October 31, 2005

• Nippon Sheet Glass makes bid approach to Pilkington - Japan's Nippon Sheet Glass said on Monday it had made a bid approach to Britain's Pilkington Plc, which a source close to the situation said was pitched at about 2 billion pounds ($3.6 billion).
• LKQ Corporation Acquires Rhode Island Recycled Auto Parts Facility - LKQ Corporation today announced that it has acquired Advanced Auto Recycling, Inc., a privately held company that operates a recycled OEM automotive replacement parts facility. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
• Pilkington shares leap on bid approach - Glass maker Pilkington said it had received a bid approach, propelling its shares over 25 percent higher on Monday and hanging a price tag of about 2.1 billion pounds over the firm.
• Car parts group Visteon gives staff £30,000 to go - Visteon, the global car-parts maker that was once part of Ford, is offering its employees in Northern Ireland a minimum of £30,000 if they agree to take voluntary redundancy.
• Flood-damaged cars on their way here - OR: Consumers should take great care when buying a used vehicle -- Greg Remensperger, executive vice president of the Oregon Auto Dealers Association, said his organization is “very, very concerned because these types of vehicles usually end up as far away from home as possible, and in this case, Oregon is about as far from Louisiana as they can get in the continental U.S. We think we’re going to be a major target.”
• Is he a scavenger or a savior? - Lots of people call Wilbur Ross Jr. a vulture investor. He finds that ridiculous. If one must liken him to a bird, he says, then make it the phoenix, the mythical creature that repeatedly rises from its own ashes. --"Vultures pick off the flesh and leave the carcass to rot," he said during a conversation in the New York offices of W.L. Ross & Co., his investment firm. "We help dying companies survive and grow."
• Big 3 fear pension reforms - Proposed plan would force beleaguered companies to pay more to guarantee retiree pay.
• Delphi rattles salaried ranks - Bankruptcy heightens job, pension uncertainties of engineers pushed to do more as outsourcing grows.
• Vegas show takes on worldly flair - After years of snubbing tuners, Honda takes center stage, VW joins crowd at aftermarket trade event.
• Toyota expanding facility - IN: Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana (TMMI) is undertaking a $6.2 million expansion to prepare for the production of a new model year Tundra. -- The company, located two miles south of Princeton on U.S. 41 in Gibson County, will add a 76,000-square-foot body-weld shop to the south side of its plant.
• Strong global sales boost Nissan's quarterly profit - Tokyo: Nissan's profit for the July-to-September quarter climbed eight percent as strong sales offset rising raw material costs and discount incentives in North America.
• Ford to Invest $75M for India Expansion - Ford Motor Co. said Friday it would invest $75 million to expand its operations in India, where it plans to launch a new model each year. -- The company's Indian subsidiary is also rapidly expanding its dealership network across the country, which along with China, will be Ford's fastest growing markets worldwide, the company said.
• ASA's Buyers Guide Offers Convenience, Caters Specifically to Automotive Service Industry - In an effort to assist members, shop owners and industry professionals nationwide, the Automotive Service Association (ASA) announces ASA's Ultimate Buyers Guide for Service Professionals. The electronic-based publication offers the automotive industry an easy-to-use business tool in which to find products and services catered specifically to their needs.
• "Operation Park & Wreck" Lands Three Suspects In Jail - Six Suspects Still at Large - CA: Three suspects have been arrested following an 11-month investigation by the California Department of Insurance of an auto insurance fraud ring that targeted car rental and insurance companies for fraudulent automobile damage claims.
• Miss. auto insurance law doesn't require punitive damage coverage, court rules - State law does not require insurance companies to cover punitive damage awards in their automobile liability policies, the Mississippi Supreme Court has ruled.

October 28, 2005

• GM recalls nearly 106,000 SUVs - General Motors Corp. said on Friday that it was recalling nearly 106,000 sport utility vehicles in the United States and Canada to fix a rear door latch that may not close properly due to corrosion.
• Keystone Automotive 2Q Profit Jumps - Keystone Automotive 2Q Profit Jumps on Growth in Bumper and Crash Parts Business
• Auto salvage firm buys race track site - Last week, Copart of Louisiana Inc., a subsidiary of Fairfield, Calif.-based Copart Inc., paid $2.5 million for the 215.5-acre property off Interstate 12 at the Livingston exit, according to U.S. Bankruptcy Court records in Baton Rouge. Copart bought the land from the estate of bankrupt Aldar Investments Inc., formerly known as Livingston Downs Racing Association Inc. -- Copart officials did not return multiple telephone calls during the past two weeks.
