Quick Hits …
(A few short items to get us started this week)
• Tricia Sauls is now executive director of the Independent Garage Owners of North Carolina (IGONC), succeeding Bob Pulverenti, who is retiring after 15 years with the association and more than 50 years in the automotive industry.
• Maddi Hennessey has joined IGONC as its marketing and membership director.
• Mevotech LP has appointed Bill Holmes as its director of national accounts. Holmes most recently was national account manager.
• Pep Boys has tapped Melvin Fonseca as its regional vice president for Puerto Rico. He was senior area director for Puerto Rico. Fonseca joined Pep Boys in 2018 after more than 16 years with Sears, including time as a district manager – automotive in Puerto Rico.
• SuperSprings International has appointed Adam Weisner as its chief commercial officer. Weisner most recently was the company’s chief marketing officer. He has been with SuperSprings since 2018.
APC Automotive Technologies Completes Restructuring
APC Automotive Technologies, together with certain numbers of its subsidiaries, on July 24 announced that it has successfully implemented the debt restructuring set out in the restructuring support agreement with its asset-based lenders, term loan lenders and significant equity holders. This follows confirmation of the company’s Chapter-11 plan of reorganization by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware effective July 24.
According to APC, the company has reduced the debt on its balance sheet by more than $290 million and secured a new $50-million senior secured term loan to finance its go-forward operations. Additionally, the current management team, including CEO Tribby Warfield, will continue to lead APC.
Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Jefferies LLC and WeinsweigAdvisors LLC were advisers to APC through the restructuring.
Centric Parts To Pay $8 Million To Resolve Unpaid Customs Allegations
CWD LLC/Centric Parts has agreed to pay the United States $8 million to resolve allegations that it knowingly underpaid customs duties on imported brake pads, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. The company’s alleged activities violated the False Claims Act and the Tariff Act of 1930, according to the Department of Justice.
The settlement resolves whistleblower complaints filed by two former employees using the “qui tam” provisions of the False Claims Act. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the provisions permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when a defendant knowingly avoids an obligation to pay money to the government. It also allows the whistleblowers, Steven Hughes and Jeffrey Hawk, to share in any recovery.
Hughes and Hawk will receive a total of $1.48 million as their part of the settlement, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Hawk was a controller at Centric, while Hughes was the vice president of supplier development, government affairs and logistics for CWD/Centric Parts, Qualis Automotive and StopTech.
The United States alleged that, from 2007-’17, Centric Parts falsely claimed on entry documents that mounted brake pads, which carry a 2.5% tariff, were unmounted brake pads, which require no tariff. The United States further alleged that, when confronted with the misclassifications in 2017, company officials decided to conceal and not disclose past false entry documents to U.S. Customs & Border Protection.
“As a result of Centric Parts’ alleged omissions and false statements regarding its imported products, the company knowingly evaded millions of dollars of customs duties it owed to the United States,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office wrote in a July 22 announcement regarding the settlement.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, the U.S. Attorney’s Office advised in its July 22 announcement, adding that there has been no determination of liability.
“This settlement represents an appropriate resolution of this situation, which did not involve anybody who worked for Centric Parts or any division of APC Automotive Technologies by the time it was brought to our attention,” APC Automotive Technologies wrote in a statement to The Greensheet. “We have put a new process in place to ensure that a similar issue does not arise in the future, and we look forward to putting this behind us as we continue our strategic and operational transformation.”
APC Automotive Technologies filed for Chapter-11 bankruptcy protection in June. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the bankruptcy court has entered an order confirming the company’s plan of reorganization that explicitly provides that settlement debt is non-dischargeable and will be paid by the reorganized company.
Obituary: Don Poole, Longtime Vice President Of Consumer Auto Parts
Don Poole, longtime senior executive of Consumer Auto Parts, died July 19 after a battle with Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS). He was 65.
Poole spent several years in the auto parts industry, beginning with Consumer Auto Parts, where he became the “right-hand man” to Merrill Cohen and spent more than 25 years as vice president of the company.
