News Briefs

By Levy Joffrion

Mitchell International to Purchase Ensera

Mitchell International has signed a definitive agreement to purchase Ensera Inc., a high technology company delivering Web-based solutions to expedite commerce and communication among members of the automotive collision repair industry.

Jim Lindner, Mitchell chairman, president and CEO, said, “Our combining with Ensera, whose products and strategies closely complement those of Mitchell International, solidifies our competitive advantage as a provider of e-commerce solutions for the collision repair and insurance claims industries.”

Starter, Alternator Sales Increasing

According to analysis by Frost & Sullivan of the North American starter and alternator aftermarket, the total market reached an estimated $1.48 billion in 2000 and is expected to increase to $1.66 billion in 2007. This is because car owners are using their vehicles for shorter and more frequent trips, causing engine components to wear out quickly and increasing aftermarket demand for starters and alternators.

DuPont Will Post Jobs, Resumes

DuPont Performance Coatings (DPC) has launched a free job and resume posting area on its Web site, www.performancecoatings.dupont.com. DPC Job Track is part of the site's classified ad section. It's aimed at both employers with job openings and prospective employees who wish to post resumes.

NASCAR Pit Crew ASE Certified

For the first time in the history of NASCAR, members of an over-the-wall pit crew are ASE certified. As you might expect, it was the Ultra Motorsports crew for Team ASE that achieved this milestone. Certified technicians include (from left) Ryan McCray, Brian Scanlon, Rick Pennington, Jeremy West and Jason Overstreet. They hold certifications in the areas of brakes, steering and suspension.

AAIW to Include Aftermarket Conference

The Society of Automotive Analysts (SAA) will hold its first automotive aftermarket conference during Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week (AAIW), which runs Oct. 30-Nov. 2 in Las Vegas. Industry Week features the aftermarket's two major trade shows: the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX), and the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show and International Tire Expo.

Also held in conjunction with AAIW will be the Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS), which will be held Nov. 1-3 at the Tropicana Resort and Casino. CARS, which is sponsored by the Automotive Service Association (ASA), will include 10 technical courses and four Automotive Management Institute courses.

For more information or to register for CARS go to the CARSWeb site, www.carsonline.org.

STS Releases OBD II Training Video

The Service Technicians Society (STS) has released “Introduction to OBD II,” a training video providing technicians with a better understanding of second generation on-board diagnostic systems found on passenger cars and light trucks in North America. Viewers will learn why it was created, definitions of terms associated with OBD II and how a typical system operates.

The video is almost two hours long and content includes differences in OBD I and OBD II, diagnostic code structure, drive cycles, catalyst monitoring and sensors. It features a variety of speakers including technicians, trainers, EPA experts and representatives from diagnostic equipment manufacturers. In addition, speakers from several automakers provide input on the topic.

STS produced the video through grant funding from the EPA. For more information, contact STS at (877) 606-7323 or www.sts.sae.org.

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