• Caliber Collision Centers Opens Another State-of-the-Art Collision Repair Showcase in North Texas - Caliber Collision Centers, an Irvine, Calif.-based operator of high-quality collision repair facilities in California and Texas, announces the grand opening of a 14,000 square foot, collision repair center located in Plano, Texas.
• UnitedAuto Group to Participate in Gabelli 29th Annual Automotive Symposium Conference - United Auto Group, Inc., a worldwide automotive retailer, announced today that Anthony Pordon, Senior Vice President, and George Brochick, Executive Vice President - West Operations, will be presenters at the Gabelli 29th Annual Automotive Symposium Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. The presentation is scheduled to occur from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on November 1, 2005
• TRW Automotive Completes Acquisition of Dalphimetal; Initiates Syndication of Incremental Term Loan Debt - TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. today announced that it has completed the acquisition of a majority share of Dalphi Metal Espana, S.A. ("Dalphimetal"), a European based manufacturer of airbags and steering wheels.
• Fake car-parts raid highlights IP issue - Thailand: A recent raid on a multi-million baht counterfeiting operation involving car parts has drawn renewed attention to the protection of intellectual property in Thailand. -- The raid on Oct 5 involved representatives of DaimlerChrysler AG and an elite police unit.
• Dura Automotive posts wider quarterly loss - Dura Automotive Systems Inc., which makes driver control systems, on Thursday reported a wider quarterly loss, pressured by vehicle output cuts and high materials costs.
• Advance Auto Parts to Release Earnings on November 3, 2005 - Advance Auto Parts, Inc., a leading automotive aftermarket retailer of parts, accessories, batteries and maintenance items, announced today that it will report its third quarter financial results before market open on November 3, 2005. The company will detail its results on a conference call scheduled to begin at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on November 3, 2005, which will be made available concurrently on the company's website
• Wisconsin's Lemon Law - If the motor vehicle you buy or lease in Wisconsin turns out to be a "lemon," the manufacturer has to replace it free or refund the price (minus a reasonable amount for mileage).
• Mexico's Vitro warns gas prices could hit profit - Mexican glass maker Vitro on Thursday warned that high natural gas prices could hit future results and imperil the company's strategic plan to reduce its massive debt.
• Saint-Gobain Cuts Profit Goal on Higher Energy Costs - Saint-Gobain, the world's biggest glassmaker, supplying windows for half the cars in Europe, has been unable to pass on the cost of gas used in furnaces and diesel for its trucks. The price of crude oil reached a record in August and is up 47 percent this year. -- ``Due to our contracts we cannot increase our prices straight away, but we do hope to do so before the end of the year,'' Chief Executive Officer Jean-Louis Beffa said.
• Cooper Tire Announces Agreement to Form Joint Venture With Shandong Chengshan Tire - Cooper Tire & Rubber Company announced that an agreement has been reached for Cooper Tire to obtain 51% ownership in Cooper Chengshan (Shandong) Passenger Tire Co. Ltd. and Cooper Chengshan (Shandong) Truck Tire Company, Ltd.  This agreement also includes a 25% ownership position for Cooper in the steel cord factory which is located adjacent to the tire manufacturing facility in Rongchen City.  Cooper's cash investment will be about $70 million.
• Dunlop SEMA Booth Revives Buzz Cuts, Maxxed Out Surprises - Dunlop's treadheads are making a huge headway this year, and at next week's Specialty Equipment Market Association show, more than 200 buzz cuts are scheduled to debut.
• Toyota to Recall Sienna Minivans - Toyota says it's recalling 345-thousand Sienna minivans because the seat belt in some seating positions may become difficult to retract when unbuckled. -- Toyota is also recalling about 25-hundred Tundra Access Cab pickup trucks from the 2005 model year because the wrong lens was installed over a light that glows when the front passenger air bag has been activated or deactivated. As a result, passengers could not monitor its status.
• GM places bet on crossovers - Automakers race to fill growth segment as SUV sales sputter
• Toyota's Hit and Myth Marketing - An activist group says the carmaker's environmentally friendly image is a slick marketing ploy. It has a point.