Kevin Gross, director of corporate development at the Icahn Automotive Group, worked for nearly 20 years at Consumer Auto Parts, including time as a district manager.
“Don Poole was a friend, a mentor, a colleague, and above all, a true gentleman. Those of us fortunate enough to be acquainted with Don were truly blessed,” Gross said. “He was a very private and unassuming man who carried himself with a quiet confidence. During meetings, if a topic was controversial or things started to get out of hand, you could count on Don to bring things back under control and right the ship.
“His ability to captivate an audience was unmatched, as people would listen intently waiting to see what kind of helpful information he was going to leave with you. His love for the automotive industry was only trumped by his love for his family and his faith. No matter how busy he was or if there was a project deadline looming overhead, if you approached him for some help or even casual conversation, he would pause and make time for you. He helped more people become better just by being himself.”
Gross continued: “The industry and the world lost a great man who had no idea how much of an impact he made with the people he interacted with. We should all take a page from Don’s book and remember that life is short, people matter, and how you treat others is a true testament of how you will be remembered. Rest in peace, Don. And thank you for everything you did for us. You will be missed greatly.”
Poole joined Auto Plus in 2006 following the acquisition of Consumer Auto Parts. There, Poole contributed in many roles in product, pricing and sales, most recently as vice president of pricing.
“Don was someone who only saw the good in everyone he met. He defined integrity in business and his personal life, and anyone who had the pleasure to know him held him in the highest regards,” said Mike Buzzard, vice president of commercial marketing and independent sales at Auto Plus. “He cared deeply about the needs of others and made it a point to go out of his way to help them.
“He was loving, simple and gracious. He was a consummate professional, eager to find win-win opportunities in all his negotiations with manufacturers, customers and team members alike. Most of all, he was genuine. I am honored he considered me a friend and will miss him dearly.”
Chris Cox, CEO – parts at Icahn Automotive, described Poole as a smart, kind and honest man. “He truly defined our Auto Plus corporate ‘Value of Integrity,’ always striving to make everyone’s life that he touched better,” Cox said. “Anyone who spent time with Don quickly learned that he was a gentle giant. He always treated our customer and manufacturer partners and team members with the utmost respect. He took great pride in being respected and valued by our Auto Plus customer and supplier family.”
Because of his illness, Poole retired in 2018 but continued working as a consultant.
John Passante, president and CEO of The Organizational Development Group, described Poole as a man of character and energy and a professional with spirit. “Don had a great passion for the aftermarket and for people,” Passante said.
Poole was a member of Saint Peter’s Church in Northbridge, MA, where he served as a lector. A talented musician, Poole held a degree in music education, played the saxophone and shared his love of music with everyone.
He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Bethann; son Christopher and his wife, Catherine; brothers Kenneth and Steven; sister-in-law Belen Wieler-Hawes and her husband, Steve Hawes; nephews Shane Poole and Aidan Hawes; and niece Addison Hawes.
The family requests memorial donations, in lieu of flowers, be made to The ALS Association Massachusetts Chapter, 685 Canton St., Suite 103, Norwood, MA 02062.
Deal In Place For Distributors Warehouse Inc. To Join Parts Warehouse This Fall
Replacement Parts Inc. (Little Rock, AR) — which goes to market as Parts Warehouse Inc. (PWI) and Crow-Burlingame — has reached a deal that will add Paducah, KY-based Distributors Warehouse Inc. (DWI) to the Parts Warehouse family this fall.
PWI and DWI are both members of the Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance under the Bumper to Bumper flag.
DWI serves customers in Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. The company has 65,000 square feet of usable warehouse space in Paducah and 21 store locations throughout the three states
PWI currently operates in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas, with plans to grow into Florida and Georgia. It has 177 company stores.
When the transaction is finalized, the two businesses will serve a total of 12 states.
“Our family has continually assessed our business as a whole, and it has become clear that doing business like we always have is no longer the best strategy. It also became clear that the best solution for ensuring our locations continue to thrive in their markets is a strategic partnership with a like-minded company,” Steve Korte, president of DWI, said in a July 22 announcement. “After 15 months of dialogue, we are confident we have found the right partner to help us move to the next level.”
