inevitable court challenges to proceed without imposing additional uncertainty costs on shippers and carriers. Nevertheless, unless there are further changes in this or other new regulations, or a major economic slowdown between now and the middle of next year, we still project a major capacity shortage in trucking for next summer.”

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

Following are personnel changes and announcements in the trucking industry:

Barlow

* Phillips Industries has hired Rick Barlow as Eastern regional sales manager.

Betts

* Betts Springs has promoted William Michael “Bill” Betts to vice president. In this newly created role, Betts will lead sales and marketing for the Betts branded Spray Suppression business.

Young

* FleetPride announced two senior level promotions. Mike Paxton has moved from vice president business development and strategic planning to vice president of mergers and acquisitions, and Peter Pasdach moves from vice president Midwest region to vice president of business development.

* Compli, a provider of HR and compliance management software, has appointed Darrel Young as vice president of development.

Czarnecki

* Ancra’s Cargo Division announces the addition of John Czarnecki as sales executive for the Mid-States region with sales responsibility for Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia and Michigan.

* Bee Line has named Tricia Kane marketing communications manager.

Bosselman

* Chuck Bosselman, chairman of Bosselman Companies, lost his battle with cancer on Jan. 7 in Grand Island, Neb. surrounded by his family.

Wix Launches New Web Site

Wix Filters, a member of the Affinia Group family of brands, has launched ecoLAST.com, a special web site featuring ecoLAST oil filter benefits, an application look-up, a fleet savings calculator, technology information and more. The ecoLast line of direct replacement spin-on heavy-duty oil filters are said to double oil life and save fleets $100 to $200 per vehicle annually.

“Our new ecoLAST line of heavy-duty oil filters performs so well that it requires fleet managers to change the way they view their maintenance schedule,” says Mike Harvey, brand manager for Wix Filters.

“We created ecoLAST.com to give fleet managers a place to learn more about the technology and to see how much money they can save by changing their fleet to ecoLAST oil filters,” he adds.

Pulse Of Commerce Index Increased 0.2 Percent In December

The Ceridian-UCLA Pulse of Commerce Index (PCI), issued Jan. 11 by the UCLA Anderson School of Management and Ceridian Corporation, rose 0.2 percent in December following the 0.1 percent increase in November and the 1.1 percent increase in October.

Although December’s news is positive, the combined effect of the three consecutive positive months was not enough to offset the weakness of trucking last summer. The PCI in December 2011 is 1.2 percent below its June 2011 level.

In the past three months, compared to the prior three months, the PCI increased at an annualized rate of 0.5 percent. On a year-over-year basis, the PCI was down 0.7 percent in December compared to the 0.9 percent year-over-year increase in the prior month.

“Many Wall Street economists have jacked up their ‘backcasts’ for fourth quarter GDP growth to 3 percent but the PCI does not support this view,” says Ed Leamer, chief economist for the Ceridian-UCLA Pulse of Commerce Index and Director of the UCLA Anderson Forecast.

“The PCI measures inventories destined for factories, stores and homes, and the decline in the PCI in the third quarter correctly anticipated the large negative contribution of inventories to GDP growth.” With all three months of the fourth quarter now available, the PCI suggests fourth quarter GDP growth of 2.0 percent or less.

“With real retail sales growing more rapidly than the PCI over the last two quarters, however, the first half of 2012 may be an inventory-rebuilding period, allowing inventories to make a substantial contribution to GDP growth,” Leamer says.

Great Dane adds New Dealer For Southwest

Great Dane announces the addition of Border International to its North American distribution network. With full-service dealerships located in El Paso, Texas, and Las Cruces, N.M., Border International extends Great Dane’s reach within the region.

“We are excited to welcome Border International to Great Dane’s dealer group,” says Chris Hammond, vice president of dealer sales at Great Dane Trailers. “The management and staff hold their customers in the highest regard, and they strive, as we do at Great Dane, to deliver excellence at every turn. Great Dane and Border International will make an impressive team, covering much of the southwest.”

Border International offers sales, parts and service of Great Dane Trailers at both its locations. Most makes and models of trucks and tractors also are serviced at its 30-bay facility in El Paso and at its 12-bay facility in Las Cruces.

JX Peterbilt – Grand Rapids Expands Parts, Service Hours

JX Peterbilt – Grand Rapids announced its parts and service departments will stay open until midnight on weekdays to better meet the aftermarket needs of its customers.

The dealership offers full maintenance and repairs, parts sales, new and pre-owned truck sales and vehicle rental and leasing.

“We are responding to demand by providing greater convenience and helping customers maximize their uptime,” says Larry Raspor, general manager of JX Peterbilt – Grand Rapids.

The dealership’s parts and service departments are now open from 7 a.m. to midnight Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday. The truck sales department is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Meritor sells French manufacturing operation

Meritor, Inc. has completed the sale of the assets of its axle operation in Saint Priest, France, to Renault Trucks SAS. Terms of the sale were not disclosed.

“We believe this transaction takes us another step toward optimizing our footprint in Europe,” says Chip McClure, Meritor chairman, president and CEO.

“We will retain and continue to invest in our Lindesberg, Sweden, and Cameri, Italy, axle facilities with new housing technology, laser welding lines for our 17X and 18x carriers, robotic automations and advanced gear manufacturing capability.”

According to Meritor, Renault Trucks is expected to perform only final dressing and painting in the St. Priest, France operation. The divestiture affects nearly 400 employees at the France facility who will transfer to Renault Trucks.

Accuride Boosts North American Aluminum Truck Wheel Capacity

Accuride Corporation announced that it enhanced its aluminum wheel production capacity during 2011 through a combination of strategic acquisitions, key process technology investments and transfers of aluminum wheel machining lines within its operations.

These steps were part of a $35 million strategic initiative to boost Accuride’s ability to serve the commercial vehicle industry’s increasing demand for high-quality aluminum wheels.

“Many factors, including fuel economy requirements, residual value and aesthetics, are driving the growth in aluminum wheel demand in the North American commercial vehicle industry,” says Rick Dauch, Accuride president and CEO.

“Accuride is investing to ensure that we have the right production capacity in place when and where our customers need it, whether for steel or aluminum wheels. We’re also raising our standards for product dependability and finish to meet customers’ ever-increasing expectations.”

New Coalition To Design National Model For Electric Vehicle Deployment

A new coalition of executives from blue-chip companies in the transportation and utility industries announced it has come together to design a large-scale electric vehicle (EV) demonstration project that will help create a comprehensive national model for EV deployment.

The Electrification Leadership Council (ELC) is a coalition of key stakeholders throughout the EV supply chain who have the expertise and resources required to engage federal, state, regional and local agencies and coalitions, utility companies, vehicle manufacturers and financial institutions to help overcome the barriers to broad scale EV deployment.

ELC members include FedEx Express, Hertz, Navistar, Azure Dynamics, A123 Systems, CODA Automotive, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, ECOtality, Automatiks, GE Capital, large delivery service companies and vehicle manufacturers among other members, along with representatives from national, state and local agencies.

“Our council recognizes that no one entity can create a comprehensive solution for the broad scale deployment of EVs,” says Mark Aubry, vice president of Navistar’s eStar Electric Vehicle Brand.

“That’s why we have come together to create a public and private model that will help us understand what will be required to operate thousands of EVs within a community.”

The ELC’s strategy is designed to ultimately achieve the broader societal goals of fostering an EV industry, improving urban quality of life, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting energy independence, the coalition says.

The ELC’s initial task is to design its demonstration project which will focus on a large-scale deployment of EVs within densely populated local markets where all of the components of an EV Ecosystem can be brought together to better understand the interoperability between EVs and the electric grid across a variety of vehicle classes and applications.

For more information about the ELC, go to www.ELCouncil.com.

Charlotte Diesel Super Show Announces 2012 Dates

The 2012 Charlotte Diesel Super Show (CDSS) will be held Friday and Saturday, Oct. 5-6, 2012, at the zMax Dragway/Charlotte Motor Speedway Complex in Concord, N.C.

Attendees will once again have an opportunity to become participants and/or spectators during a weekend filled with truck drag races, the Custom Rigs’ Pride & Polish truck beauty contest, a mid-way filled with industry exhibiting companies and the Hooter’s wing eating contest.

There will be opportunities for attendees to do a test drive down the zMAX Dragway, watch jet funny cars, see live entertainment and much more.

“Last year’s event was yet another success and we are very excited to be returning to the zMAX Dragway for a third year,” says Alan Sims, vice president/executive director, Randall-Reilly Events Group.

Tickets will be offered beginning in March and can be purchased through the Charlotte Motor Speedway, through Ticketmaster or on-site. Adult admission is $20 for a two-day pass; tickets for children ages 7-16 are $10 for two days. Children 6 and younger can attend for free.

All events, exhibits, entertainment and parking are included in the purchase price.

To register to participate in the 2012 truck drag races, the Custom Rigs’ Pride & Polish truck beauty contest or for information on the fun drives, please contact the Randall-Reilly Events Group at info@truckshow.com or visit www.dieselsupershow.com.

Following are personnel changes and announcements in the trucking industry:

* Jim Edwards has joined East Manufacturing as western region manager.

* John Walsh has been named vice president of marketing for Mack Trucks Inc.

* Total Truck Parts has promoted Dale Haywood and Leo Cordeiro to its senior management team. Haywood will assume the role of manager of government sales and Cordeiro will assume the role of general manager.

Peary

* Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd. has appointed Tatsuo Mitsuhata as president and CEO of Toyo Tire U.S.A.

* Phillips Industries has hired Tom Pittam to fill the new position of global sales representative in Asia.

* Volvo Financial Services has promoted Stephen Yonce to vice president of Truck Financial Services for its U.S. division.