• Thieves Break Into Auto Body Shop, Ransack Cars - WA: Thieves stole wheels, tires, radios and other items from vehicles at a Centralia body shop overnight Wednesday, and police were investigating whether the thefts were connected to a similar car prowling case in Thurston County the night before, KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reported.
• Posing as cops, 5 rob auto shop, guns blazing - NJ: The employees of a Dell Avenue autobody shop thought it was a police raid when a group of five men with badges around their necks and guns in their hands came through the door. -- But it turned out to be a robbery. -- "They said they were police officers and immediately went into the shop, starting shooting and throwing people to the ground," North Bergen Detective Joseph Gener said.
• Insurance Department lauded for anti-fraud efforts - The Governor's Office of Employee Relations' has given its Workforce Champions Award to 10 state Insurance Department and five state Division of Criminal Justice Services' employees for fighting auto insurance fraud in New York state.
• Auto insurers overcharging $100 on average, Reilly says - MA: AG, who is pushing for 18 rate cut, says loss forecasts are too high

October 27, 2005

• State Farm's Wrecked Car Owners Feeling Slighted - Company and State Attorneys General Brokered a Cozy Deal
• U.S. auto industry hits the skids - The U.S. auto industry hit the skids in October, with sales of new cars and trucks on track to come in at their slowest pace in seven years, analysts said. -- As expected, Detroit's automakers have felt most of the pain, with sales at General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. seen posting another month of double-digit declines. -- Even Chrysler is expected to report lower sales compared with the same month a year earlier, ending an 18-month winning streak at the U.S. arm of Germany's DaimlerChrysler. -- Among Japan's Big Three automakers, analysts say Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. Ltd. are likely to eke out gains.
• SEC subpoenas GM documents about dealings with Delphi Corp. -  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has subpoenaed General Motors Corp. for documents about the world's largest automaker's dealings with parts maker Delphi Corp. and other matters.
• PPG to Implement Price Increase for Automotive OEM Glass - PPG Industries will raise prices up to 10 percent for all automotive original equipment fabricated glass products effective Jan. 1.  -- Joe Stas, PPG vice president of automotive OEM glass, said the price increase is necessary because of "skyrocketing energy and raw material prices" and the projection that they will remain high.
• Silvers, blues and browns: Automotive paint company shows off future trends - Only a handful of people know what new vehicles will look like in 2009. But automotive paint supplier PPG Industries Inc. already has a good idea what colors those vehicles will be. -- PPG has 20 colorists in North America, Europe, Japan, South Korea, China, Malaysia, India and Australia. They work separately to identify trends and then bring all their ideas together for the show. This year's show features 130 new colors.
• DuPont and OEConnection Partner for More Powerful Body Shop Management System - CollisionLink(R) Online Parts Ordering Now Integrated with ProfitNet(TM) -- OEConnection LLC, a leader in ecommerce procurement and analysis solutions for the automotive original equipment replacement parts business, is partnering with DuPont Performance Coatings (DPC) to enhance DPC's ProfitNet collision shop management system. As part of this agreement, OEConnection is integrating its CollisionLink ecommerce parts procurement technology with the repair management capabilities of ProfitNet.  Shop users will now be able to electronically order parts from their dealership suppliers with the added confidence of securing the right part the first time.
• Panasonic to Highlight Reliable, Durable Workflow Solutions at NACE 2005; Toughbook Mobile Data Wireless Display among Leading Technologies Used to Streamline Claims Estimating and Repair - Panasonic Computer Solutions Company today announced it will demonstrate its solutions for reliable, durable wireless workflow for the collision and insurance industries at the annual International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE), to be held at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, November 2-5, 2005. Solutions from Panasonic, manufacturer of Toughbook(R) rugged and semi-rugged notebook computers, and its key solutions partners will be on view in booth W1951. In addition, Panasonic will participate in an educational session, "Demystifying Wireless Technology" on Wednesday, November 2.
• LKQ Corporation Announces 2005 Third Quarter Net Income Results Up 45% - LKQ Corporation today reported results for its third quarter ended September 30, 2005, with revenue of $133.6 million, net income of $6.6 million and diluted earnings per share of $0.28. -- Our consolidated aftermarket collision replacement parts revenue for the quarter was $19.2 million and for the nine months ended September 30, 2005 was $58.9 million.