“Our companies share traditional values, focused goals and a mutual mission to be always about the customer,” PWI President Fletcher Lord III said in the same announcement. “We are honored to have this longstanding company become part of our growing team.”
AutoZone Honors Top Suppliers
AutoZone Inc. recognized Dorman Products with its 2020 “Vendor of the Year” award at its July 21 virtual vendor summit. The company also presented “What It Takes to Do the Job Right” (WITTDTJR) awards to the following vendors …
• Autolite.
• Bosch.
• Gold.
• Power Stop.
• Valvoline.
• White Knight.
• Winhere Brake Parts.
Receiving “Extra Miler” awards were …
• Apex Tool Group.
• Baofeng.
• ExxonMobil.
• Meguiar’s.
• Old World Industries.
• Prestone.
• Standard Motor Products.
Nexus Automotive International Schedules First Virtual Trade Show
Nexus Automotive International will host a virtual trade show for Nexus members and suppliers Oct. 14-15. N! Virtual Days will include a virtual exhibition center composed of three halls …
• Auditorium: Attendees will participate in webinars addressing Nexus activities and strategies.
• Exhibitors: Nexus strategic suppliers will welcome visitors directly at their digital booths. Here, suppliers will conduct meetings, as well as share documents, webinars and resources.
• Lounge: Participants will meet directly in the lounge area and chat online with people in the room.
Just like a traditional trade show, participants will be able to schedule meetings in advance. And, suppliers can participate with more representatives, giving them the opportunity to bring their local teams to run meetings with members from their region.
Bosch Automotive Aftermarket North America Names Independent Aftermarket Sales VP
Todd Hertzler is now the vice president of independent aftermarket sales for Bosch‘s automotive aftermarket division – North America. He works out of the company’s Broadview, IL office, reporting directly to Enrico Manuele, regional president for automotive aftermarket – North America.
Hertzler brings 14 years of sales experience to his new role, having previously been director of global accounts at Bosch automotive aftermarket’s Farmington Hills, MI office. He has served in global sales roles on three continents, including Europe and Asia.
Top Bidder Emerges For Exide Americas
An affiliate of Atlas Holdings LLC has emerged as the highest or otherwise best bidder to acquire Exide Technologies’ Americas business for $178.60 million. The amount is subject to adjustment, and Atlas would assume certain liabilities related to the acquired assets. According to Exide, the agreement contemplates the continued operation of its transportation, recycling and GNB Industrial Power businesses.
The proposed sale has been filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court overseeing Exide’s Chapter-11 case. A hearing to approve the transaction is scheduled for Aug. 6. The deal also is subject to customary closing conditions.
Greenwich, CT-based Atlas and its affiliates own and operate 20 platform companies worldwide. It operates in a wide range of industries, including aluminum processing, automotive and building materials. Among its holdings is Motus, a manufacturer of automotive headliners and interior trim components, including door and console armrests, instrument panel trim and interior handles.
“We are very excited about acquiring the assets of Exide’s Americas business,” Jacob Hudson, managing partner of Atlas said in an announcement dated July 23. “We believe that, with a clean start and a strong balance sheet, the Exide Americas business has a very bright future, and we are looking forward to investing in its growth.”
As you may recall from May when Exide filed for bankruptcy protection, the company has entered into an agreement under which an ad hoc group of Exide’s prepetition noteholders would continue as owners of its Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific businesses.
New Hankook AtlasBX Plant Now Operational
Hankook AtlasBX America Corp. has constructed a 200,000-square-foot manufacturing facility at its headquarters in Clarksville, TN to support growing demand for its products. Hankook supplies and manufactures lead acid batteries for OEs and the aftermarket. The multimillion-unit production facility will deliver Sealed Maintenance Free (SMF) batteries and includes a dedicated production line for Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) batteries.
Continental Batteries Expands In Texas
Continental Batteries, an Incline Equity Partners portfolio company, has acquired Battery Joe and Battery Solutions. Financial terms of the transactions were not disclosed. The moves add branch locations in West Texas.