* James S. Peary has accepted the position of director, business operations for Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America.

Sippola

* Rick Sippola has been named director of business development for VHD Equipment Network, LLC, a subsidiary of Vipar Heavy Duty.

Trucking adds 3,600 jobs in November

The for-hire trucking industry added 3,600 new payroll employees in November, according to preliminary numbers released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

BLS, however, revised downward its preliminary figures for October by 600 jobs.

Compared to November 2010, trucking employment is up by 33,800 jobs, or 2.7 percent. Payroll employment is up by 62,600 jobs, or 5.1 percent, since the bottom of trucking employment in March 2010. The number of trucking jobs — nearly 1.29 million — remains 163,400 jobs below peak employment in January 2007.

The BLS numbers for trucking reflect all payroll employment in for-hire trucking, but they don’t include trucking-related jobs in other industries, such as a truck driver for a private fleet. Nor do the numbers reflect the total amount of hiring since they only include new jobs, not replacements for existing positions.

* Karla Hulett has been hired as the new chief financial officer of the American Trucking Associations.

* Minimizer has named Tim Trom to the position of vice president of operations and finance.

COLE HERSEE LAUNCHES COMMERCIAL VEHICLE WEBSITE

Cole Hersee, the commercial vehicle products division of Littelfuse, Inc., has unveiled its new website at www.colehersee.com.

According to Littelfuse, the intuitive and information-rich site makes product selection quick and straightforward. The website features hundreds of explanatory diagrams, a dictionary of terms and a wide range of technical specification documents, all easy to access, save and print.

The website offers robust ordering and bookmarking features, the company says. The new site also is said to make it quick and easy to download spec sheets, catalogs or catalog sections.

Dozens of new products are showcased on the new website, including products like the LVDs (low voltage disconnect switches) and the company’s expanded range of ignition switches.

FleetPride acquires Greeley Truck Parts

FleetPride Inc. has announced the acquisition of Greeley Truck Parts, a Greeley, Colo.-based independent heavy-duty parts store.

In operation since 1995, Greeley Truck Parts services agricultural, oil and gas and trucking companies in Eastern Colorado and the Northern Front Range corridor. Founders Kevin and Deborah Hieb will stay on, with Kevin as branch manager. Terms were not announced.

“We’re excited about Kevin and his team joining the FleetPride network,” says Lee Stockseth, chief operating officer of FleetPride. “With FleetPride’s broader product offering, including hard-to-find and specialty parts, as well as our nationwide delivery network, we are ready and committed to provide the same customer-focused service Greeley’s loyal customers have come to expect.”

W.M. McGee, FleetPride president and chief executive officer, says Greeley Truck Parts fits perfectly into FleetPride’s long-term growth plan, which is focused on organic growth and strategic acquisitions.

“We are constantly looking for successful and well-respected independent operators, and Greeley Truck Parts is an excellent example,” McGee says.

Fleetco joins Wabash National dealer network

Wabash National announced the addition of Fleetco. Inc. to its dealer network. Fleetco now is authorized to sell Wabash National dry and refrigerated vans in parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee.

“Partnering with Wabash National not only grants us access to the leading product in dry vans — DuraPlate — but also allows us to expand our product portfolio through ArcticLite refrigerated vans,” says Dale Broadrick, founder and chief executive officer of Fleetco.

Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., with additional locations in Memphis and Atlanta, Fleetco is a full-service dealership and one of the nation’s largest retailers of new and used semi-trailers. In addition, its Nashville location offers more than 1,500 trailers for lease.

FleetPride Inc. has announced the acquisition of Interstate Turbo Supply and McDowell Truck Parts.

FleetPride says the acquisition of Interstate Turbo supply in Commerce City, Colo. will provide a more diverse customer base, enhanced sales opportunities and an additional location to serve the needs of the heavy-duty parts industry in the Denver marketplace.

FleetPride also has added McDowell Truck Parts in Oswego, Ill.

FleetPride currently is operating in nearby Naperville and will merge these two locations into the McDowell facility.

FleetPride owns and operates 14 locations in Illinois.

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

Following are personnel changes and announcements in the trucking industry:

Weichmann

* Webb Wheel Products has promoted Adam Wiechmann to engineering manager for the OEM Business Unit.

* Blue Tree Systems has announced Steve Katz has joined its North American division as director of sales for U.S. markets.

* Red Dot Corp has announced the hiring of Jeff Sybil as OEM account executive responsible for business development.

Hazlett

* Accuride Corporation has appointed Charles M. Byrnes to the post of senior vice president of sales and marketing and Scott D. Hazlett as senior vice president and general manager of its Accuride Wheels business unit.

* Nelson Global Products Inc. has announced the appointment of Randy Aylor as general manager of the company’s aftermarket division.

* Meritor, Inc. has announced the appointment of John Clark as director of global brand management and marketing communications.

* Ancra International has promoted Ralph Abato to the new position of vice president of International Sales for its Cargo Systems Division.

* Phillips Industries has promoted two sales executives: Randy Walker to director of North American aftermarket sales and Ron Alvarez to director of global OEM/OES Sales.

CVSN introduces new officers

The CVSN has installed a new slate of officers and three new directors. The appointments were made at the CVSN Aftermarket Distribution Summit in Washington, D.C.

Marc Karon of Total Truck Parts in West Palm Beach, Fla. is the new president; Harry Amoroso of B&A Friction in San Jose, Calif. is vice president; Dave Willis of CRW Parts in Baltimore is treasurer; and Angelo Volpe of Jacksonville, Fla. is the CVSN executive vice president/secretary.

The three new directors installed were Tom Ogburn of Ogburn’s Truck Parts in Fort Worth, Texas; Dave Olsen of Transaxle in Cinnaminson, N.J.; and Todd Manson of Webb Wheel Products in Cullman, Ala.

Inland Truck Parts opens store in Wyoming

Truck owners and the oil field industry in Wyoming now will have direct access to truck parts and remanufacturing services with the opening of a new Inland Truck Parts location in Evansville, Wyo.

According to Inland, the store will be managed by area residents Marshal Smouse and Greg Woodin, who together have more than 50 years of experience leading truck parts and remanufacturing operations in Evansville and surrounding communities near Casper.

“Marshal and Greg bring exceptional product and technical knowledge and a proven track record for great customer service. We’re extremely excited they’ll be managing our Evansville location,” says Dave Scheer, president of Inland Truck Parts.

The Evansville store joins Inland Truck Parts’ network of 27 stores across the Midwest, including locations in Billings, Mont., Scottsbluff, Neb. and Rapid City, S.D. The store is the first Inland location in Wyoming.

For the latest aftermarket news, announcements and trends, visit truckpartsandservice.com

Bendix CVS launches remanufacturing unit

Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC has introduced a new business unit solely focused on remanufacturing.

Bendix says its new unit consolidates the company’s remanufacturing efforts and will expand its aftermarket business in North America and worldwide.

“Remanufacturing for Class 6, 7, 8 and trailers in North America accounted for $3.1 billion in 2010,” says Steve Mance, Bendix vice president and general manager, charging group. “Remanufacturing offers long-term growth opportunities for Bendix. With our long-established expertise in remanufacturing and deep understanding of market needs, we are well-positioned to expand our efforts and realize the significant growth potential in this area.

“Furthermore, the remanufacturing business will provide customers an opportunity to purchase remanufactured products that have the same level of performance they have come to expect from a Bendix product.”

By salvaging key components of returned products and reassembling them with other salvaged and new components, Bendix claims it can provide remanufactured products that meet OE specifications and ensure availability, even in peak demand years. And Bendix says engineers in the new business unit now can use components originally manufactured by other brands to bring remanufactured parts as close as possible to their OE specifications.

HDA Truck Pride adds American Truck Group

HDA Truck Pride announces the addition of American Truck Group in Gulfport, Miss.

American is an independent service provider, and will be added to HDA Truck Pride’s Truck Service Expert program. The addition of American Truck Group broadens HDA Truck Pride’s parts and service presence in the Gulf area.

With its parts warehouse, 16 repair bays and two wash bays, HDA Truck Pride says American operates 12 hours a day with additional 24-hour on-call assistance.

Power Heavy Duty adds members

Power Heavy Duty celebrates its 17th anniversary with the addition of 15 members to its supplier network.

The new associates bring Power Heavy Duty’s total number of members to more than 200.

The new members are: AD Brakes, San Francisco; Alliance Trailer Service, Madison, Wis.; Axle Service and More, Inc., Napa and Vallejo, Calif.; Blue Hen Spring Works, Inc., Milford, Del.; Dayton Clutch & Joint, Inc., Dayton, Ohio; Deaton Truck & Tire, Inc., Rome, Cartersville and Carrollton, Ga.; Original Equipment Company, Belle Glade, Fla.; Plaza Truck Service & Equipment, Carlinville, Ill.; Rowe Truck Equipment, Otterbein, Ind.; SN Diesel Service, Concord, Ontario; Snyder Bros. Sales & Service, Inc., Coshocton, Ohio; Springs and Suspension, Inc., Conley, Ga.; Suffolk County Brake Service, Inc., Bohemia, N.Y.; and Truckco, Inc., Leesport, Pa.

Vipar Heavy Duty adds members to network

Vipar Heavy Duty has announced the addition of three new distributors to its heavy-duty network.

All Truck and Trailer Parts of Commerce City, Colo., Linehaul Heavy Duty LLC of Fairfield, Ohio and J&J Operating LLC of Dickinson, N.D. are the new members.

According to Vipar, All Truck and Trailer Parts serves the truck market throughout Colorado. Linehaul serves both on-highway and vocational customers in the metro Cincinnati, northern Kentucky, southeastern Indiana and western Ohio area, while J&J Operating focuses on western and northern North Dakota, the company says.