• Asbury Automotive Group Reports Third Quarter Financial Results - Income from Continuing Operations Increases 34%, with Same-Store Gross -- Profit Up 12%, SG&A as a Percent of Gross Profit Down 250 Basis Points -- Parts, service and collision repair revenue increased 13 percent (12 percent same-store), and gross profit increased 12 percent (10 percent same-store).
• United Auto Reports Third Quarter Results; Revenues Increase 11%; Same-Store Retail Revenues Increase 7.0%; Gross Margin Increases 50 Basis Points to 14.7% - United Auto Group, Inc., headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, operates 269 retail automotive franchises, representing 40 different brands, and 29 collision repair centers. United Auto, which sells new and previously owned vehicles, finance and insurance products and replacement parts, and offers maintenance and repair services on all brands it represents, has 167 franchises in 19 states and Puerto Rico and 102 franchises located internationally, primarily in the United Kingdom. United Auto is a member of the Fortune 500 and Russell 2000 and has approximately 14,000 employees.
• Nobilas Claims & Fleet, Dickinson launch strategic partnership - The Akzo Nobel Business Unit Nobilas Claims & Fleet Solutions and Dickinson Fleet Services have formed a strategic partnership to offer a unique heavy vehicle accident and repair service in the United States.
• Auto suppliers must rely on innovation - Exteriors and Glazing conferences have speakers from Ford, Honda and Exatec – Automotive OEMs like to chase the headlines but in recent weeks they have been making them for all the wrong reasons.
• Car dealer keeps town on its wheels - Don Hinds Ford earns chamber nod for 50 years in business. -- "I've always felt the community makes the business," Bud Colglazier said. "Giving back to the community is just a little bit of repayment. I've always felt that you get what you give." -- The dealership also includes Fishers Collision Repair, which opened in 2003 in an adjacent building. The dealership has the largest repair and collision centers of any Indiana Ford dealership, Colglazier said.
• Apogee names new chief information officer - Daniel Mayleben will join Bloomington-based Apogee next week. -- The CIO position is a new one at Apogee, and the company said Mayleben's role would be to better implement information technology in the business.
• Mexico's Vitro posts $10 mln loss vs profit - Mexican glass maker Vitro posted a third-quarter consolidated net loss of $10 million largely due to higher financing costs on its heavy debt burden, the company said on Wednesday.
• Dow Chemical third-quarter profit up - Dow Chemical Co. on Thursday reported higher third-quarter profits as increased selling prices more than compensated for rocketing energy costs.
• Ford cracks down on rest room breaks - Some workers spend more than 48 minutes away from the line at Wayne truck plant, slowing production of SUVs.
• 1,000 retirees sue Detroit Diesel - They say engine maker broke promise to pay health costs as outlined in union agreement.
• St. Helena sheriff pleads innocent again in car parts case - Ficklin, the third consecutive St. Helena Parish sheriff to be indicted, is accused of defrauding the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections of more than $140,000 by putting inmates to work in a chop shop at B&D Auto Sales.
• Cop charged in insurance scam - NJ: A police officer was arrested yesterday on insurance-fraud charges, accused of being part of a scheme in which a car was reported stolen, only to be dismantled and sold for the parts.
• Calif. Auto Insurance Fraud Ring Lands Three Suspects in Jail - Three suspects have been arrested following an 11-month investigation by the California Department of Insurance of an auto insurance fraud ring that targeted car rental and insurance companies for fraudulent automobile damage claims.

October 26, 2005

• Form 8-K for Apogee Enterprises Inc - Entry into Material Agreement, Change in Directors or Principal Officers
• State Farm wrecks are finally identified - MO: It’s taken two years, but consumers finally are getting the information they need to identify some of the thousands of damaged vehicles that State Farm resold nationwide to unsuspecting buyers. -- Today, Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon posted on his Web site the vehicle identification numbers (VINs) of 265 of the vehicles. All are registered to owners in Missouri. They had no idea they were buying cars, trucks and sport utility vehicles that had been damaged. -- Michigan’s attorney general, Mike Cox, was first to break the secrecy. This month, he posted the VINs of 2,532 vehicles registered in his state.
