Strategic Partnership Announced
Starting this month, Leland Brake & Wheel Parts will distribute Webb Wheel Products’ brake drums and rotors through its current distribution channels, the companies announced.
“We’re adding Webb drums and rotors to our product offering at the request of our customers who recognize the advantage of a full-line brake system supplier and who demand the quality Webb products offer,” said Rick Platt, vice president and general manager of Leland, headquartered in DuBois, Penn.
According to the announcement, Webb and Leland will also partner to globally source brake components from quality suppliers worldwide.
Webb Wheel Products, headquartered in Cullman, Ala., manufactures hubs, brake drums and rotors for medium- and heavy-duty trucks, trailers and buses. Both Webb and Leland are Marmon Highway Technologies (MHT) companies.
Safety Technology Demonstrated
Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC, and Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC, demonstrated their safety innovations to almost 100 employees and fleet customers of Zurich, a commercial property-casualty insurance provider. The event, featuring the company’s Adaptive Cruise Control, ADB22X air disc brakes, and the Electronic Stability Program, marks continuing company efforts to demonstrate these safety technologies to the insurance industry.
Representatives from more than 35 fleets participated in the event. The event also included representatives from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, an independent, nonprofit, scientific and educational organization dedicated to reducing losses, deaths, injuries and property damage resulting from crashes on the nation’s highways. All attendees participated in educational presentations and live demonstrations.
People in the news
Following are personnel changes that recently occurred in the trucking industry:
- Aurora Parts & Accessories announced the appointment of David Clarke as president and chief executive officer.
- Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC appointed Richard Tanhauser human resources manager and Scott Herndon manufacturing engineering manager at the company’s new wheel-end manufacturing facility in Bowling Green, Ky. Michael Paul was appointed plant manager for the Bowling Green, Ky., facility.
- Jerry Goodwin has joined the Silver Eagle Manufacturing Company as president and chief operating officer.
- Bill Fautch assumed duties as director of operations at Hendrickson Truck Suspension Systems, Woordridge, Ill. Paul Schouwstra succeeded Fautch as plant general manager, Hendrickson Spring, Stratford, Ontario, Canada.
- Norio Karashima, president and CEO, Yokohama Tire Corporation of America, was promoted to managing corporate officer.
- Reinke Manufacturing appointed Chris Roth as president.
- Melissa Kellogg was named director of product marketing for Freightliner Trucks.
- Richard Dunkin was named vice president of operations for Superflow Technologies Group’s Des Moines, Iowa operations.
- John J. Stoeckinger has joined HD America as manager of fleet sales.
- Vicky Black was named CEO of Fabory North America, replacing Marty Goeree, who is now the company’s managing director of central and eastern Europe.
Bridgestone Americas Buy of Bandag Cleared by EU
The European Commission approved Bridgestone Corp. subsidiary Bridgestone Americas Holding’s proposed $1.05 billion acquisition of retread tire manufacturer Bandag. The proposed merger, under which Bandag will become a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas Holding, brings together one of the world’s largest new tire suppliers and a major retreading company.
Bridgestone said in April it wanted to acquire the outstanding shares of each class of Bandag stock for $50.75 per share. After examining the proposed deal, the commission concluded the transaction would not significantly impede competition in the European Union or any substantial part of it.
Bandag, which serves trucking fleets through more than 900 franchisees in nearly 100 different countries, has manufacturing plants in Brazil, Belgium, Canada, Mexico and six U.S. locations. Japan-based Bridgestone is the world’s largest tire manufacturer.
Luber-finer Introduces New eCatalog
Luber-finer, a division of Champion Laboratories and manufacturer of heavy-duty filtration products, introduced a new eCatalog CD that the company said expedites looking up filters and application specifications. The PC-compatible Luber-finder CD also has cross-reference functionality and is automatically updated through web-based downloads.
Company Selects Top Technicians
Volvo Trucks North America recently brought service and parts personnel from its dealer network to the company headquarters in Greensboro, N.C., to choose the North American winners of the Volvo VISTA competition.
The 2007 VISTA competition was won by a team from Beaver Truck Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The team consisted of Dan Teleglow, Dennis Baehnk and Chris Dunn. Each member received a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle and a set of Snap-on tools.
Hundreds of people compete in the six-month program. The VISTA competition is held every two years among three-person teams fielded by Volvo dealerships, usually consisting of a mix of service and parts personnel. There are three rounds of competition involving online technical questions to produce six teams of finalists. The finalists travel to Greensboro for the final round.
All the answers for the written questions are contained in the company’s service and parts literature. The finalists were tested on their knowledge of service bulletins and on their ability to look up parts and service information within the company’s system.
There also was a hands-on element to the competition in which the contestants had to troubleshoot pre-determined faults placed on a Volvo truck.
Parts Network Speeds Counter Services
VIPAR Heavy Duty announced web-based access for its distributors to FleetCross TurboWeb.
The program provides 24-hour-a-day access to almost 25 million parts and helps distributors get part cross-references and information. Once logged onto the group’s online system at this site, authorized distributors can choose to search for parts by number, name or manufacturer catalog title.