TransAxle shows APRA members ‘green’ reman facility

TransAxle hosted the APRA (Automotive Parts Remanufacturers Association) Heavy-Duty Transmission Conference at its Cinnaminson, N.J. plant.

TransAxle also hosted a plant tour of its Cinnaminson location, where it had the opportunity to showcase its remanufacturing operations.

Dave Olson, TransAxle CEO, led the tour. During the tour, Olson was able to show the conference attendees TransAxle’s remanufacturing and green capabilities.

“Our newest facility that’s dedicated to remanufacturing Allison transmissions was built to ‘green building standards,’ like light sensors, low VOC paint, second life drywall and reclaimed lumber. So we are totally supportive of the green effort at every level,” says John Ferry, TransAxle general manager of branch operations.

Accuride announces sale of subsidiary

Accuride Corporation has sold its subsidiary Fabco Automotive Corporation to Fabco Holdings Inc., a new company formed and capitalized by Wynnchurch Capital, Ltd. in partnership with Stone River Capital Partners, LLC.

Fabco produces a broad range of steer drive axles, transfer cases, split shaft PTOs and other specialty products for the commercial severe-duty industry, Accuride says.

“Throughout its history, Fabco has consistently engineered and brought to market innovative solution-providing products, establishing it as a well-respected brand name in the heavy-duty commercial vehicle industry,” says Rick Dauch, Accuride president and CEO.

A new website has been launched as a truck history database to fleet managers, dealers and owner-operators.

By logging onto www.rigdig.com and typing in a truck’s vehicle identification number, truck buyers and sellers can get critical information to help make smart buys in an easy-to-use report.

“The launch of RigDig marks the first time buyers can check a truck’s background using a service designed specifically for the commercial truck market,” says James Vogel, RigDig general manager.

“By meshing a variety of data sources that track junk and salvage vehicles, total loss insurance claims, title and odometer brands, accidents, inspections, ownership, cargo hauled and CSA scores, RigDig gives truck buyers a level of confidence in making purchase decisions that’s unprecedented.”

RigDig was developed by the researchers at Equipment Data Associates, a division of Randall-Reilly Business Media & Information that has been compiling equipment-related information in trucking, construction and other industries for more than 20 years.

RigDig reports can protect the truck buyer from making bad investments by providing information on whether the truck may be:

* A junk or salvage yard vehicle

* A total loss insurance claim

* A DMV title brand, such as junked salvage or flooded

* Involved in a federally recordable accident

* Involved in a less-severe non-federally recordable accident

* Properly or improperly maintained

RigDig also can provide a truck’s original factory specifications so prospective buyers can see if the vehicle has been modified or changed.

A single report can be purchased for $34 each, and a pack of three reports can be purchased for $60. Also, there are monthly subscription plans available.

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

Following are personnel changes and announcements in the trucking industry:

Rocco

* Volvo Financial Services has hired Nicholas Rocco as vice president of retail operations for the company’s U.S. division.

* Aljex Software announces Joe Hirschmann has been named company president.

* Cole Hersee, the Commercial Vehicle Products (CVP) division of Littelfuse, Inc., has appointed Robert Zammitti as controller.

Broadmeadow

* Volvo Trucks North America has named Herb Broadmeadow vice president of national accounts, and Terry Billings vice president of U.S. dealer sales.

* Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems announces the addition of Richard Beyer as the new vice president of engineering, research and development.

* IMPCO Automotive has appointed two current sales team members to new director positions. Jay Sandler has been named director of OEM and fleet sales, and John Cocchiola has been named director of aftermarket and dealer sales.

Billings

* The Dana Holding Corporation’s board of directors has appointed Virginia A. Kamsky and Steve Schwarzwaelder to director positions. The duo will stand for election by all shareholders at the 2012 annual shareholder meeting.

* HDA Truck Pride has appointed Shawn Shumaker to the position of vice president of program management.

* Mack Trucks Inc. has named Stéphane Gauthier national fleet manager for its Eastern Canada territory.

Jewell

* Red Dot Corporation has appointed Bill Jewell as marketing manager for the company’s aftermarket business and Ron Hidalgo as marketing specialist, who will report directly to Jewell.

For the latest aftermarket news, announcements and trends, visit truckpartsandservice.com

Volvo, Mack to Develop SuperTruck

Mack Trucks, Inc. and Volvo Group’s North American truck-related operations will participate in the development of technologies to improve the freight-moving efficiency of heavy-duty trucks and reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of a SuperTruck contract with the U.S. Department of Energy. Under the program, Volvo Group is scheduled to receive $19M in federal funding.

A team of researchers and engineers in Greensboro, N.C. and Hagerstown, Md. will spend the next five years developing high-efficiency heavy-duty truck technologies aimed at moving more freight with less fuel, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“We are delighted to receive this SuperTruck award that builds upon an already strong relationship with the U.S. Department of Energy,” says Ron Huibers, Volvo Trucks senior vice president, sales and marketing.

“Integrated proprietary components provide superior performance because they’re specifically designed to work together,” says Kevin Flaherty, Mack senior vice president, U.S. and Canada. “Our EPA 2010 solution is a good example. The intelligent integration of the Mack MP series engines and Mack ClearTech SCR system delivers maximum fuel efficiency and near-zero regulated emissions. We look forward to bringing this kind of expertise to the SuperTruck table.”

Under SuperTruck, Volvo says it will draw on established leadership and extensive experience in energy efficiency and reducing heavy-duty truck and engine fossil fuel use.

“We appreciate the Department of Energy’s recognition of Volvo as a global technology leader,” says Peter Karlsten, Volvo Powertrain president, and senior vice president of technology for the Volvo Group. “Our partnership will help drive the development of technologies needed to maximize energy efficiency as we address the reality of a finite supply of petroleum-based resources.

Double Coin North America Launches Redesigned Website

Double Coin Tires and China Manufacturers Alliance announce the launch of Double Coin’s redesigned website at:

www.doublecoin-us.com.

“As Double Coin Tires continues to progressively strengthen its brand quality, image and awareness, we are committed to utilizing the most advanced technologies to improve our customers’ online experiences,” says Aaron Murphy, vice president of CMA. “The intent of the website redesign is to provide more information while maintaining a user-friendly navigation system.”

The website now contains features that include a wider viewing area, all new tire images and a resource center for downloadable information and reference.

Additionally, users are now able to access more Double Coin customer testimonials and navigate through a multitude of products and their features, benefits and data specifications.

Red Dot To Acquire JBAR A/C

Red Dot Corporation announced it has reached an agreement to acquire JBAR A/C Inc. of Valley View, Ohio. Financial terms were not disclosed.

JBAR designs and manufactures heaters and air conditioning systems for vehicles used in construction, materials handling and other heavy-duty applications.

The company will operate as a subsidiary of Red Dot, retaining the JBAR brand, management team and employees.

Red Dot plans to invest in additional production capacity in the Cleveland area to allow JBAR to meet the growing needs of its customers.

“This acquisition strengthens our manufacturing and distribution presence in the Eastern U.S. and Canada and expands our family of HVAC unit kits,” says Randy Gardiner, president, CEO and chairman of Red Dot.

Navistar launches International branded brake drum

Navistar has introduced International brake drums, offering a private label branded line of brake drums manufactured to the exact standards of Navistar OE specifications. These are the same drums that Navistar says will be used at a factory production level on many Navistar truck models later in the year.

Manufactured to SAE and ASTM standards, the International brake drums are subjected to stringent quality audits for both the product and manufacturing process, Navistar says.

The company says many models of the new International brake drums feature machined-to-balance engineering, and lean manufacturing techniques, resulting in 2-4 lbs. weight savings per drum, and improved heat dissipation when compared to traditional designs.

Navistar says International brake drums offer a one year/unlimited mileage warranty.

Mahle Clevite opens online supplier portal

Mahle Clevite says its first online supplier portal, mahleclevitesupplier.com, provides a centralized system for suppliers to manage orders and other account information more efficiently, which in turn allows Mahle Clevite to better meet customer needs.

Suppliers have the ability to accept or decline purchase orders, enter shipping information with tracking, view performance metrics, change the lead time for a particular product and request early shipments to expedite the order process.

Mahle Clevite says the supplier portal also improves communication and efficiency between purchasing department and suppliers. The portal generates automatic e-mail notifications for all new purchase orders, weekly reports on upcoming shipments and on past due orders and parts.

Additionally, purchase orders and reports can be viewed, saved and printed at all times, and mass e-mails can be sent to all Mahle Clevite suppliers.

FTR Associates’ Shippers’ Condition Index (SCI) as reported in the August Shippers Update edged up in June to a current reading of -3.1. The SCI sums up all market influences that affect shippers; a reading above zero suggests a favorable shipping environment, while a reading below zero is unfavorable.

Over the last three months, the index has risen from a low of -11.4 in March, indicating improving conditions for shippers as economic and freight growth slowed through late spring and early summer easing the strain on capacity and slowing the rise in rates. However, the rate of improvement in the SCI has slowed each month.

FTR is projecting the index to fall again starting with the July reading as freight demand begins to accelerate. These conditions are expected to negatively impact shippers through the balance of the year.

“Given the recent drumbeat of negative economic reports it may seem counter-intuitive to be calling for rate increases going forward,” says Larry Gross, senior consultant for FTR. “But truckers have been reporting solid rate performance thus far this year even in the face of GDP growth of less than 1 percent. This indicates that freight demand and capacity are in balance.”

He adds, “With truckers not adding capacity and barring an economic recession, we expect to see modest growth in the market as we enter the normal peak season, which will keep pressure on the shipping environment. Of course we are dealing with more than the usual amount of uncertainty at the moment so we will be closely watching for signs of weakness in the coming months.”