Continental Batteries — a distributor of aftermarket batteries to the automotive, commercial, electric utility vehicle, marine and industrial markets — now has 81 locations across 19 states. That’s an increase from 22 locations across seven states in December 2017, when Incline Equity acquired the company.
Inclined Equity is a private equity firm based in Pittsburgh.
Wheel Maker Faces Insolvency Issues
Wheel maker BBS GmbH has initiated bankruptcy proceedings in Germany. In a statement posted on its website, BBS referred to the filing as “a necessary step to prevent imminent insolvency within the coming months due to the sudden omission of confirmed payments.”
A tough market environment exacerbated by a coronavirus-related lockdown was cited as the reason for BBS’ financial hardships. However, production continues and BBS stated that it has secured the supply of all its OE and aftermarket customers.
Thomas Oberle and Marc-Philippe Hornung are now the company’s insolvency administrators.
MEMA Supports Renewing Copyright Act Exemptions For Independent Repair Providers
MEMA, on behalf of its two divisions, AASA and MERA – The Association for Sustainable Manufacturing, has reiterated its support of renewing current exemptions under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) that allow independent repair providers to have greater access to vehicle software for diagnostic and repair services.
MEMA’s comments are in response to the U.S. Copyright Office initiating the first phase of its eight triennial review proceedings under DMCA. According to the association, renewed exemptions will allow diagnostic tool providers and repair professionals to access software and other copyrighted information necessary to diagnose and repair vehicles without compromising the intellectual property found on vehicles.
Prior to 2018, the repair exemption for vehicle software had only applied to vehicle owners. During the seventh triennial review, the Copyright Office expanded the vehicle repair exemption to allow third-party providers to service vehicles on behalf of owners.
“AASA’s priority is ensuring access to appropriate vehicle data for both consumers and repair shops. Getting the exemption expanded was a critical victory for the aftermarket, and renewing it is necessary to defend consumer’s choice on where and with what parts our vehicles can be repaired and maintained,” said Paul McCarthy, president of AASA. “This is only one piece of the puzzle but an important step in the fight to protect market competition and consumers.”
MEMA has worked on this issue with other aftermarket stakeholders like the Auto Care Association and SEMA, which also support retaining the repair exemptions. If renewed, the exemptions would be in force until October 2024.
In addition to comments on the diagnostic and repair exemption, MEMA submitted a petition that supports renewing the existing exemption of access to software for the purposes of “good-faith security research.”
Capstone Financial’s Dan Smith To Address AASA Mobility Event
During the AASA Mobility Innovation Conference, Capstone Financial Founder and President Dan Smith will discuss how the deceleration toward Level 5 autonomous vehicles, the coronavirus pandemic and changing business models are impacting development and go-to-market strategies for emerging technology suppliers. Smith’s session will highlight how these shifts might benefit traditional parts suppliers.
“A significant amount of R&D investment is morphing away from Level 5 autonomy. And, as legacy auto suppliers are trying to secure their future in an ever-changing supply chain, data has become the new battleground,” he said. “AASA’s Mobility Innovation Conference is sure to address all of these issues as its Mobility Technology Council continues to bridge that all-important gap between legacy auto, auto tech and Washington.”
Click here for more information or to register for the Aug. 27 AASA Mobility Technology Conference.
ASTE 2020 Moved To Late November
The Independent Garage Owners of North Carolina has rescheduled its 2020 Automotive Service & Technology Expo (ASTE) to Nov. 20-21. The event is contingent upon the reopening of North Carolina and lifting coronavirus-related gathering size restrictions. The state is still under Phase 2, which limits crowd sizes to gatherings of 25 people. Attendee registration will open as soon as IGONC is sure that the event can be held.
California Drivers Paid The Most For ‘Check Engine’ Repairs In 2019
California drivers incurred the highest average “Check Engine Light” (CEL) repair cost in 2019 at $414.24, according to CarMD.com’s 10th annual state ranking of CEL-related car repair costs. Vermont had the lowest average repair cost at $342.14. 2019 marked the second time California has ranked most expensive and the second time Vermont has ranked the least expensive state for car repairs.
