People In The News
Following are personnel changes that recently occurred in the trucking industry:
- Ken-Tool named Rick Homman its director of operations and added Leonard Broyles as its customer service manager.
- Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems appointed Robert Legato as vice president of integrated supply chain and promoted Bill Mossing to vice president and general manager of modules.
- Stanley Vidmar promoted Jill Wheeler to director of marketing for its Stanley Engineered Storage Solutions for North America.
- RigMaster Power appointed Tori M. Harper president.
- Eaton Corporation named Staci Standen general manager of its Truck Group’s NAFTA Heavy Duty Transmission Division.
- Hunter Engineering Company named Dave Smith senior vice president; promoted John Zentz to vice president of sales; appointed Wes Wingo vice president of international; promoted Erwin Van Deman to Southeast division manager; and named Larry Watson, Jr. its Atlanta regional manger.
ATA Truck Tonnage Index Fell 0.3% in July
The American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index decreased 0.3 percent in July, marking the first month-to-month drop since April. The seasonally adjusted tonnage index equaled 116.2 in July, while the non-seasonally adjusted index fell 0.1 percent to 119.7.
The seasonally adjusted index was 4.4 percent higher compared with July 2007, marking its ninth consecutive year-over-year increase, although the gain was a full percentage point lower than the improvement in June. Year-to-date, the index was up 3.6 percent compared with the same period in 2007. Tonnage contracted 1.7 percent and 1.5 percent in 2006 and 2007, respectively.
ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello says July’s tonnage reading matched several anecdotal reports from motor carriers that freight was softer in July than in the previous month. Costello cautions that truck tonnage could be volatile in coming months because the economy is expected to soften further before improving. However, slight declines in fuel prices and tightening capacity could help offset softer freight volumes, he says.
Datalliance Acquires HDeXchange
Datalliance announced it acquired the assets of HDeXchange, Inc. (HDX) effective Sept. 1, 2008, and will take control of all activities performed by HDX and its wholly owned subsidiary, HDX Services. Datalliance is a provider of vendor managed inventory (VMI) and other e-commerce services and HDX provides e-commerce services to the heavy-duty truck parts supply chain.
According to the announcement, “HDX will continue to operate as the industry’s voice for electronic commerce initiatives, as well as maintain its full suite of services, but with the financial backing of Datalliance.”
Edward Kuo will remain executive director “on a long-term basis” and the services of the current HDX Board of Directors will be retained “on a short-term basis.”
“Datalliance has been one of HDX’s best supporters over the years as both a customer and a vendor partner, so this is an ideal fit,” says Jay Johnston, chairman of the HDX Board. “HDX will benefit from the years of experience Datalliance has in running a technology-based company, as well as the additional strategic and financial resources it brings to the table.”
According to Kuo, “HDX has affected a significant amount of change in this industry over the last 10 years. With Datalliance, we increase our financial backing, giving us an opportunity to expand the reach of our services and support of those services.”
Carl Hall, President and CEO of Datalliance, adds, “I’m excited because this enhances the long and beneficial history between HDX, Datalliance and the heavy-duty truck parts industry. With this and other initiatives, it’s our goal to build on our position as a trusted third party to provide a range of related e-commerce services within industry-specific supply chains.”
HDX headquarters will remain in Ada, Mich., with some administrative services being transferred to Datalliance headquarters in Cincinnati.
ACOFAS Offers Chassis Vibration Clinic
The American Council of Frame and Alignment Specialist (ACOFAS) is offering a technician training clinic on truck chassis vibration diagnoses Oct. 20-22 in St. Louis. The class, which includes hands-on instruction and demonstrations, is limited to 25 participants.
The classes will be taught by engineers provided by:
- ArvinMeritor on driveline and differential vibration;
- Michelin Tire Company on tire vibration and causes of tire wear;
- ACOFAS trainers on frame flex, hop and methods of locating areas of vibration; and
- Hunter Engineering on the electronic vibration analyzer.
For further information, contact Tony Porretta at [email protected] or Gordon Botts at [email protected] or 800-822-6887.
ArvinMeritor Dedicates Manufacturing Facility Near Monterrey, Mexico
ArvinMeritor dedicated its new $30 million manufacturing facility in Ciénega de Flores, Nuevo Le
