People In The News
Following are personnel changes that recently occurred in the
trucking industry:
· Phillips Industries promoted Randy Walker to national sales manager of the Aftermarket.
· Eaton Corporation named Eric Zahrai manager for Aftertreatment Marketing and Strategic Partners for its Truck Group.
· Wade & Partners announced aftermarket advertising and market research veteran Randy Brothers has joined the
consulting company.
· Thermo King named Doug Lenz director of Product Management.
· Carlisle Industrial Brake & Friction appointed Chris Koch to president.
· Daimler AG announced the following personnel changes: Martin Daum will replace Chris Patterson as head of Daimler Trucks North America and Dr. Albert Kirchmann will lead Daimler Trucks Asia, in which function he will also be president and CEO of Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus Corporation.
· Walter Frankiewicz was appointed president of Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake.
· The Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association announced Dennis Michels, president and CEO of Link Manufacturing, was named 2009 HDMA chairman, and named as vice chairmen are Terry Keating, presently serving on the board of directors of HDMA member companies, and Jack Shaffer, president and COO of Bergstrom, Inc.
WABCO Announces China Manufacturing Agreement with Fuwa
WABCO Holdings announced a joint venture agreement between WABCO and Guangdong FUWA Heavy Industry Co. to form a joint venture for production of air disc brakes in China. Fuwa is the largest manufacturer of commercial trailer axles in China and in the world.
Under the agreement, WABCO will have a 70 percent holding and Fuwa will have a 30 percent holding in the joint venture, which will be located at Fuwa’s newly established manufacturing facility in Taishan, Guangdong, China. The joint venture will encompass manufacturing, assembly and testing of air disc brakes for commercial trailers.
Bendix Offers Engine, Safety Systems
Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems unveiled new offerings in vehicle energy management and active safety technology during an industry event in Louisville, Ky., last month.
The company introduced the Bendix Pneumatic Booster System (PBS), an air management system aimed at improving fuel economy and acceleration while reducing emissions. The PBS, which represents a diversification of Bendix’s vehicle air treatment business into powertrain components, is undergoing testing and field and engine benchmarking.
Placed near the air intake manifold on the engine, the PBS monitors the controller area network, or CAN, for specific signals indicating the need for system activation. Then the PBS injects compressed air from an auxiliary air tank into the engine manifold, delivering the desired amount of air the diesel combustion processes require. The system is intended to overcome turbo lag, which leads to a delay in response when a driver presses the accelerator. Two models of the PBS are available, reaching about 80 percent of engine applications from 4-liter displacement to 13 liters.
Bendix also introduced adaptive cruise control with braking. The Bendix Wingman ACB system uses a radar sensor mounted in the front of the vehicle and Bendix ESP full stability technology to assist drivers in maintaining set following distances between trucks and forward vehicles. With cruise control on and speed set, Bendix ACB warns drivers of vehicles that it is approaching too quickly and actively intervenes by reducing throttle, engaging the engine retarder and, if needed, automatically applying the foundation brakes to help maintain following distance.
Even when the vehicle is not in cruise control, the driver receives following distance alerts – a benefit in situations when cruise control should not be used, such as poor weather or congested traffic. Inclusion of Bendix ESP helps drivers mitigate rollover and loss-of-control situations in various road conditions.
Information, warnings and operation of the Bendix Wingman ACB system are incorporated into the vehicle dash. Drivers activate the system using existing cruise control switches. Truck owners can customize following distance using Bendix ACom diagnostic software (version 6.3 or higher), which also provides information on use of cruise control and on stability events.
VIPAR, Fontaine Intro New Program
VIPAR Heavy Duty announced a new program to offer Fontaine Parts Connection fifth wheels and associated parts.
“VIPAR Heavy Duty is pleased to align our distributors with Fontaine Parts Connection, an industry leader in the fifth wheel product category,” said Steve Badowski, VIPAR director of program management. “Our two organizations have a mutual commitment to add value and grow market share and this new partnership will help strengthen that effort.”
Fontaine Parts Connection is the dedicated aftermarket company of Fontaine International, the world’s largest manufacturer of fifth wheels and associated parts.
TruckPro Signs on as CVSN Member
The board of directors of the Commercial Vehicle Solutions Network (CVSN) approved marketing group TruckPro as a new member at a recent meeting, the organization announced.
CVSN President Ken Duval said, “the Board is very pleased to have a company with a national footprint like TruckPro as a CVSN member.”
TruckPro Vice President Britt Lancaster said, “TruckPro wants to become an advocate for the heavy-duty aftermarket on the important issues facing us today. We feel that CVSN, as the largest aftermarket distributor association in our industry, is focused on helping us and all other industry distributor companies solve these complex issues.”
TruckPro has 67 locations in 17 states and employs close to 1,000 people.
The Commercial Vehicle Solutions Network was formed in 2006 from the merger of the Council of Fleet Specialists (CFS) and the National Wheel and Rim Association (NWRA) and is North America’s largest distributor governed association.
CVSN has close to 80 members with more than 500 warehouse locations across North America.
In September, CVSN will host the Aftermarket Distribution Summit in partnership with Truck Parts & Service magazine and HDX at Amelia Island Plantation Resort & Spa on Amelia Island, Fla.
Parts Suppliers to Receive Assistance
The new Auto Supplier Support Program announced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury will provide up to $5 billion in financing to vehicle parts manufacturers, “giving suppliers the confidence they need to continue shipping parts, pay their employees and continue their operations,” according to the government agency.
Reacting to the announcement, MEMA President Bob McKenna said, “This is a tremendous step toward stabilizing the supply base, which will benefit the domestic automotive manufacturing industry.”
The vehicle supply industry, which employs approximately 500,000 U.S. workers, is struggling with tight credit and dismal automotive production and sales volumes. According to the Treasury, “This program will help break this cycle and provide confidence in the supplier base at an important time for the domestic auto industry. It is part of the administration’s broader efforts to ensure that our Financial Stability Plan reaches the main street businesses that create good jobs for American workers.”
According to the plan:
- Suppliers will have government-backed protection that money owed to them for the products they ship will be paid no matter what happens to the recipient car company.
- Participating suppliers will be able to sell their receivables into the program at a modest discount. This will provide suppliers with desperately needed funding to operate their businesses and help unlock credit more broadly in the supplier industry.
- The program will be run through American auto companies that agree to participate in the program. Suppliers to those companies that agree to maintain qualifying commercial terms will have the opportunity to request this government backed protection. If granted, the supplier will pay a small fee for the right to participate in the program.
“The Supplier Support Program will help stabilize a critical component of the American auto industry during the difficult period of restructuring that lies ahead,” said Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner. “The program will provide supply companies with much needed access to liquidity to assist them in meeting payrolls and covering their expenses, while giving the domestic auto companies reliable access to the parts they need.”
