ADS Announces Speaker Lineup
The Association of Diesel Specialists (ADS) released its lineup of speakers for the organization’s annual convention and trade show scheduled for Aug. 3-7 at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas.
The keynote address, “Factors Affecting the Economic Outlook” – by Robert Dieli, president of RDLB, Inc., an economic research and management firm – will explore the economic indicators that can be used to track the course of the economy as it relates to the diesel industry.
Also scheduled to speak at the event are:
Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum, who will discuss the new policy influences and trends and the future for diesel in “Who’s in the Driver’s Seat?”
Mark Towers, founder of Speak Out Seminars, who will present on strategies for coping with change in the business world.
Bob Cooper, president of Bob Cooper Seminars, who will share “The Secrets of Success,” a business management seminar exploring “timeless secrets of success followed by the most thriving individuals on earth.”
The ADS meeting will also feature targeted technical seminars and panel discussions. For more information on the 2010 ADS International Convention & Tradeshow, visit the ADS Web site at www.diesel.org or contact ADS Headquarters at 816/285-0810.
People in the News
Following are personnel changes and announcements in the trucking industry:
Liu* ArvinMeritor Inc. appointed David Giroux its director of global brand management and marketing communications for the Americas.
Schubert* Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems named the recipients of its 2010 Excellence in Bendix Leadership Awards: Andy Cifranic, Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake program manager; Mark McCollough, product line director – air treatment; and Bill Schubert, Bendix Huntington, Ind., business unit manager – manufacturing.
DeVita* Eaton Corporation named Paolo Baretta its director and controller – Vehicle Group for Europe, Middle East and Africa; Nanda Kumar its president – Vehicle Group for Europe, Middle East and Africa; Howard Liu its president – Vehicle Group for Asia Pacific; and Gerard DeVito its director – engineering for the Vehicle Group’s Hybrid Power Systems Division.
* Grote Industries appointed William Stone its quality director.
Callaway* Penray hired Brock Callaway as its sales and service manager for its Automotive Division.
* Phillips Industries hired Jake Bowman as its OE account manager.
*SKF named Kim Martin, Northeast region account manager, its 2009 Heavy Duty Sales Representative of the Year.
* Stemco named Todd Heim its product manager for the Stemco Brake Products Group.
PartSmart’s Web Site Allows Tax-exempt Purchases
Navistar announced that eligible customers can make tax-exempt purchases through its PartSmart Web site – partsmartparts.com.
Tax-exempt customers include fleets that transport over state lines, resellers, government agencies and nonprofits. During online purchases, tax-exempt organizations are prompted to complete a tax-exempt form and provide proof of tax-exempt status. Once accepted, the customer’s profile within the partsmartparts.com site will automatically eliminate sales tax. State tax exempt status is required; federal tax-exempt status is not accepted.
“The tax-exempt functionality makes e-commerce for truck and bus parts more accessible to a greater percentage of our customers,” says Patti Corso, e-Commerce Catalog manager for Navistar Parts. “This one-time process will open a growing selection of online parts ordering to new customers throughout the United States.”
For the latest aftermarket news, announcements and trends, visit www.truckpartsandservice.com
Grote Launches Trilliant Technology Tour
After traveling west across the northern United States and parts of Canada this summer, the tour will make its way through the southern states during its return leg in the fall and winter, with its last stop tentatively scheduled for mid-December.
“The Trilliant Technology Tour will allow us to take the most stunning LED WhiteLight work lamp technology that’s ever been assembled directly to our customers’ locations,” says John Grote, vice president of sales and marketing. “We will be reaching OEs, distributors, fleets and end-users in ways that are simply not possible through traditional means, like trade shows.”
Anyone interested in tracking the tour will be able to follow its progress on Facebook and Twitter, or visit
TeamTrilliant.com.
Thermo King Launches Annual Parts Rebate Program
Thermo King Corp. is offering customers rebates of up to $250 when they purchase qualifying parts for Thermo King and Carrier units from participating Thermo King dealerships in the United States and Canada. The program will run through Sept. 30.
Now in its sixth year, the program includes belts and filters, alternators, starters, injectors, water pumps, TriPac parts and more. New products for this year include Standard Life Plus starters, air management products, PG Parts for Comfort Pro, X-430 remanufactured deep sump compressors, fans and refrigeration components.
Questions about the rebate program can be directed to a local Thermo King dealer. To find a local dealer, go to www.thermoking.com and click on the “dealer locator” link.
VIPAR Heavy Duty Announces New Mexican Market Programs
VIPAR Heavy Duty announced it created new programs with Accuride Corporation to offer Accuride Wheels and Gunite wheel-end components to the Mexican heavy-duty market. Under the agreement, VIPAR Heavy Duty’s network of truck parts distributors in Mexico will offer the new programs which mark Accuride’s first program group offering to the Mexican aftermarket.
Products in the program include wheel band spacers, steel and aluminum wheels, and demountable rims from Accuride Wheels, along with brake drums, spoke wheels, air disc brakes, rotors, disc wheel hubs and automatic slack adjusters from Gunite.
Truck-Lite Hires 200-plus Employees
Truck-Lite recently announced it hired more than 100 new full-time employees and more than 100 temporary employees at its Pennsylvania and New York operating facilities since the beginning of the year. The company says it is continuing to recruit for a variety of manufacturing and office professional positions and expects to fill another 70 to 100 positions within the next few months.
“Achieving this type of milestone is attributed to not only being on the forefront with advanced technology, allowing us to launch new innovative products, but by also possessing dedicated employees who were determined to see us through a few tough years,” says John Cecco, Truck-Lite’s vice president of operations.
Commercial Vehicle Outlook Conference Announces Speaker Lineup
Presenters confirmed to date include:
Donald Broughton, managing director and senior research analyst, Avondale Partners;
Max Fuller, co-chairman, U.S. Xpress;
Scott Kress, vice president, sales, Volvo Trucks North America;
Stu MacKay, president, MacKay & Company;
Jim O’Neal, president, O&S Trucking;
Joe Plomin, vice president, Trucks, ArvinMeritor CVS;
Rusty Rush, president and CEO, Rush Enterprises;
Dan Sobic, executive vice president, Paccar; and
Eric Starks, president, FTR Associates.
According to the announcement, the CVOC will provide critical information for all segments of the commercial fleet business, including fleet executives, truck OEMs, part and component suppliers, truck dealers, distributors, and maintenance and repair specialists. Sessions will include:
Outlook for freight, truck buying and parts and service activity;
The changing landscape of the capital markets;
Trucking 2020: The changing roles of OEMs, suppliers, dealers and fleets;
How fleets are dealing with current and future cost and productivity
challenges; and The impact of federal environmental and safety policies on trucking.
Presented by the Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association and Randall-Reilly Business Media and Information, the CVOC will be held at the Dallas Convention Center the day prior to 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 event is sponsored by Castrol, O’Reilly Auto Parts and Utility Trailer.
For pricing and registration details visit www.hdma.org or call 919-406-8814 or
e-mail [email protected]. n