Rounding out the five most affordable states for CEL-related car repairs over the past year were …
• Ohio at $348.79
• Wisconsin at $349.08
• Michigan at $350.77
• Iowa at $356.57
The remaining five most expensive areas for CEL repairs over the past year were …
• District of Columbia at $410.16
• Georgia at $409.92
• New Jersey at $403.43
• Virginia at $403.19
For the fourth consecutive year, Vermont had the lowest average labor cost at $123.68. According to CarMD, this is because the most common cause of a CEL on Vermont cars and trucks continued to be a loose or missing gas cap, accounting for 8% of CEL-related repairs. In Vermont, the most commonly repaired vehicle was a 2004 Honda Civic.
For the second year in a row, drivers in Mississippi paid the most on average for labor at $160.45. Here, the most common CEL-related repair was to replace ignition coils and spark plugs. The type of repair, how long the repair will take and a shop’s hourly rate all factor into the average labor cost. In Mississippi, the most commonly repaired vehicle was a 2004 F150.
Drivers in Michigan paid the least for parts last year at $202.30. The most common repair in 2019 was to replace an oxygen sensor. In Michigan, the vehicle most frequently needing CEL-related repairs was a 2008 Chevrolet Impala.
In 2019, drivers in California paid the most on average for parts at $266.86. The most frequently recommended CEL-related repairs were catalytic converter replacements, which are costly. In California, the vehicle most frequently needing CEL-related repairs was a 2005 Nissan Altima.
Over the past 10 years of CarMD’s state rankings of CEL-related car repair costs, Michigan has ranked best three times (2016, 2017 and 2018), while the District of Columbia has had the highest average repair cost four times (2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019).
“Several factors contribute to a state’s average repair costs, including vehicle age and type, how difficult the repair is, required parts, how much time is needed to make the repair and what the repair shop charges per hour,” explained David Rich, technical director at CarMD. “With cost-saving on everyone’s minds these days, drivers can reduce the likelihood of unexpected and costly car repairs by staying current on maintenance, addressing warning lights as soon as possible and having repairs made by a trusted independent repair shop or dealership.”
A provider of automotive diagnostic data and business tools, CarMD.com publishes this annual state-by-state ranking as part of its Vehicle Health Index, which is designed to raise awareness of the importance of CEL issues in order to reduce the cost of vehicle ownership. CarMD analyzed data from over 15.90 million cars, trucks, vans and SUVs needing repairs in 2019 to compile its rankings.
Leeds West Expanding Its Network To Ohio, Kentucky
Leeds West Groups (LWG) has reached an agreement to acquire three Big O Tires locations from Big OKI LLC. The addition of these stores in Hamilton, OH; Georgetown, KY; and Lexington, KY will move LWG into its 17th and 18th states as far as franchised aftermarket auto repair locations. More specifically, it will be its fifth state with a Big O Tires presence. After the deal closes on Aug. 1, LWG will have a total of 26 Big O Tires stores and 104 auto repair locations overall.
Alldata Debuts New Shop Management Technology
Alldata Shop Manager, the third addition to Alldata’s suite of shop management technology, creates essential shop documents and integrates directly with Alldata Repair. This allows users to start estimates from the parts and labor information in Alldata Repair, as well as go straight from repair orders in Shop Manager to repair procedures in Alldata Repair. Additionally, Alldata Shop Manager stores customer and vehicle information and generates basic sales and tax reports.
Snap-on Touts Live Online Training
Snap-on Diagnostics National Trainer Jason Gabrenas will host live online training sessions over the coming months covering a variety of topics, including “Advanced Drivers Assistance Systems (ADAS),” “Guided Component Testing” and “Ignition Scope Testing.” Sessions are free and will provide roughly 30 minutes of material and 15 minutes for questions and answers. For more information, click here.
New Board In Place For Automotive Oil Change Association
Mark Bochnowski of Lube ‘n Go Inc. is now president of the Automotive Oil Change Association (AOCA) board of directors. He is joined by the following executive committee members and directors …
• Vice President: Justin Cialella of Victory Lane Quick Oil Change.