• Missouri-registered vehicles covered by State Farm settlement - Here is information about the 265 Missouri-registered vehicles covered by the settlement between the Attorneys General of 49 states and State Farm Mutual Insurance Co. The information includes the vehicle identification number (VIN), make, model and year of each of the vehicles. The settlement addresses State Farm’s failure to make certain the vehicles were properly titled. The agreement covers approximately 30,000 vehicles nationwide that should have been designated as salvage on their titles.
• Form 10-Q for CCC Information Services Group Inc. - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations -- CCC has long been a leader and innovator in the automobile claims and collision repair market. CCC has approximately 21,000 collision repair facility installations, located in all 50 states, and over 350 insurance company customers in the United States.
• Tenneco 3Q Profit Jumps 67 Percent - Car parts maker Tenneco Automotive Inc. said Tuesday that its third-quarter profit climbed 67 percent on higher sales and cost-cutting.
• The Dana Domino - When all of Dana's plant closings, consolidations, and salaried work force eliminations are complete, the auto parts maker will have fewer than 36,000 employees worldwide and annual sales of under $8 billion. Only five years ago the Fortune 500 corporation boasted 85,000 workers and an annual revenue of $13.2 billion. -- Dana's financial troubles aren't a complete shock in light of industry pressures among large U.S. suppliers, but they are stunning nonetheless considering where the Toledo-based company was in the booming 1990s.
• Delphi offer: $9 an hour - Ailing supplier lowers bid to UAW; workers asked to pay up to $5,000 yearly for health care.
• Lear posts loss on auto output cuts, higher costs - Automotive interiors supplier Lear Corp. posted a quarterly loss on Wednesday, pressured by vehicle output cuts in North America and rising raw materials costs.
• Tomorrow's Car: Lighter, Safer and Recyclable? - Engineers are working on making cars recyclable. A technique for reusing copper wire by cryogenically freezing the rubber casing, which causes it to crumble away from the metal, was pioneered in Canada.
• Rise in profit sets Chrysler apart - In stark contrast with its ailing Detroit rivals, DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group boosted its third-quarter profit 43 percent to $374 million after increasing auto sales sharply.
• Sherwin-Williams profit disappoints on costs - Paint maker Sherwin-Williams Co. on Tuesday posted a quarterly profit that missed Wall Street estimates on rising raw materials costs and cut its earnings outlook for the full year, sparking a 9 percent sell-off in its shares.
• Glass Doctor® On "Bond's Top 100 Franchises" List - According to a company press release, Glass Doctor® was recently named as one of the 2005 "Bond's Top 100 Franchises," a list created by an independent organization that evaluates more than 2,300 franchise systems without the influence of paid advertising.
• Glass companies raise a toast to auto, real estate boom - INDIA: Changing consumer preferences, booming infrastructure and real estate sector have triggered a growth in sales of glass companies. In fact, the market share of industry biggies like ModiGuard, Saint-Gobain and AIS (Asahi) is near-proportional to their output capacities, with real estate taking up 80per cent of total glass production. -- The auto glass SBU of AIS has 85per cent market share in passenger cars. Total capacity at the auto glass SBU stands at 1.5m car sets at the Rewari plant and 500,000 laminated windshields at the Chennai plant. This is also being expanded to produce 1.5m laminated windshields and 1.2m tempered sets by the end of FY08.
• 'Snow Kidding!' Dunlop Says, 'Think Winter Tires Now' - Waiting for Groundhog Day before deciding on winter tires for the family vehicle?  Timing is everything in cold weather driving, and now's the time to "think winter tires," Dunlop marketers say, not after furry prognosticators make their predictions.
• Korean Parts Makers, Researchers Jointly Develop Key Car Component - Korea’s automobile parts makers are actively making inroads into foreign markets buoyed by policy funds from the government. -- The chassis corner module combines the strut or shock absorbers of a car with the braking systems in a single part. -- Major global vehicle manufacturers are poised to adopt the part for their new cars.
• H.E.A.T. Recognizes Contributions to Auto Theft Prevention - Today marks the 20th Anniversary of the H.E.A.T. (Help Eliminate Auto Thefts) program.  Since its inception in 1985, H.E.A.T., with its partners in law enforcement and the insurance industry, has helped lead to the recovery of nearly 3,500 vehicles, $41 million in stolen property, has awarded over $2.79 million in rewards and has helped in the arrest of nearly 3,000 auto theft criminals.