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

Following are personnel changes and announcements in the trucking industry:

Wajda

* Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America has promoted August (Gus) Wajda to technical support and quality assurance manager for its heavy-duty business.

* Jay Sloan has been promoted to district sales representative at TODCO. He is responsible for servicing new and existing accounts, which include truck body and trailer manufacturers, distributors and end-users. He serves the East Central Region sales territory including Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, eastern Michigan and the western parts of Pennsylvania and New York.

Kinsley

* East Manufacturing Corporation recently promoted David Kinsley to vice president of materials. In his new capacity, Kinsley will be responsible for all aspects of the materials department, including acquisition, inventory, planning, purchasing, expediting, shipping and receiving. In addition, Bill McKenzie has been promoted to director of dealer development and flatbed product manager. In addition to his current job function as flatbed product manager, McKenzie will be responsible for assisting East’s North American dealer network to improve their performance, and to qualify and sign new dealers.

For the latest aftermarket news, announcements and trends, visit truckpartsandservice.com

CVSN Announces President’s Recognition Award Winner

The Board of Directors of the Commercial Vehicle Solutions Network (CVSN) announced that J. Richard Schien, president and founder of Karmak, is the 2011 CVSN President’s Recognition Award winner.

Schien

In announcing the winner CVSN President Tom Stewart said, “I am excited to present this year’s President’s Award to Richard, his knowledge of computers and the aftermarket led to widespread changes in the distribution of heavy-duty parts.”

Schien had more than 20 years of experience at Schien Body & Equipment Company, the business founded by his father, John Schien, in 1948. The experience gained in his family’s dump trailer manufacturing, truck parts and repair business coupled with a formal education in physics, math and computer programming provided a solid foundation for development of a computer business system designed specifically for heavy-duty truck parts distributors, truck repair shops, truck dealers and trailer dealers.

The 2011 President’s Recognition Award will be given out at the CVSN Aftermarket Distribution Summit scheduled from September 18-21 at the Key Bridge Marriott in Arlington, Va. The ceremony will take place on Monday, September 19 during the Opening General Session and following the Keynote Address by former Governor of Maryland, Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr.

Trucking adds 1,300 jobs in July

Payroll employment in the trucking industry grew for the sixth straight month in July as for-hire trucking companies added 1,300 new jobs, according to preliminary estimates released Friday, Aug. 5. Meanwhile, payroll employment for the entire U.S. economy beat analysts’ expectations at 117,000 new jobs, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.

Compared to July 2010, trucking employment is up by 43,000, or 3.5 percent. Payroll employment is up by 27,900 jobs, or 2.2 percent, in 2011 and by 56,600 jobs, or 4.6 percent, since the bottom of trucking employment in March 2010. The number of trucking jobs — 1.283 million — remains far below the peak employment in January 2007.

The BLS numbers reflect all payroll employment in for-hire trucking, but they don’t include trucking-related jobs in other industries, such as a truck driver for a private fleet. Nor do the numbers reflect the total amount of hiring since they only include new jobs, not replacements for existing positions.

HDA TRUCK PRIDE ADDS TWO MEMBERS

HDA Truck Pride announces the additions of two new members, Quinte Truck and Trailer Parts and Performance Truck and Trailer, LLC.

Quinte Truck and Trailer has two locations: Kingston and Belleville, Ontario. Quinte’s management team includes Keith Graham, president and CEO; Cle Smith, senior vice president; and Peter Sullivan, general manager.

HDA Truck Pride says the addition of Quinte brings a sound expansion to the group’s Canadian footprint.

“Quinte Truck and Trailer has been servicing the needs of the heavy-duty trucking industry in Eastern Ontario for over 25 years. We are pleased to have them as part of the HDA Truck Pride team and look forward to enhancing our presence in their marketplace areas,” says Don Reimondo, HDA Truck Pride CEO.

Performance Truck and Trailer is headquartered in Ontario, Calif., with a second location in Las Vegas. Performance’s management team includes Denny Stevenson, president; Kerry Ross, general manager; and Carol Fowler, procurement officer. HDA Truck Pride says the addition of Performance Truck and Trailer enhances HDA Truck Pride’s presence in the Southern California and Nevada markets.

“Performance Truck and Trailer has been in operation for six years focused on the truck, bus and motor home markets in Nevada and Southern California. Our footprint is expanding as well as our presence in a variety of niche markets, such as bus, RV and motor home. It’s a pleasure to have Performance Truck and Trailer join the HDA Truck Pride team,” Reimondo says.

Fuel surcharges gaining popularity in parts industry

Although fuel prices have started to fall, the trucking industry may begin to see distributors implementing fuel surcharge fees to compensate for higher operating costs, in particular delivery expenses, says the business strategy consulting company nxtMove.

At present, 25 percent of heavy-duty truck parts consumers already are paying a fuel surcharge to at least one vendor.

Slightly more than half of these (13 percent) are paying a fuel surcharge to a local OE dealer for delivery of purchased product to the customer’s facility.

According to nxtMove, vendors typically charge a flat rate of $2 to $4 per delivery, but some suppliers are charging customers up to $9 per delivery. Rates may fluctuate depending upon size of the customer, distance to vendor facility and frequency of purchases.

A small group of vendors have implemented “percent of purchase order” fuel surcharge programs that increase the cost of the purchase by 5 percent, on average, nxtMove adds.

According to a nxtMove study, almost 40 percent of heavy-duty truck parts customers expect a fuel surcharge will be imposed by their part suppliers within the next few months.

Some part suppliers already have developed fuel surcharge programs, but are waiting for the competition to introduce their program. The company says with the introduction of fuel surcharge programs by OE dealers and regional aftermarket parts suppliers, these programs should become more widespread over the next few months.

Horton Expands Britton, S.D., Plant

Horton, Inc. is expanding its Britton, S.D., facility by 20,000 sq. ft. The expansion will accommodate the company’s growing QuickShip regional warehouse program. The construction is expected to be completed in October 2011.

Horton’s QuickShip program is said to provide fast response to customer needs for the products featured in the fast-delivery program — remanufactured fan drives, repair and conversion kits, fans and other key products.

The expanded space includes 10,000 sq. ft. for warehousing of finished product, 7,000 sq. ft. for raw-material inventory, and 3,000 sq. ft. for a driver’s lounge and additional shipping bays.

“Expanding our space will allow us to stock more inventory and a more diverse inventory in support of the QuickShip warehouse program,” says Steve Wardleworth, Horton’s senior vice president, operations. “Getting product to our customers as fast as possible helps to ensure their trucks stay on the road and their off-highway equipment stays in service.

“The trucking and off-highway market is bouncing back from the economic recession, and we’re feeling the positive effects of this recovery and are taking steps to continue to provide the excellent responsiveness and service Horton customers expect.”

Betts Spring has been selected to receive the Daimler Trucks North America Masters of Quality Award. Betts Spring was recognized for its efforts during 2010 in meeting the rigid requirements and expectations for suppliers to Daimler Trucks North America.

This is the third time Betts has received this honor, having been recognized previously in 2002 and 2007.

Mike Betts, president of Betts Spring, says, “At Betts, everyone is committed to meeting or exceeding the expectations of our customers for quality products delivered on schedule. We appreciate that DTNA has recognized our efforts. Our long-standing service to DTNA has been critical to our success. Today, just like every day, we diligently pursue excellence for Daimler and every other customer we serve.”

Betts Spring supplies Betts and Life-Time Fenders branded spray suppression products and other proprietary components manufactured to DTNA specifications.

DTNA presents the Masters Of Quality Award annually to an elite group of suppliers who meet its rigorous standards and also show a commitment for continual improvement.

People In The News

Following are personnel changes and announcements in the trucking industry:

* Grote Industries announced that Ken Hoskins will be stepping into the role of plant manager the Madison operation.

* Fras-Le announced that Randy Mordue is now director of sales and marketing for the company’s North *merican commercial- and light-vehicle aftermarket. Kevin Judge will serve as the company’s East Coast sales manager for the light-vehicle aftermarket, and Cory Cheever Cheever will be responsible for Fras-le’s West Coast aftermarket sales efforts in light vehicles.

* Aero Industries announced Jeff Boyd as the new flatbed products manager, a new position at the company

* Fort Garry Industries announced the hiring of Dave Cannon as senior manager of business development.

* Fontaine Trailer Company, a Marmon Highway Technologies company, has named Randy McGuire president of the Fontaine heavy-haul business unit based in Springville, Ala.

* Hutchens Industries announced the promotion of Taylor Hutchens to its sales team as regional manager for Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana,   New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

* Michael Reardon was named vice president of sales for Mack Trucks, Inc.

* Meritor, Inc. has appointed Christy Daehnert director of investor relations.

* Eaton Corp. announced that Harold Jones has been named senior vice president for environment, health and safety.

For the latest aftermarket news, announcements and trends, visit truckpartsandservice.com

Remy Launches New Order Management System

Remy Inc., provider of Delco Remy brand heavy-duty starters and alternators, launched a new order management system effective July 15. The new system is a Web application that the company says will streamline the ordering process for its customers.

Updated technology employed by the new system will speed the ordering process with improved performance, increased system up-time, user-friendly Web interfaces and simplified navigation functions, the company says. In addition to being able to place orders faster, Remy says its customers will have enhanced part number availability, order status and history look up capabilities and more robust order management tools.

The Trucking Industry Adds 4,400 Jobs In June

The surge in trucking employment didn’t just resume in June; apparently it never stopped. While last month’s job report from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated that for-hire trucking companies had added only 100 jobs in May, the latest BLS report released Friday, July 8, revised those numbers to a 3,000-job increase in May and pegged the growth in June over May at 4,400.

Since the end of December, payroll employment in trucking is up nearly 27,000, according to the preliminary BLS figures. Since trucking employment bottomed out in March 2010, the industry has added 55,500 jobs.