• Treasurer: Amber Kossak of Solid Start/True Brand.
• Secretary: Eric Frankenberger of Oil Changers.
• Immediate Past President: Bill Floyd of Lucas Oil Center.
• Dave Everett of Service Champ.
• Alan Lamberti of Jiffy Lube.
• John Lindsay of Power Lube Express Auto Care.
• Jeff Malicote of Vavoline Inc.
• Tom Staker of Grease Monkey.
• Matt Webb of Premier Oil Change.
Lube-Tech Sells Its Fuel Distribution Assets To Mansfield Energy
Mansfield Energy Corp. has acquired the fuel transportation assets of Lubrication Technologies/Lube-Tech, including its tank wagon and transport fleet operations and bulk storage facilities.
Since 2014, Mansfield and Golden Valley, MN-based Lube-Tech have partnered in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa to provide fuel, lubricants and more to their shared customers. The purchase of Lube-Tech’s fuel assets allows fuel customers to receive enhanced delivery logistics and reporting through Mansfield’s online fuel portal, FuelNet, while still benefitting from Lube-Tech’s fluids, lubricants and vehicle washing offerings.
“We are excited to enhance the service we provide to fuel customers by bringing together fuel supply and delivery solutions,” said Blake Young, president of Gainesville, GA-based Mansfield Oil. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with Lube-Tech to create an impactful combination of data integration and supply chain management for fuels, lubricants, DEF, equipment and related services throughout the Midwest.”
AutoNation Appoints Senior Director Of Supply Chain For Collision Products
AutoNation Inc. has appointed Rob Barkley as its senior director of supply chain for aftermarket collision products. Barkley is responsible for the international product supply chain from origin to distribution. This includes acquisition, product assortment and merchandising.
Barkley, who joined AutoNation in 2017, most recently was senior director of merchandising for aftermarket collision products. He is a former director of sales and marketing – wholesale for U.S. Auto Parts Network and national sales manager at Kool-Vue Mirrors.
U.S., Canadian Collision Repair Networks Are Merging
Canada’s CSN Collision Centres and U.S.-based 1Collision Network are merging their business operations — a move that will result in a unified collision repair experience and claims management solution. Combined, they have 240 locations generating roughly $550 million in revenue.
1Collision President Jim Keller will lead day-to-day operations in the United States, while CSN Collision Centres COO Flavio Battilana will lead operations in Canada, with CSN President and CEO Ryan Bruno overseeing both networks.
Longtime Heavy-Duty Truck Rep Opens New Agency
Steven Henman, a longtime aftermarket sales rep and product manager in the Atlantic Canada region, recently started his own company designed to help heavy-duty truck manufacturers with their sales and marketing.
Henman created his new venture, the SM Agency, after more than 25 years in the industry, the last 15 of which were at United Auto Parts (UAP). When a downsizing occurred earlier this year at UAP, Henman decided the writing was on the wall and knew it was time to branch out on his own.
“I woke up one morning and decided this is what I wanted to do,” Henman said. “It’s something I always thought about doing, so I started discussing it with my family. And, it just felt like the right time to do this with all of the changes happening.”
Henman’s role in his new company will draw on the experience, expertise and professional contacts he has after so many years in the business. “I will act as a regional account representative,” he explained. “Companies that usually have an account or sales representative in the region will hire me to do that for them.”
Henman says the advantages of using an independent agency are many, because companies won’t have to pay benefits or travel expenses to a full-time staff member. “I will rep their line for them in my region and charge them a commission on the total percentage of sales,” he said, noting that this is part of a growing trend now that companies are looking to pare down expenses and eliminate travel.
“With Covid-19, companies now more than ever are headed that way,” Henman said. “No one is traveling down here, and people are getting used to the idea that ‘maybe we don’t need a guy down there anymore’. It’s a cost savings for them to hire someone like me. I pay my own expenses; no one has to pay me a car allowance or a salary. And, the more lines I can attract, the more it’s beneficial to me financially.”
