The aftermarket parts supplier Motaquip recently celebrated its 25th anniversary with a black tie gala dinner in the magnificent surroundings of Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, where 130 guests enjoyed a champagne reception before taking their seats in the Grand Hall for dinner.
SmarTire Systems Inc. has announced that it has filed a comprehensive patent application in the United States for an external valve sensor used in its tyre pressure monitoring systems.
The company’s external valve sensors were specifically designed to address the needs of the commercial vehicle industry and offer practical installation and maintenance improvements over current solutions. SmarTire external sensors are expected to be released for sale in the second quarter of 2007.
Maha, a world-leader in the garage equipment sector, has confirmed it is set to use January’s Aftermarket Show as a platform for showcasing the latest product in its Dynamometer range. The event will be held at the NEC in Birmingham from 11-14 January. The company, specialists in the manufacture and supply of Brake Testing Equipment, Vehicle Lifts, and Chassis Dynamometers, is returning to the show after enjoying considerable success at the event earlier this year.
The Aftermarket Show has revamped its web site, signalling the launch of its visitor campaign for the 2007 show. The website www.theaftermarketshow.com holds everything there is to know about the event and also that of sister show Autosport International, enabling visitors to plan their visit around the four day long exhibition.
The UK subsidiary of the international Mahle group has completed the re-organisation of warehousing and administration functions, gearing up for further expansion in the aftermarket. The first phase took place late last year with a new, £2.5 million warehouse opening at Salisbury, doubling storage capacity to 40,000 square feet. Now, Mahle Filter Systems UK has relocated its administration to new offices at Oldbury in the West Midlands, in a 2,700 square feet building centrally located close to junction 2 of the M5.
TMD Friction has appointed Nafeesa Qabaz to the role of Group Pricing and Marketing Intelligence Manager. Nafeesa has managed similar functions within the UK Aftermarket for a variety of companies, most recently Federal Mogul.
(Akron/Tire Review) TIA is keeping a tight focus on the tyre pressure monitoring system issue, and is using its Tires at Two seminars at the upcoming SEMA Show to help attendees better understand the technology and service of these units. In addition, TIA is again presenting its highly popular panel discussion “Successful Tire Dealers Share Their Secrets.” TIA’s Tires at Two seminars will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday – Oct. 31-Nov. 2 – of this year’s SEMA Show.
(Akron/Tire Review) Alcoa Forged Specialty Wheels has expanded its product warranty to a lifetime-limited warranty covering all of its automotive aftermarket wheels. The new warranty program went into effect 1 September. Under the extended warranty, Alcoa said the warranty covers the life of the wheel against defects in materials or workmanship, and will repair or replace a defective product that fails in normal use and service.
MAM Software has given its full support to the ‘Partnership for Aftermarket Connectivity Technologies’ (PACT), recently launched by TecCom UK Ltd and ABS eparts. This ground-breaking initiative by the two former competitors aims to connect their exchanges and make electronic trading easier for all in the automotive aftermarket.
(Akron/Tire Review) Goerlich’s Inc. will change its corporate name to AP Exhaust Products Inc. “Today we have the opportunity to again use the AP name that for so many years played an important role in the aftermarket,” said President and CEO Vange Proimos. “By changing the corporate name it opens the door to a multitude of marketing strategies.
Manbat has become an approved supplier of batteries to automotive buying group Group Auto Union (UK). As part of the agreement, the company, the UK’s largest battery distributor, will offer GAU distributors the high profile Numax and Varta brands of batteries, which both offer 99 per cent coverage of UK car parc.
GAU recognised Manbat for its excellent sales support package, which encompasses high quality cataloguing, point of sale, extensive availability and range of product.
Leading all terrain vehicle manufacturers Honda, Yamaha, and Polaris have accredited Maxxis as an OE tyre supplier for products sold in the American market. While Honda has specified Maxxis for its TRX90 model, six Maxxis patterns are now accredited for use on the Polaris Predator 500, Predator TLD, Hawkeye 2×4 and Hawkeye 4×4 sold in the USA. Maxxis is also OE accredited by Yamaha for a wide range of its US specification Bear Tracker, Bruin, Big Bear, Kodiak, Wolverine and Rhino models.
GP Automotive has extended its range of Brembo brake discs and is firmly backing the brand’s new OE initiative, which will provide matching quality part numbers that conform to original equipment specifications.
The initiative – OE Code to Specification (OCTS) – has been launched following the tradition of vehicle assemblers (VAs) to create new part numbers for discs that fit the same vehicle application types on shared platforms. In response to this and to counter the misconception of quality in aftermarket parts, Brembo will create a new part number for such applications. This, Brembo believes, will strengthen the aftermarket’s position in supplying OE quality braking products, fit to specification.
The world’s largest wheel manufacturer Hayes Lemmerz (producing a total of approximately 60 million units annually), has extended its product spectrum to include aluminium truck wheels. The wheels are called “CentruStyle“ and are manufactured by Aluwheel W.L.L in Manama (Bahrain) in the low pressure casting process. “CentruStyle“ will be marketed using the existing sales team into the original equipment business, to fleets and into the aftermarket. In order to make the wheels the producer will use equipment it acquired from the former Tunaverken (Sweden), which went bankrupt at the beginning of the year. Hayes Lemmerz and its Bahrain-based partner will begin with size 8.25×22.5 and want to increase the production volume gradually depending upon customer interest.
(Akron/Tire Review) The Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) expects the automotive aftermarket to grow 4.2% in 2006 to $209 billion, according to new research in the soon-to-be-released 2006-2007 AASA Automotive Aftermarket Status Report.
In 2005, according to AASA, the aftermarket – labor and parts combined – broke the $200 billion mark for the first time ever, ending the year at $200.41 billion, up 5.2% from 2004. Adding in the heavy-duty aftermarket – Class 6-8 vehicles – the total US. aftermarket hit $255 billion in 2005, up 5.1% from 2004.
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