News Briefs
NABC seeks nominations for PRIDE awards
The National Auto Body Council (NABC) is seeking nominations for the Third Annual PRIDE Awards. Started in 1995, the PRIDE Award program was designed to recognize businesses, individuals and groups of individuals who distinguish themselves and the industry by performing humanitarian and/or community service deeds outside of their normal job responsibilities.
All candidates must be employed in some aspect of the collision repair industry. This would include body and paint shops; vehicle manufacturers; manufacturers of paint, parts, equipment and supplies; information providers; insurance companies; independent adjusters; trade associations; consultants; trade journals; training organizations or other related businesses. Candidates may nominate themselves.
To obtain a nomination form, contact the NABC at 888-66PRIDE or fax your request to (313) 697-2093. All nominations are due by Oct. 3, 1997.
Toyota's U.S. parts and materials procurement tops $7 billion
Toyota Motor Corporate Service of North America, Inc., reports that its purchasing of parts and materials from U.S. suppliers increased 8.9 percent in the fiscal year ending March 31, 1997, totaling $7.04 billion. Purchases for production in the United States equaled $5.43 billion of the total, with $1.61 billion of the total being exported to Japan. Increased parts procurement is part of Toyota's plan to localize vehicle production. In 1990, 33 percent of the vehicles sold in the United States were North American produced; today that percentage has increased to 60 percent.
DIYer profile is changing
The DIY consumer is changing, according to a new report, The U.S. Automotive Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Aftermarket, published by FIND/SVP. These changes stem from the increasingly complicated nature of automotive technology, increasing time constraints upon today's two-career families, and a decline in the culture of automotive DIY, which traditionally has been passed along from father to son.
As a result, today's DIYer is frequently a more "leisure-oriented" consumer, willing to undertake simple DIY activities - such as changing fluids, filters and wiper blades; maintaining the vehicle's appearance; or buying vehicle accessories - but is less likely to tackle major DIY tasks.
Cooper, Standard Motor Products to swap product lines
Cooper Industries' Moog Automotive and Standard Motor Products Inc. recently signed a letter of intent to exchange product lines.
Moog Automotive's temperature control product line - including motors, air conditioning compressors, heater cores and associated parts under the Everco, Murray, Frostemp and Automotive Components brand names - would be traded with Standard Motor Products' brake business. Standard Motor Products offer hydraulic and friction products, drums and rotors, and hardware under the EIS, Cali-Blok, Traffic King and TruTech brand names.
Completion of the transaction is subject to the approval of the boards of directors of both companies, the signing of a definitive agreement, and receipt of the necessary government clearances. The temperature control business of Cooper Industries' Moog Automotive and the brake business of Standard Motor Products each had 1996 revenues of approximately $150 million.
OEM retrofit procedures available from IMACA
The International Mobile Air Conditioning Association (IMACA) has a new publication of current original equipment manufacturers (OEM) CFC-12 to HFC-134a retrofit guidelines, procedures and related shop bulletins. Compiled and developed in cooperation with both the foreign and domestic automobile manufacturers, this 400-page retrofit manual is vehicle-specific and includes off-road and heavy-duty vehicles.
"Fewer than one out of three A/C service shops offered retrofit as an option to their customers last year," said Frank Allison, IMACA Executive Director. "Many technicians and owners were hesitant to attempt a retrofit without specific information from the manufacturer. We are extremely grateful to the OEMs for their assistance with this project."
For more information, call IMACA at (817) 338-1100.
I-CAR updates Web site
The expanded Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) Web site on the World Wide Web (http://www.i-car.com) has more than 300 pages for I-CAR students, industry professionals and consumers in need of automotive collision repair services.
New features include: UPCR information, welding qualification test information, a list of regional managers, upcoming events, instructor information and I-CAR press releases.
House Commerce Committee Passes Uniform Titling Bill || Shepherds Of The Earth
|| How Clean Are Our Cars? || What Do Body Shops Think Of Diminished Value? || Building Referral Business || Guest Editorial: Revolution, Evolution, Devolution Or Chaos? || Tech Tips || Tech To Tech || News Briefs || Taking The Hill || Around ASA || Shop Profile || Net Worth || Chairman's Message
AutoInc. Magazine ®, Vol. XLV No. 9, September 1997