April 2012 Industry Focus

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Updated Dec 4, 2012

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

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* Power Train Services has added Paul Flaherty to the new position of national product manager – gearing.

* JX Enterprises has appointed Dan Ryan to head the company’s two newest dealerships, JX Peterbilt – Fort Wayne and JX Peterbilt – Indianapolis.

* Sloan Transportation Products has appointed Heather Letts as its new sales director for Canada and Lindsey Holstege as marketing analyst.

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* Meritor, Inc. has appointed Carl Anderson to the position of vice president and treasurer.

* Dana Holding Corp. has appointed William Quigley III executive vice president and chief financial officer.

* Fontaine Trailer Company has named Blake Chambers regional sales representative for parts of Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana.

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* Accuride has appointed Gregory A. Risch as vice president and chief financial officer.

* Eddie Wilkinson has been appointed president of Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC.

* Chris Baer has been named president of VHD Equipment Network, LLC, a separate buying group wholly owned by VIPAR Heavy Duty.

Baer Untitled 1* Frank Livas, president of Brake & Clutch, Inc., Salem, Mass., has been installed as the 48th president of the NTEA.

* Great Dane has promoted Charlie Fetz, Adam Hill and Alan Whiten on its engineering management team headquartered in Savannah, Ga.

ECONOMIC NEWS

The following is economic news from the trucking industry:

* The Commercial Motor Vehicle Consulting CV Parts Aftermarket Leading Indicator has increased 0.03 percent in January to 104.70 following a 0.01 percent decrease in December and a 0.61 percent increase in November.

* Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in February for the 31st consecutive month, and the overall economy grew for the 33rd consecutive month, say the nation’s supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business.

* FTR Associates has released preliminary data showing February Class 8 truck total net orders of 22,243 units for all major North American OEMs, 11 percent below January and the second consecutive month of negative month-over-month and year-over-year comparisons. February orders annualize to 266,900 units and fall within the average order rate for the past nine months.

* Payroll employment in trucking surged in February as trucking companies added 10,200 jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the latest numbers released March 9 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Payroll employment in for-hire trucking is up by 47,300, or 3.7 percent, from February 2011. Employment is up by 97,300, or 7.9 percent, from the bottom in March 2010, but it remains 121,900, or 8.4 percent, below the peak in January 2007.

DEALERSHIP NEWS

The following is news from dealerships in the trucking industry:

* Polar Service Centers has opened its second location in Billings, Mont., providing parts, service and sales for all makes of tank trailers and bodies used for dry and liquid bulk cargoes.

* Vanguard Truck Centers has opened its newest full-service Volvo Trucks location in Adairsville, Ga. The location offers new and used trucks, leasing and rental, financing, parts and service.

* Paccar Leasing Co. has opened a new franchise location in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

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