• Students told career outlook strong in auto-related fields - Students in the auto shop classes at the Career Center probably don't mind being called grease monkeys and motor-heads, but they'd be better described as technicians. -- Depending on experience, the average auto technician makes between $27,000 and $75,000 a year. For the students in the Career Center's auto program, that salary is only two years away - maybe less.
• Ulster Business Provides Winter Car Care and On-Road Safety Tips for Women - WA: As winter approaches and driving conditions change for the worse, Kingston auto care owner and grandfather of three offers women several tips for better car care and on road safety. -- Don Swartz, Sr. owner and operator of Absolute Autobody in Kingston recommends women follow these basic car care tips to help reduce the chances of car trouble during poor winter driving conditions.
• America's Service Station Expands Through Partnership Program - The America's Service Station team does site selection, purchases the land and builds the structure. The partnership agreement is 25% for America's Service Station and 75% for the owner/operator. The best part of the program is the financing. Sands' company is willing to finance 100% of the project including the equipment.
• Where is the Automotive Truth of Today? - An Investment Plan With Every Used Car You Own, 'The Auto Equity Transfer Plan' by Robert C. Jones
• State Auto Financial Announces Third Quarter Results - State Auto Financial Corporation reported third quarter net income of $16.8 million, or $0.41 per diluted share, versus $5.0 million or $0.12 per diluted share for the same period in 2004. Net income from operations(a) per diluted share for the third quarter of 2005 was $0.34 versus $0.12 for the same period in 2004.

October 25, 2005

• Global Paints Manufacturer PPG Unveils 2006 Color Trends - PPG Industries, one of the world's largest paint manufacturers, will present Detroit area designers and architects with global color and design trends across the architectural, automotive, and industrial markets during a unique visual event on November 2nd at the PPG Color Styling Studio in Troy, Michigan.
• OEMs acting on aftermarket-parts threat - Aftermarket parts are getting better, are being used more often and are a threat that auto manufacturers are beginning to fight, a report from the consulting firm Frost & Sullivan says.
• Influence of Insurance Companies Intensifies Competition for Collision Repair Jobs - The power exerted by insurance companies is increasing through the direct repair programs (DRPs). In fact, repair shops that participate in insurance companies' DRP report that they write approximately 42 percent more estimates and perform approximately 56 percent more jobs compared to non-DRP shops. -- North American auto insurers are constantly looking to contain repair costs and keep insurance premiums in check. This is reflected in their support for the use of aftermarket components that are priced 15 to 40 percent below original equipment (OE) prices.
• Deer season creates driving hazards - MN: The Insurance Information Institute (III) reports that the average cost per insurance claim for collision damage is $2,800, with costs varying depending on the type of vehicle and severity of damage. That average swells to more than $10,000 for auto claims that involve bodily injury.
• Tech firms earn spot on Deloitte's national list - Making the list was eAutoclaims Inc. of Oldsmar. -- That company's 1,450 percent growth earned it the 142nd slot and the fifth fastest-growing tech company in the state. eAutoclaims provides Internet-based collision claims services for insurance companies, third party claims administrators and self-insured automobile fleet management companies, according to a company profile.
• Magna to Officially Open Baltimore Technical Training Center - Magna International Inc., one of the largest automotive parts suppliers in the world, will officially open a technical training center in Baltimore.
• Auto Parts Corner Promotes Safe and Responsible Driving - Auto Parts Corner values your safety more than other auto parts stores do. It promotes safe and responsible driving by featuring the finest safety car parts for various makes and models. They believe that car accidents can be prevented by using auto parts that are reliable and durable.
• Auto parts maker Johnson Controls reports quarterly profit rise - Auto parts maker Johnson Controls Inc. said Monday an increase in sales helped boost its fourth-quarter profit by about 4 percent.
• Supplier adds jobs in Brighton - Sheri Lizzet, the human resource manager for Eberspacher said times are good at the company. -- Eberspacher North America Inc. is a subsidiary of the parent company in Esslinger, Germany, the largest independently owned engineering firm and fourth largest automotive exhaust system supplier in the world. -- The German-based company supplies exhaust systems to General Motors Crop. and the Chrysler Group.