Job growth in the rest of the economy isn’t as healthy. Non-farm payroll employment edged up by just 18,000 jobs in June, and the unemployment rate actually ticked higher by one-tenth of a percentage point, according to initial BLS estimates. Modest gains in private employment were offset by 39,000 jobs lost in federal and state governments.

Compared to June 2010, payroll employment in trucking is up 3.9 percent. Total employment in trucking in June was nearly 1.283 million — down 170,500, or 11.7 percent, from peak trucking employment in January 2007.

The BLS numbers reflect all payroll employment in for-hire trucking, but they don’t include trucking-related jobs in other industries, such as a truck driver for a private fleet. Nor do the numbers reflect the total amount of hiring since they only include new jobs, not replacements for existing positions.

Vipar’s Global Parts Network Opens CoMan Center

Global Parts Network, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vipar Heavy Duty, opened a new manufacturing center dedicated to the remanufacturing and distribution of truck brake shoes and related components on July 11 in South Bend, Ind.

The new 76,000-sq.-ft. facility is the second CoMan Center (Cooperative Manufacturing Center) for GPN and more than doubles GPN’s overall production capacity.

GPN’s CoMan Centers are dedicated production facilities that are said to provide seamless service and support exclusively to the Vipar Heavy Duty network of distributors and suppliers. The South Bend location will initially provide new and remanufactured brake shoes, brake shoe kits, friction material and related parts.

The brake product offerings support brands including Federal-Mogul’s Abex, Meritor, and TMD Friction’s Textar and Don, in addition to GPN’s proprietary brand of Ferodo OptiPro and TuffLine private label program.

“The central location of our new CoMan Center allows us to offer service to Vipar Heavy Duty distributors in Canada and improved service to stockholders in the central and eastern U.S.,” says Gene Damron, GPN’s general manager.

“In addition, we are pleased to introduce improved equipment and processes at the new facility. This includes higher capacity washers, blaster and packaging cells. A new coating process also has been developed and deployed to insure the best possible products for our customers,” he adds.

PartSmart To Be Sold Via Amazon.com

Navistar Parts now offers its customers the option to order PartSmart parts through Amazon.com.

With Amazon.com’s e-commerce platform, shoppers can customize their shipping preferences (next day, two-day and ground), see product reviews and use a variety of payment options including Paypal and Amazon.com gift cards. The search capabilities of Amazon.com allows customers to search by item, price, make and model, and see suggested products that complement their selection.

“(The website) www.Amazon.com/PARTSMART will make it simple to identify the parts you want and the related products you need,” says Patti Corso, Navistar’s e-commerce manager. “The customer-friendly aspects of the site are wonderful additions to Navistar Parts’ e-commerce options.”

Navistar Parts’ existing e-commerce site, www.partsmartparts.com, will also continue to offer parts and promotions.

Shippers’ Condition Index Improves For Second Consecutive Month

FTR Associates’ Shippers’ Condition Index (SCI) has moved upward again this month, signifying improving conditions for shippers. The current SCI as reported in the firm’s July Shippers Update rose to a reading of -3.6 from the -5.4 reported last month.

While the negative SCI reading indicates that overall conditions still are viewed as unfavorable from the standpoint of the shipper, the situation is considerably less acute than it was earlier this year.

However, assuming the rate of growth in the economy improves as expected in the second half of the year, the SCI is projected to deteriorate once again as growing freight demand strains carrier capacity.

The SCI sums up all market influences that affect shippers; a reading above zero suggests a favorable shipping environment, while a reading below zero is unfavorable.

“The improvement in the SCI must be regarded as a mixed bag in that it is the result of tepid demand from shippers and therefore is a product of the current softness in the economy,” says Larry Gross, senior consultant for FTR. “While most shippers are currently seeing sufficient capacity to haul their goods, this will soon begin to change.

“Truckload rates will begin to move upward again during the fall shipping season, and are expected to rise dramatically in 2012 as new regulations are implemented putting a drag on the entire trucking segment. Of course, all of these projections would be thrown into question in the event of a failure in the federal debt ceiling negotiations or some other external shock to the economy.”

Dana Launches SVL Aftermarket Drivetrain Product Line

Dana Holding Corporation has launched a new line of SVL drivetrain components for the automotive, commercial-vehicle and off-highway aftermarkets. Designed specifically for older (post-warranty) vehicles, SVL products are said to offer quality replacement parts for vehicles with lower usage cycles.

The new SVL product line initially will launch in North America and feature universal joints for the light- and commercial-vehicle markets, and ring and pinion gear sets for heavy-duty applications. Shortly after the launch, Dana will begin offering SVL-branded light-duty axle components.

Additional components and regional availability will be determined based on market demand.

“Operators of older, less frequently used vehicles are seeking value pricing from a trusted source with consistent quality and reliability,” says Bill Gryzenia, vice president and general manager of Dana’s Aftermarket Group.

“As an extension of Dana’s current product offerings, SVL offers valuable driveline solutions that are affordable and delivered with the service and reliability our customers have come to expect.”

Horton Achieves ISO 14001 Certification

Horton has attained ISO 14001 Environmental Management System Certification. The certification applies to Horton facilities in Roseville, Minn., Britton, S.D. and Carmel, Ind.

ISO 14001:2004 is a global specification covering processes and practices necessary to limit environmental impact through significantly reduced energy and raw materials consumption and lower production of waste materials.

The standard was created to help all types of organizations to protect the environment, prevent pollution and improve their environmental performance.

Horton’s environmental commitment includes recycling paper, cardboard, metals and electrical components. Water generated from washers is recycled, and water from equipment is recirculated to preserve natural resources.

At its facilities, Horton tracks energy use and has installed smart switches. The company says has a substantial remanufacturing program, refurbishes and reuses existing components, and uses ozone-friendly refrigerants.

FleetPride Opens Distribution Center In Georgia

FleetPride announced the opening of its new 150,000-sq.-ft. regional distribution center in Lawrenceville, Ga.

Located at 2406 Tech Center Parkway, this regional distribution center will service the heavy-duty transportation market in the southeastern U.S.

Lawrenceville’s inventory includes more than 40,000 SKUs and reflects the demand of FleetPride’s regional customer base. In addition to the parts inventory, the new regional distribution center also will offer kitting and light packaging.

“FleetPride chose this location because it allows for overnight delivery service to over 50 branch locations in the southeast region. Lawrenceville is FleetPride’s fourth distribution center in the U.S., and it is another significant move to expand and streamline FleetPride’s national heavy-duty truck and trailer parts logistics network,” says Robert Lindley, FleetPride’s vice president of supply chain.

“FleetPride’s four regional distribution centers are strategically located in high-volume areas for the heavy-duty transportation industry, which allow us to improve customer service and support our continued growth,” says Brian Chupp, director of FleetPride’s supply chain operations.

The Lawrenceville regional distribution center will be led by industry veteran Rudy Molina. As warehouse manager, Molina will oversee a team of 25 employees.

Correction

The article titled Fully Operational in the June 2011 issue of Truck Parts & Service incorrectly stated the gaskets for PTO mating gears as 6,000 to 12,000 units. That should have been .006 in. to .012 in. The article also indicated the installation time for an external PTO to be 30 minutes. The time should be approximately two hours.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

People in the News

Following are personnel changes and announcements in the trucking industry:

* Fontaine Trailer has hired Dan Rosen as vice president of sales and marketing for the heavy-haul business.

Albano

* Bob Albano joined Webb Wheel Products OEM Business Unit as account executive.

* Fleet Advantage announced the appointment of Daniel E. Umphress as vice president of Fleet Services.

* Meritor, Inc. appointed Krista Sohm to the position of vice president, communications and Curt Wormington as the director of sales for its North American Trailer Products business.

* Phillips Industries strengthened its field sales force with the addition of Randy Long, Mathew Sayre and Nick Tosie as new territory sales managers and the promotion of John Nugent to Western regional sales manager.

* Denso announced that Hikaru “Howard” Sugi will be president and CEO of Denso International America.

* Volvo Financial Services Region the Americas announced that Tom Guse has been promoted to president of Volvo Financial Services for operations in the U.S.

* American Trucking Associations announced it has hired Caroline Decker as its new vice president of legislative affairs.

* Rob Abbott, American Trucking Associations’ vice president of safety policy, was named to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee.

* Wayne Keller, founder of Truck Pride and 2011 HDAW Heavy Duty Aftermarket Hall of Fame inductee, passed away.

Vipar Names New Executive Committee

Vipar Heavy Duty announced the new members of its executive committee effective immediately.

Bill Nolan, president of Power Brake & Spring Service Co., is the new chairman of the board. In addition, Paul Raymond, president of Parts for Trucks, Inc. is the vice chairman and Dave Gerdes, chief operating officer of CATCO Parts and Service, is the secretary. Steve Crowley, president and CEO of Vipar Heavy Duty, continues as a member of the executive committee.

“Vipar Heavy Duty is poised for growth in strategic markets and continues to support the strength of the independent distributor in the aftermarket truck parts segment,” says Nolan. “I’m honored to be chosen as chairman to lead our organization forward. We continue to focus on helping meet the needs of customers for quality parts and exceptional service.”

Tepid GDP Growth Predicted

The Ceridian-UCLA Pulse of Commerce Index (PCI), issued June 8 by the UCLA Anderson School of Management and Ceridian Corporation, fell 0.9 percent on a seasonally and workday adjusted basis in May, after falling 0.5 percent in April.

“The index has now declined in four of the first five months of 2011, and in eight of the past 12 months,” says Ed Leamer, chief PCI economist and director of the UCLA Anderson Forecast.