Henman, who is based in Monckton, New Brunswick, said he will “hit the road” Aug. 1 and begin making his sales calls, adding that he is open to representing companies not only from Canada but also from North and South America and beyond. His goal is to turn the focus away from products made in China.
“I want to emphasize the North American-built product,” he said. “There are a lot of Chinese products and parts made in China. I want to put my hands on either Canadian and North or South American-made products. I am also in talks with a line out of Australia.”
For now, Henman is using word of mouth and LinkedIn as the primary ways of getting the word out about his new business.
“I have been in this business for 25 years, and I have a great relationship with my customers through trust and integrity,” he said. “I have been part of professional associations, and I have stayed close to everything that is happening within the industry. And, most of the people that have contacted me have talked to other people about me before they’ve reached out. I’ve gotten to know a lot of people over the years, both in Canada and U.S., and people know my reputation.”
Henman can be reached through his LinkedIn profile or by calling (506) 381-0384.
HDA Truck Pride, Vipar Join CVSN
The Commercial Vehicle Solutions Network (CVSN) on July 22 announced an agreement with HDA Truck Pride and Vipar Heavy Duty that allows members of HDA Truck Pride, Vipar and Power Heavy Duty to become associate members of CVSN. The three groups represent more than 400 member companies, over 1,700 parts and service locations, and close to $4 billion dollars in parts and service at the final point of sale, according to CVSN.
HDA Truck Pride President and CEO Tina Hubbard and Vipar President and CEO Chris Baer will get seats on CVSN’s board of directors.
“The increased membership base gives CVSN the ability to continue to advocate fiercely on behalf of the commercial vehicle aftermarket distribution network in North America,” said CVSN President Sean Ryan. “With Tina and Chris joining our board, they will have direct access into shaping the future of our organization and can provide us tremendous insight and experience.”
The mission of CVSN is to strengthen its members’ businesses through training and education, as well as building relationships between members and their supply partners across North America.
HDA Truck Pride Hires Program Development Director
HDA Truck Pride has hired Anita Byrne as its director of program development. Byrne brings more than 25 years of commercial vehicle parts experience to the role. This includes time in OEM sales management with Koneta Rubber, as well as national and segment sales and marketing responsibilities with Tectran Manufacturing, Prestone Products Corp. and, most recently, Dorman Products.
Uni-Select Canada: Senior Merchandising Director, Automotive
We are now looking for a team member responsible for guiding product and merchandising strategies and functions to ensure the achievement of objectives related to key performance indicators, sales, gross margins, inventory, service levels and overall profitability. … (more) … Click here to find out more.
Motor FleetCross Now Integrates With Fullbay
Motor FleetCross now integrates with Fullbay’s shop management system, giving Fullbay subscribers access to the entire FleetCross database of medium- and heavy-duty vehicle information. This eliminates the need to switch application windows. FleetCross includes three modules: parts cross-references, labor times, and diagnostic and repair data.
Fullbay provides heavy-duty repair shop management software designed to streamline workflow and improve efficiency.
Commercial Vehicle Group To Shutter Alabama Facility
The Commercial Vehicle Group (CVG) has announced the permanent consolidation of its manufacturing and distribution facility in Piedmont, AL in connection with a cost-reduction plan management announced in May. The Piedmont facility primarily serves the commercial vehicle aftermarket, is more than 150,000 square feet in size and employs roughly 50.
The work performed at the Piedmont facility will be transferred to CVG’s manufacturing and distribution facility in Vonore, TN following the closure, which is expected to be substantially completed in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Vonore will become the new headquarters for the company’s commercial vehicle aftermarket business.
Anti-Theft Startup TakeOver Adds Industry Vet To Advisory Board
Brett Riggs has joined the advisory board of TakeOver, a startup that has developed a system that alerts car owners when their vehicle is being tampered with and disables attempts to start the car.
Riggs is a veteran of the automotive electronics aftermarket. He is the former vice president of vehicle infotainment, integration and connectivity for AAMP Global. His background also includes time as the vice president of engineering and operations at Pacific Accessory Corp.
His addition comes as Israel-based TakeOver is raising funds to expand its operations in North America, South America and South Africa.