Distributors also can access product specifications for details, view intended applications for the part and product pictures, study component illustrations and print an illustrated catalog, the company said.
Brake, Alignment & Frame Training Clinic Held
The American Council Of Frame And Alignment Specialists (ACOFAS), held a two-day training clinic for technicians performing brake, alignment and frame modification services. This training clinic was held at the Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems training facility in Huntington, Ind. The instructors, John Reid, manager of warranty and training, and Bob Pawluk, regional service engineer, were provided by Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC.
The training clinic covered the antilock braking system (ABS), the ABS six driver assist module and electronic stability programming.
Web Site Launched
The Durham Manufacturing Co. has launched a new web site, www.durhammfg.com, to be more reflective of the company’s recently expanded product line, it said.
Included in the site are presentations on industrial storage, material handling products, work stations and benches, shelving and racks, first aid boxes and cabinets, safety products, literature and mail organizers.
A link is provided that allows distributors to log in to check order status, shipping details and tracking information. The company’s 68-page catalog also can be downloaded from the site.
Service Center Network Grows
VIPAR Heavy Duty announced that it has grown its VIPro TruckForce Service Center Network, a network of North American service centers.
Since its inception in 2005, the network has grown to include more than 165 participating independent service locations. The service centers access quality parts from industry suppliers through their local VIPAR Heavy Duty distributor. The centers perform comprehensive diagnostic and repair services by trained technicians, said the company.
Marketing Agreement Reached
Sloan Transportation Products announced agreements with Specialty Sales & Marketing and Alliance Sales & Marketing, LLC, to market the company’s products to the heavy-duty aftermarket.
Selective Catalytic Reduction Technology Agreement Reached
Clean Diesel Technologies, Inc., signed a binding contract for a worldwide non-exclusive licensing agreement with Stuttgart, Germany-based Robert Bosch GmbH.
Under the agreement, Robert Bosch GmbH secured non-exclusive worldwide rights to patents held by Clean Diesel Technologies for control of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emission by selective catalytic reduction (SCR). The patents Bosch agreed to license include the company’s ARIS method of single-fluid return-flow cooled urea injection for SCR control of NOx emissions, as well as patents covering the combination of exhaust gas recirculation with SCR to minimize toxic emissions while optimizing vehicle fuel efficiency, said Clean Diesel Technologies.
Online Interactive Clutch Selector Available
A new interactive clutch selector is available online at Roadranger.com to help maintenance professionals select and order Roadranger’s genuine Fuller replacement clutches.
The Fuller Aftermarket Clutch Selector provides customized results based on application, OEM, truck year, engine, torque and transmission input shaft size.
Wheel And Rim Company To Be Sold
TruckPro, Inc. has reached an agreement with Auto Wheel & Rim Service Company (AWR) to acquire its stores located in Bowling Green, Lexington, Louisville and Somerset, Ky.; and Clarksville, Ind.
AWR, owned by the Bauer family, was founded in 1923 and is a large distributor of aftermarket parts and accessories for heavy-duty vehicles in Kentucky. TruckPro currently has 63 locations in 16 states.
Purchase Announced
ASC Industries, Inc. announced its purchase of the New Water Pump Division of the Canadian-based Mevotech Inc. ASC is responsible for all activities related to supporting the current Mevotech customer base, according to the company.
Quality Management Certification Earned
Hendrickson Auxiliary Axle Systems earned ISO/TS 16949:2002 Quality Management System Certification from the Vehicle Certification Agency, an independent, accredited management systems registrar.
The certification is an international quality management system that aligns existing American (QS-9000), German (VDA6.1), French (EAQF) and Italian (AVSQ) automotive quality systems into a single standard, thus eliminating the need for multiple certifications.
The certification stresses continual improvement, emphasizes defect prevention and the reduction of variation and waste in the supply chain.
Driver Recruiting Program Settled
Truckjobs.com reached an agreement with American Trucking Associations (ATA). The settlement resulted from a dispute over the interpretation of the use of truckjobs.com web site for a proposed ATA driver recruiting program.
The truckjobs.com web site will remain independent. ATA operates its own website, as a job board dedicated to driver recruiting.
Wheel And Rim Company To Be Sold
TruckPro, Inc. has reached an agreement with Auto Wheel & Rim Service Company (AWR) to acquire its stores located in Bowling Green, Lexington, Louisville and Somerset, Ky.; and Clarksville, Ind.
AWR, owned by the Bauer family, was founded in 1923 and is a large distributor of aftermarket parts and accessories for heavy-duty vehicles in Kentucky. TruckPro currently has 63 locations in 16 states.
Technician Training Clinic
The American Council of Frame and Alignment Specialists (ACOFAS) will hold a technician training clinic at the Hendrickson International training facility in Woodridge, Ill. The clinic will be held September 11 to 12.
The clinic focuses on the Hendrickson Airtek, Primaax and Haulmaax suspension systems. Instructors will cover each suspension system, the operating principles, components that wear, alignment procedures and suspension limitations. More information can be found at this site.