“The PCI makes it clear that the high-growth recovery lasted only four quarters from 2009Q3 to 2010Q2. Since then the PCI and the economy have been idling, not powering forward. We are going to have to get the recovery going again to make a material dent in the chronic jobless problem.

“On a year-over-year basis, the PCI was flat in May. This was disappointing in that it ended a string of 17 straight months of year-over-year improvement in the index,” Leamer continues. “One small glimmer of good news is that May of last year was the strongest month of 2010, and this month’s result nearly cleared that hurdle. Nevertheless, the PCI showed no growth, and this is another indication that the economy is stuck in neutral.

“The May result further reinforces our long-held cautious outlook for below consensus growth in GDP, and suggests that second quarter GDP growth will be less than two percent. Similarly, the PCI is anticipating industrial production to show modest growth of 0.05 percent for May when the number is released by the government on June 15, 2011.”

For the latest aftermarket news, announcements and trends, visit truckpartsandservice.com

CEI Adds 30 Truck Repair Shops

The CEI Group, Inc. (CEI), a provider of fleet collision management services in the U.S. and Canada, has expanded its repair network in 2011 by enrolling 30 new medium- and heavy-duty truck body shops in 11 states

Through a managed network of more than 800 truck collision centers, CEI manages repairs on all trucks, from Class 3 through Class 8, including vehicles outfitted with specialty equipment.

Among the 30 new network shops admitted this year, 14 service heavy-duty trucks, and are located in: Sacramento, Calif.; Grand Junction, Colo.; Bridgeport, Middletown and New Britain, Conn.; Oxford, Ga.; Addison and Huntley, Ill.; Osceola, Ind.; Inver Grove Heights, Minn.; Clifton, N.J.; Marietta, Ohio; Lindon, Utah; and Toledo, Wash.

CEI’s objective is to keep collision-damaged trucks from having to be towed more than 75 miles from the scene of an accident.

“Keeping towing distances short is part of our overall effort to control the expenses of truck repairs,” says John Wolford, CEI’s senior manager of provider network services. “We add shops as our customer base requires it to maintain this standard.”

Hendrickson Training Program Visits UTI Campus

Hendrickson’s hands-on training program traveled to the Universal Technical Institute campus in Ontario, Calif., where 60 service professionals attended and worked directly with Hendrickson service managers to gain a better understanding of preventive maintenance, diagnostics and repair tips on the Primaax, Haulmaax and Composilite SC.

The classes were split between a brief classroom-style presentation and hands-on service where technicians were able to disassemble suspension models and replace critical parts. Key service points were covered to familiarize the technicians with problem diagnostics.

“Our goal is to have every service professional walk away from these courses with an understanding of what to look for on Hendrickson suspensions to shorten the time spent on diagnostic,” says David McCleave, Hendrickson’s director of aftermarket technical services.

“We also look to the technicians to bring general suspension questions and feedback to our service managers to help us better understand field concerns and share ideas.”

Aftermarket Heads To Washington For CVSN 2011 Summit

A first-ever legislative summit will highlight the 2011 Commercial Vehicle Solutions Network Summit, set for September 18-21 at the Key Bridge Marriott in Arlington, Va.

The Summit will open with an evening reception on September 18 and will be followed by two days of speakers and strategic planning sessions.

The final day of the convention also will feature scheduled congressional meetings, where aftermarket business leaders will be able to meet with their local congressman in one-on-one settings.

Speakers for the first two days of the conference include: Robert L. Ehrlich, former governor of Maryland, Jim Camp, founder and president of the Camp Group; Gene Marks, owner of the Marks Group; Bert Mayo, vice president of the Lockton Companies; and Dr. Bob Nels of Nelson Motivation.

CVSN will hold board meetings on September 18 and 21, and a closed member meeting on September 20. The Summit is present by CVSN in conjunction with Truck Parts & Service magazine, HDDA/AAIA and Datalliance/HDX.

For more on this year’s Summit, go to www.cvsnADS.org.

SSA Sets Succession Planning Seminar

An all-day seminar discussing succession planning options for family aftermarket firms, distributors, shops, rep firms and suppliers will be presented on October 21 at the Marriott Sanibel Island Hotel in Fort Myers, Fla.

The seminar is one day prior to the 30th Annual Service Specialists Association convention, which is being held in the same facility.

This program is being jointly presented by American Council of Frame and Alignment Specialists and SSA. You can obtain a registration application on line at

www.truckservice.org/succession.

Inland Truck Parts Creates Inspection Program

Inland Truck Parts has released a new 57-point inspection service plan called the Pro-Guardian Breakdown Prevention plan.

The company says the program is designed to find problems before they cause breakdowns, and is being used at 20 Inland locations throughout the U.S.

“Pro-Guardian is a time-saver. It not only identifies smaller issues before they become big breakdowns, but it helps me with budgeting for truck maintenance,” says Dan Sherman, director of delivery and warehouse for National Paper & Sanitary Supply. “In fact, Pro-Guardian is the reason I switched from my old service provider to Inland Truck Parts.”

According to Inland, Pro-Guardian serves as an early warning system by providing a comprehensive inspection of all major components — including the brakes, engine, suspension/steering and driveline — to catch any leaks or failing parts before they become major repairs.

Inland claims Pro-Guardian inspections are more comprehensive than typical OEM inspections and can be performed twice yearly. Results, repairs performed and any maintenance due from the inspection are summarized in an e-mail that’s sent directly to the truck owner or fleet manager at the completion of the process.

Minimizer To Launch Fender At GATS

Minimizer is planning to launch a new fender at the Great American Trucking Show that the company says will change the industry.

“Customers keep asking for new and innovative products, they ask us to keep moving the needle. Well, we did. We keep investing and we’re really excited about this new product. It’s going to turn the truck fender industry upside down,” says Craig Kruckeberg, Minimizer’s chief visionary officer

The fender will be launced at 1:15 p.m. on August 24 at Minimizer’s booth #18092 at The Great American Truck Show in Dallas.

Bendix Assumes Full Support For Its Foundation Brakes

Customers seeking sales, service or technical support for Bendix foundation brakes and wheel-end solutions from Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake will now receive information exclusively through their Bendix account managers, Bendix SWAT team members, www.foundationbrakes.com and the Bendix Tech Team members who offer service support via 1-800-AIR-BRAKE.

Through an agreement in place since 2004, the Roadranger marketing organization had been a part of the overall team providing sales and support across the North American marketplace for Bendix wheel-end solutions, including air disc and foundation drum brakes. The support agreement ended on May 31, 2011. Effective June 1, Bendix assumed full support for its foundation brake sales and service program.

Bendix foundation brake customers will continue to have 24/7/365 access to the full range of technical documentation at www.foundationbrakes.com. And, if needed, support and troubleshooting is just a phone call away with the opportunity to talk with a Bendix Tech Team member on a call-in line at 1-800-AIR-BRAKE.

Yokohama Tire Announces Price Increase

Yokohama Tire Corp. announced that it will implement a price increase on average of 80 percent on all its light- and medium-duty commercial truck tires sold in the United States, effective July 1. There also will be in-line adjustments, which will be announced at a later date.

The rising cost of raw materials was the primary reason for the increase, according to Rick Phillips, Yokohama director of commercial sales. “Further, other factors also influenced the increase, such as the costs associated with manufacturing and transportation, which continue to escalate,” he says.

Wayne Marshall Is Truck Service Expert of the Year

HDA Truck Pride honored Wayne Marshall of Marshall Truck and Trailer Repair Limited in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada as the 2010 Truck Service Expert of the Year.

HDA Truck Pride gives out its Truck Service Expert of the Year award annually, and selects its winner from a network of more than 400 independent repair garages.

HDA Truck Pride says key characteristics of Expert of the Year winners include:

* Providing exemplary service to their customers

* Exceeding the product support requirements of their sponsor

* Endorsing the Truck Service Experts Code of

Ethics

* Participating in the Truck Service Experts training programs

* Implementing the Truck Service Experts marketing tools

* Promoting and supporting the Truck Service Experts program within their marketplace and across North America

Mark Willis, HDA Truck Pride’s business development manager, presented Wayne Marshall with the 2010 Truck Service Expert of the Year Award in front of an audience of more than 400 individuals distributors, manufacturers, fleets and fellow Truck Service Experts.

This year’s winner has been in the industry for nearly 30 years. Marshall Truck and Trailer Repair Ltd, a family owned and operated company, opened for business in 1984.

Only 14 at the time, Wayne started in the family business washing trucks. He progressed to driving trucks and eventually went to school to become a technician. Today that single-pump fuel station with a two-bay shop has developed into a seven-pump fuel station with nine service and repair bays, two wash bays and two diagnostic bays.

Rove To Deliver Keynote Address At Commercial Vehicle Outlook Conference

Karl Rove, former deputy chief of staff and senior advisor to President George W. Bush, will share his political insights with attendees during the second-annual Commercial Vehicle Outlook Conference, Aug. 24-25, 2011 at the Dallas Convention Center.

Known as “The Architect” of President Bush’s 2000 and 2004 campaigns, Rove is described by author and columnist Michael Barone in U.S. News & World Report as “…unique…no Presidential appointee has ever had such a strong influence on politics and policy, and none is likely to do so again anytime soon.”

Rove is a Fox News contributor, writes a weekly op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, is a Newsweek columnist, and is the author of the book Courage and Consequence, which chronicles his role in the Bush campaigns and White House. Rove will provide an inside look at Washington politics and the 2012 Presidential campaign.

Building on the momentum of last year’s inaugural conference — which attracted more than 350 industry leaders from all segments of trucking — this year’s Commercial Vehicle Outlook Conference promises to be even more successful.