People Watching 7/27/20
• Jiffy Lube International has announced the appointment of Edward Hymes as its president. Since joining Shell in 2001, Hymes has held various leadership roles in strategy and business development.
• Point S Tie & Auto Service has appointed Joe Moore as its vice president of purchasing. Moore, who joined Point S in 2015, had been director of purchasing. Before that, he was the director of purchasing for Performance Warehouse.
• Lenny Saucier is now vice president of human resources training at Victory Lane Quick Oil Change. Saucier has served as Victory Lane’s national director of training for the last year and a half on a contract basis. His background includes time as the director of franchise training and director of training for Take 5 Oil Change.
• Former Continental Corp. Corporate Technology Officer Kurt Lehmann has joined the advisory board of WaveSense Inc., a company that is developing centimeter-level vehicle navigation based on ground-penetrating radar.
• Dennis Jacinto of APA Engineering has been appointed to the CAWA Manufacturer’s Advisory Council.
News Briefs 7/27/20
• Reno, NV-based BuyBrakes.com reports that it’s now an authorized Raybestos retailer.
• Truck owners visiting Tractor Supply Company (TSC) stores will have the opportunity to purchase Truck Accessories Group brands directly from store shelves. This includes Leer, Pace Edwards by Leer and Bedslide products. Each of these items will be available through TSC direct-ship to the store for pick up or directly to the consumer.
• Reach Cooling has opened a new distribution facility in Houston to serve the southwestern United States. Reach is a maker of aftermarket cooling products for the automotive and heavy-duty truck market.
• The Auto Care Association, a backer of a new “Right to Repair” ballot question in Massachusetts, is encouraging industry members to express their support for data access by visiting the association’s advocacy site and sending messages to their elected officials on the issue.
• Spuhler Associates (Mullica Hill, NJ), an executive search agency with expertise in the auto care industry, has launched a redesigned website. The redesign is part of a larger expansion of the agency’s digital marketing and social media outreach.
• The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has launched a redesigned ASAshop.org that includes the association’s “Taking the Hill” advocacy platform and a new member portal.
• Strickland Brothers 10 Minute Oil Change has added its first franchise owners in the Cleveland area. James and Mara Broderick plan to open three Strickland Brothers shops in Northeast Ohio.
• Comdata is expanding available offerings in its national tire discount program to include light-truck and passenger tires from The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. The addition of Goodyear tires adds over 1,600 SKUs to the tire discount program. Participating fleets benefit from discounts as much as 65% off on tires at more than 3,000 locations nationwide.
• Hankook Tire has launched a new phase of its Major League Baseball “Never Halfway” integrated marketing campaign. Two ads, “Long Catch” and “Perfect Pitch,” will premier this month to align with the opening of MLB’s 60-game season.
• ITW Global Tire Repair has launched a new commercial, “Summer Slime Stand,” featuring employees’ children. Click here to view the ad.
• Kent Automotive has added inventory management and profitability reporting capabilities to its PROS Profit Enhancement software for collision repair shops. The cloud-based tool and mobile app are available at no charge to Kent Automotive customers. Click here for more information.
Event & Trade Show Briefs 7/27/20
• The Automotive Aftermarket Association of the Mid-South (AAAMS) has canceled its 2020 Business Conference, which was scheduled for Sept. 10-13, because of the coronavirus pandemic. The 2021 conference will take place in September at The Margaritaville Resort in Gatlinburg, TN.
• Because of the coronavirus pandemic, CAWA has canceled its gala dinner event, which would have served as a kick-off to the AAPEX and SEMA shows in November. CAWA intends to bring its gala back to Industry Week in 2021.
• The University of the Aftermarket plans to offer a semester-long category management course that will begin Aug. 24. Additional information will be coming.
• The AASA Mobility Innovation Conference will be virtual this year, taking place Aug. 25-27. Topics will include “EPMs (Experiences per Mile) to Replace RPMs as Gauge of Vehicle Performance;” “Telematics, E-Commerce and Supply Chain” and “Cybersecurity: Building Trust in the Aftermarket.” Click here for additional information about the event.
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