The 2011 CVOC will again feature compelling presentations on the industry’s most critical issues, including:

• Outlook for freight, truck buying and parts and service activity

• The future truck: off-shore competition, telematics, alternative fuels and more

• How fleets are thriving in a changing environment: the driver shortage, rising fuel and equipment costs and increasing regulation

• An update on the major regulatory and legislative issues affecting OEMs, suppliers, dealers and carriers

Presented by the Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association and Randall-Reilly Business Media and Information, which produces Commercial Carrier Journal, Successful Dealer and Truck Parts & Service magazines, the CVOC will be held Aug. 24-25, the day prior to and the opening day of the Great American Trucking Show. Registration begins at 11 a.m., Wednesday, followed by a networking lunch. A networking reception will be held immediately following the program on Wednesday. The conference ends at noon on Thursday when the Great American Trucking Show opens.

The event is sponsored by Castrol, Espar Heater Systems, Jacobs Vehicle Systems, Kenworth, PACCAR Parts, PACCAR Engines, Peterbilt and Volvo Trucks North America.

FinditParts Launches Website

FinditParts.com officially launched its new website.The site has amassed an inventory of more than one million parts from more than 800 manufacturers and OEMs. It specializes in sourcing hard-to-find parts.

Users can search by part number, manufacturer or most popular part. Additionally, access to parts specialists is available through a special help feature which allows buyers to “click to chat” or to send a photo of their part via email to FinditParts sourcing agents.

“The heavy-duty truck market is huge and complex, not only with the sheer number of parts which we’ve only tapped the surface of, but the nearly 1,000 manufacturers and OEMs. Finding parts is challenging for a whole host of reasons — there is no standard taxonomy for organizing them and searching by make, model and year is simply not an option,” says David Seewack, CEO.

For the latest aftermarket news, announcements and trends, visit truckpartsandservice.com

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

Following are personnel changes and announcements in the trucking industry:

* Navistar, Inc. announced that William H. Osborne has been named vice president of Custom Products. In this role, Osborne will have accountability for Navistar’s Monaco RV and Workhorse business units.

Hume

* Hutchens Industries announces the promotion of Kandy Hume to regional manager for the Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, western Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska and South Dakota. She will be responsible for calling on existing Hutchens’ customers, as well as developing new opportunities throughout the territory.

* Polar Corporation announced the appointment of Michael Evans as president of Polar Service Centers, one of three companies under the Polar Corporation umbrella. Evans replaces Craig Fisher.

Betts Spring Signs Long-Term Agreement with DTNA

Betts Spring Company has finalized a three-year renewable long-term agreement with Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) to supply Betts and Life-Time Fenders branded spray suppression products and other proprietary components manufactured to DTNA specifications.

“Betts has been a supplier to Freightliner for over 70 years and we value this relationship tremendously,” says Mike Betts, president of Betts Spring.

“We appreciate that with this new long-term agreement Daimler Trucks North America expresses continued confidence in our ability to supply products and services that meet DTNA’s strict quality and innovation standards.”

DTNA’s Procurement Manager Dean Veeder says, “We appreciate the opportunity to partner with suppliers like Betts that accept the challenge of delivering sustained value in our rapidly evolving marketplace. Betts is the recognized brand in spray suppression applications and thus fits well with DTNA’s genuine brand philosophy.”

Dealer News

Here are news and announcements from truck dealerships:

* M & K Quality Truck Sales of Indianapolis, LLC completed the acquisition of the Mack Trucks franchise from Central Indiana Mack Sales and Service. Operations of the Mack dealership will be consolidated into the existing M & K dealership operations at 1401 Harding Ct., Indianapolis. In addition to Mack trucks, M & K represents Isuzu and Hino trucks in Indianapolis and operates M & K NationaLease, a full-service truck leasing company with nationwide service provided by NationaLease.

Yacobozzi

* One of the largest dealer groups in the Midwest, U.S. Truck Sales, has acquired certain assets of Chicago International Trucks. Dealer Principal Shelby Howard has named Mark Yacobozzi the new president of Chicago International Trucks. Yacobozzi has more than 15 years of experience in the commercial trucking industry, and will now lead Chicago International’s 400 employees at eight Midwest locations.

FTR Shippers’ Condition Index Falls Significantly

FTR Associates’ Shippers’ Condition Index (SCI) as reported in the firm’s May Shippers Update fell significantly to a reading of -11.4 reflecting tightening capacity and accelerating transport costs. The SCI sums up all market influences that affect shippers; a reading above zero suggests a favorable shipping environment, while a reading below zero is unfavorable.

Larry Gross, senior consultant for FTR, says, “The recent sharp deterioration in the SCI reflects the twin pressures of tightening capacity and rising fuel surcharges. Looking ahead, with the slower recent growth in the economy, we are expecting the SCI to begin to stabilize and would not be surprised to even see some modest improvement in the next few months.

Such improvement would not, however, change our basic outlook for a difficult environment for shippers through the end of this year and well beyond.”

Meritor And Pressure Systems International Renew Strategic Alliance

Meritor, Inc. and Pressure Systems International (PSI) have announced the renewal of their strategic alliance covering the distribution of the Meritor Tire Inflation System (MTIS) by PSI in North America.

Under terms of the agreement, Meritor remains the exclusive distributor of MTIS by PSI for the commercial semi-trailer market and aftermarket in North America, selling a complete line-up of kits for new or retrofit installations. Pressure Systems International retains all responsibility for design and manufacture of the system, which includes ThermAlert technology, a high temperature notification system available on all MTIS by PSI kits.

Eaton Forms Global Aftermarket Unit

Eaton Corporation announced the formation of a new Global Aftermarket and Clutch Business Unit, and named John Beering as its vice president and general manager.

The new business unit combines Eaton’s automotive and truck aftermarket product lines and its heavy- duty truck clutch business and will have global responsibility for marketing, sales, business development, engineering, program management and manufacturing strategy.

“This new structure will help us to put a greater focus on the aftermarket in both the automotive and commercial vehicle markets, and it will also allow us to better apply our resources to grow these businesses globally,” says Ken Davis, president of Eaton’s Vehicle Group. “John’s business leadership skills and experience position him very well to lead and grow these businesses for us.”

Senate Votes To Repeal Form 1099 Reporting Requirements

The U.S. Senate passed HR 4, a bill to fully repeal the expanded 1099 tax reporting mandate passed as part of last year’s health care law.

The 1099 requirement was passed in 2010 as part of the health care reform law known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This provision would have forced all businesses to issue a Form 1099 to vendors from whom they buy $600 worth of goods or more on an annual basis, and was scheduled to take effect in 2012.

This requirement was expected to result in massive amounts of paperwork and increased compliance costs.

Minimizer Opens New World Headquarters

Minimizer announces the opening of its new world headquarters in Blooming Prairie, Minn. that will house executive, sales and administrative staff and features a multiple office environment, state-of-the-art training and video conferencing facilities, a gym and multiple break-out rooms for group meetings.

The building is located close to Minimizer’s existing manufacturing, and research and development campus.

“There is no recovery bottleneck at Minimizer,” notes Craig Kruckeberg, the company’s CEO and chief visionary. “While others fell back during the past several years Minimizer forged ahead and made critical investments in our infrastructure: Ramping up our dealer network, going international, increasing our sales force, investing in an R&D department, purchasing state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment, creating leaner manufacturing and increasing our overall capacity by better leveraging what we have.”

Ott’s Friction Supply Releases Fuel Enhancer

Ott’s Friction Supply has added a fuel supplement to its product line. The company’s new Fuel Enhancer is designed to improve fuel economy and reduce maintenance costs, and is said to exceed all EPA standards and regulations.

The creation of the fuel enhancer product is a new endeavor for Ott’s. “We were not in the business of selling chemicals,” Ott’s President Chris Sweet says. “Now after using the products and seeing all the problems we have solved for our customers over the past three years, I am now a strong believer.”

“The green movement has taken momentum and we are fortunate to have an eco-friendly product that works so well and solves so many problems,” says CEO Jerry Weis.

For the latest aftermarket news, announcements and trends,

visit www.truckpartsandservice.com

People In The News

Bode

Following are personnel changes and announcements in the trucking industry:

* Eaton Corporation announced that Jim Sahli has been named to the new position of director – global field sales and marketing for the Vehicle Group. Mandar Dighe has been named director – field sales and marketing for Truck North America.

* The OES business of Webb Wheel Products has hired Mark Foster as OES sales manager, Western region.

Dighe

* Polar Corporation announced that Frank Lukacs has been named president of its Polar Tank Trailer division.

* Grote Industries announced that Kent Bode will be joining the aftermarket sales department in two key roles: manager of the south central aftermarket region and national account manager for the heavy-duty division. Mark Blackford will be stepping into the role of national fleet manager. Tom Draper has joined Grote as marketing manager.

* Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. announces the hiring of Edward Koczan as regional sales manager.

Sahli

* Richard Ryan of South Carolina was named as the national Truck Dealer of the Year at the American Truck Dealers convention.

* Dana Holding Corporation has announced Roger J. Wood has taken over as the company’s new CEO and president. Wood replaces Dana interim chairman John Devine, who plans to retire on June 30. At that time, Keith Wandell will move from lead independent director of Dana’s board to the company’s non-executive chairman, and Wood will become a member of Dana’s board of directors.

Bose Ride System Wins Technical Achievement Award

The Truck Writers of North America (TWNA) have recognized the Bose Ride System as the top technical achievement for 2010. The award presentation took place at the annual TWNA Industry Awards Banquet.

The Bose Ride System replaces a conventional air-ride truck seat with a suspension base and an integrated, custom designed seat top — providing over-the-road drivers with an unprecedented level of protection from road-induced shocks and vibration.

Phillips Establishes Toll-Free Technical Assistance Number

Phillips Industries has established a new toll-free technical assistance number, 888-959-0995. The phone will be staffed by a knowledgeable company representative between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Pacific time, Monday through Friday. Calls received outside of normal business hours will be returned the next business day.

Pulse of Commerce Index Jumps 2.7% in March

The Ceridian-UCLA Pulse of Commerce Index (PCI), a real-time measure of the flow of goods to U.S. factories, retailers and consumers, rose 2.7 percent on a seasonally and workday adjusted basis in March, more than offsetting the 0.3 percent decline in January and the 1.5 percent decline in February. On a quarter-over-quarter basis, the PCI is up 3.9 percent at an annualized rate.

“The PCI growth of 3.9 percent for the first quarter of 2011 is a middle-of the-road number, signaling that we are not in either one of the extremes. In other words, the recession is over, but we are not yet experiencing a robust recovery,” says Ed Leamer, chief PCI economist and director of the UCLA Anderson Forecast.

“We are more optimistic than last month, but are still targeting GDP growth of 3 percent for the first quarter of 2011, which remains at the low end of the range of expectations,” says Leamer. “The outlook remains consistent with the PCI’s view of the fundamental health of the U.S. economy over the past four months.”

Bendix Spicer Expands Manufacturing Capacity

Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC (BSFB) will open a new production line at its Bowling Green, Ky., manufacturing plant in June to meet increased demand for its patented Bendix ADB22X air disc brakes. Once fully operational, the new state-of-the-art automated production line will triple the current assembly capacity for BSFB’s North American operation.

With a nearly 120 percent increase in demand from 2009 to 2010 and an expected additional increase of nearly 40 percent in 2011, the new production line will help BSFB continue to meet the needs of OEMs, fleets and owner-operators that are looking to extend brake system life and improve highway safety.

Horton Expands QuickShip Program

Horton has expanded its QuickShip warehouse program to improve its customer service. The company has added warehouses in Fontana, Calif., and in Lawrenceville, Ga., to provide even faster response to customer orders, reduce freight charges and get customers’ vehicles back on the road faster.

The program was created to address smaller urgent orders. It features expanded shipping hours with the goal of providing one-day ground delivery to most major market areas and no more than two-day delivery to most other markets.

Included in the QuickShip warehouse program are remanufactured fan drives, repair and conversion kits, fans and other key products.

Midwest Wheel Celebrates 100th Anniversary

Midwest Wheel Companies recently marked its 100th anniversary. Midwest Wheel Companies began business on March 1, 1911 in Des Moines as Iowa Vulcanizing Company. The company was founded by Fred Prior and George Koons. It was the first rubber vulcanizer west of the Mississippi River.

Koons was the first generation owner of the family to serve as president; Mike Callison, the current president, is the fourth generation owner and the great grandson of Koons. A fifth generation member of the family also is employed by the company.

The company has expanded during its 100-year history and is now said to be the largest truck parts distributor in the Midwest. Midwest Wheel Companies employs 180 employees in seven locations in Iowa (Des Moines, Clear Lake, Cedar Rapids, Davenport and Sioux City) and Missouri (Kansas City and Grandview).

“We want to thank all of our employees, customers and suppliers for their support over the past 100 years, Callison says. “They are the people who have made us ‘100 Years Strong’.”

February PCI Continues To Signal Slow Growth

The Ceridian-UCLA Pulse of Commerce Index (PCI), a real-time measure of the flow of goods to U.S. factories, retailers and consumers, fell 1.5 percent during the month of February.

Coupled with the 0.3 percent loss from January, this latest data eliminates the strong gain (1.8 percent) experienced in December 2010. However, February marks the 15th straight month of year-over-year growth indicating that economic recovery, while fragile, remains underway.

“The PCI performance in the first two months of this year suggests weakness in some parts of the economy,” states Ed Leamer, chief PCI economist and director of the UCLA Anderson Forecast.

“Nevertheless, our outlook for 2011 is for continued economic recovery — we expect GDP to grow at the historically ‘normal’ rate of 3 percent, accompanied by a persistent level of high unemployment.”

For the year, the index continues to suggest GDP growth sufficient to drive continued modest growth in employment but not back to the peak levels attained in late 2007.

“February’s spike in diesel fuel prices to well over $3 a gallon likely did not drive the weakness in the PCI this month,” explains Craig Manson, senior vice president and index expert for Ceridian.

“However, if the trend persists, higher prices will likely have an impact in the coming months as consumers are robbed of spending power. As a leading indicator for the goods producing segment of the economy, the PCI is sensitive to this dynamic and should provide early indications of direction and magnitude as higher fuel prices impact the broader economy.”

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

Following are personnel changes and announcements in the trucking industry:

Bannick

* Trail King Industries, Inc., manufacture of open deck and material hauling trailers, announced that it has named Bruce Yakley as its new president.

Gardiner

* Red Dot Corp. announced the appointment of Robert Gardiner as national sales manager for the company’s aftermarket business.

* Phillips Industries announces several personnel changes: Ron Alvarez has been promoted to global sales manager of the OEM/OES division. Dan Wallace has been promoted to sales manager of the OE trailer North American market. Steve Davis is the new sales manager for the North American OE truck market.

Kelley

* Ken Kelley has been promoted to the position of Vice President of Business Development for the Brake and Wheel Ends (BWE) Group of Marmon Highway Technologies.

* Ridewell Suspensions announces the addition of Paul Bannick to the engineering team.

For the latest aftermarket news, announcements and trends, visit www.truckpartsandservice.com

Betts Spring Announces Membership In HDDC

Betts Spring Company has become a component supplier associate member of the Heavy Duty Distributor Council, the leading association of distributors and component suppliers serving the Canadian heavy-duty aftermarket.

Betts membership in HDDC will give expanded access to Betts and Life Time Fenders branded spray suppression products to fleets operating in an increasingly global market place.

Mike Betts, president of Betts Spring Company, says, “We are thrilled to join the impressive roster of aftermarket distributors and component suppliers that are members of the Heavy Duty Distributor Council and look forward to contributing to the mission of HDDC as an active member.”

Fleet Brake Acquires McCoy Parts & Service

Fleet Brake has announced its acquisition of Alberta Ltd, operating as “McCoy Parts & Service,” from the McCoy Corporation. The transaction was completed on Dec. 31, 2010.

McCoy Parts & Service includes five locations and three parts and service centers located in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta, as well as parts operations in Grand Prairie, Alberta and Pentiction, British Columbia. Fleet Brake will be operating the company as Peerless Parts & Service.

Greer Truck & Trailer Joins VIPAR

VIPAR Heavy Duty has announced Greer Truck and Trailer Parts, Inc. is the newest stockholder to join the VIPAR Heavy Duty distributor network.

“Greer Truck and Trailer Parts has been associated with truck parts and repair in Idaho for over 50 years,” says Jim Pennig, VIPAR vice president of business development. “We are pleased to extend a warm welcome to the newest stockholder of the VIPAR Heavy Duty network.”

FinditParts.com Launches

FinditParts.com officially launched its new website.The site has amassed an inventory of more one million parts from more than 800 manufacturers and OEMs. It specializes in sourcing hard-to-find parts. Users can search by part number, manufacturer or most popular part. Additionally, access to parts specialists is available through a special help feature which allows buyers to “click to chat” or to send a photo of their part via email to FinditParts sourcing agents.

“The heavy-duty truck market is huge and complex, not only with the sheer number of parts which we’ve only tapped the surface of, but the nearly 1,000 manufacturers and OEMs. Finding parts is challenging for a whole host of reasons — there is no standard taxonomy for organizing them and searching by make, model and year is simply not an option,” says David Seewack, CEO.

FinditParts is tapping the $15 billion U.S. aftermarket with hopes of making inroads into the larger global market, estimated at $35 billion.

Horton And Kit Masters Reach Agreement

Horton, Inc. and Kit Masters have reached an agreement to settle the pending litigation which involved a claim by Horton against Kit Masters for infringement of U.S. Patent Nos. 5,611,415 and 6,838,796 by Kit Masters’ two speed eddy current Gold Top clutch products and conversion kits, which will no longer be offered for sale. Complete terms of the settlement agreement are confidential.

Mahle Clevite Expands Inventory at California Customer Care Center

Mahle Clevite Inc. has expanded the inventory at its Customer Care Center in Bell, Calif. The California Customer Care Center now stocks more than 9,000 SKUs of filters, gaskets and engine parts for both light vehicle and heavy-duty applications.

Additionally, with the expansion of inventory in this region, the company now can provide next day ground service on a much broader line of products to most of California along with same-day pick-up service in Southern California.

“With the recent expansion of our inventory at the Bell, California Customer Care Facility, we now offer a comprehensive lineup of products with improved shipping options,” explains Ron Marr, operations manager, Mahle Clevite Inc. “We’re pleased to offer the majority of our line with next day delivery to better serve our West Coast customers.”

Mitchell’s Launches New Branding And Website

Mitchell International, Inc. introduced a new brand identity with the launch of a new website.

“We are uniquely positioned to empower our clients to simplify and accelerate their claims management and collision repair processes,” says Alex Sun, Mitchell’s president and CEO.

“The revitalized brand clearly communicates the unique value we bring to customers through our unparalleled breadth of technology, connectivity and information solutions. As our business and solutions expand into new areas, which now include Auto Physical Damage, Auto Casualty and Workers’ Compensation, we will continue to build on our reputation of empowering clients to achieve measurably better outcomes,” Sun says.

The new Mitchell website has been launched and can be found at www.mitchell.com.

Correction

In the February 2011 issue of Truck Parts & Service, we quoted Potter Webster as saying it was the only family-owned and operated company left in the Portland Metro area. We have subsequently learned that since 1925 Ott’s Friction Supply has been family-owned and operated in the Portland, Ore. area.