• Advance Auto Parts Names Ricardo S. Coro Senior Vice President, Information Technology and Chief Information Officer - Advance Auto Parts, Inc., a leading automotive aftermarket retailer of parts, batteries, accessories, and maintenance items, announced today that Ricardo S. Coro has been named Senior Vice President, Information Technology (IT) and Chief Information Officer. Mr. Coro will report to Elwyn Murray, executive vice president, administration and will be responsible for the technology infrastructure of Advance's store support center offices, distribution centers and more than 2,700 stores.
• Automotive Recyclers Association Receives EPA Grant - The Environmental Protection Agency recently awarded the Automotive Recyclers Association a $300,00.00 grant over a five year period to administer, develop and market the ECAR Center website, www.ecarcenter.org. ARA will continue to post updates and new state, local and federal environmental rules and regulations to the ECAR Center website as they become available.
• Cush is being sold to UAG - Manufacturers must OK the sale of 7 dealerships -- The locally owned Cush Automotive Group said yesterday that it is being sold for an undisclosed sum to United Auto Group, the second-largest car dealership company in the country.
• The Least-Safe Cars 2006 - The least-safe cars on the market are like the least-safe neighborhoods in a big city: affordable, but not pretty. -- The 2006 model year is young. Not all new cars have crash-test scores available, but many do, and the slide show features the six with the worst crashworthiness.
• Xpanding Line of Collision Repair Equipment, the Compact Cheetah Xpress Frame Machine is Here - Great as your bodyshop's second or more frame rack, the new Star-A-Liner Cheetah Xpress can free your larger frame machines for harder hits. -- The Cheetah Xpress now gives an auto body collision repair shop a better choice for getting smaller vehicle body repair work done "Simply Fast."
• Sonic Automotive posts higher quarterly profit - Car dealership Sonic Automotive Inc. on Tuesday posted a 39 percent rise in quarterly earnings, boosted by cost improvements and growth in all its business units.
• UnitedAuto Reports Third Quarter Results - Revenues Increase 11%; Same-Store Retail Revenues Increase 7.0%; Gross Margin Increases 50 Basis Points to 14.7%
• DuPont Posts Third-Quarter Loss - DuPont Posts Third-Quarter Loss on Tax-Related Charge, Effects of Hurricanes
• Surgery for your vehicle; Cosmetic Car Care deals with minor repair issues - FL: Elbert and Melvia Zeigler think of themselves as plastic surgeons. Except they deal with automobiles, not humans.
• Kadel's Auto Body to open North Salem shop - OR: Kadel's Auto Body will hold a grand opening and ribbon cutting for its new North Salem shop at 2475 Commercial St NE.
• Stabbing victim leaves hospital - MA: A local man is out of the hospital after being stabbed several times during a robbery at an auto body shop Sunday evening, according to authorities.
• Auto insurance fraud rising - CA: In the past four years, the number of automobile insurance fraud cases in San Bernardino County has been rising steadily, costing policy holders thousands of dollars in increased fees and rate hikes. And there are no signs of slowing down. -- The San Bernardino County District Attorney's auto insurance fraud unit has seen its caseload increase by 50 percent since 2001, giving the unit the distinction of having the highest number of fraud cases in the state.

October 24, 2005

• State Farm Reaches Settlement Over Salvage Cars - OH: Tens of thousands of car owners across the nation will be entitled to their share of a $40 million settlement after possibly paying for cars that were not as good as advertised, NBC 4 reported. -- State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company has identified 500 totaled vehicles in Ohio that it said were never properly retitled. Now, the owners will be getting hundreds of dollars back for the market loss of their vehicles.
• Carfax Loophole Lets Damaged Vehicle Slip Through - Most consumers are using one popular tool to track a used car's history before buying, but it's not foolproof. -- Earlier this year, Mike Merva bought a red 2000 Pontiac Trans-Am. -- Shortly after buying the car, a friend of Merva's who is an auto body specialist noticed telltale signs that bodywork had been done and there were huge gaps in certain parts of the car.
• Front-end repair? Maybe just throw it away - BMW's new techniques and rules restrict what repair shops can do, and baffled insurers are junking the vehicles. Some critics think manufacturers are beginning to make throw-away cars.
• CIC Defines ‘Gap’ Between Body and Paint Work - A committee of the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) is taking a different approach to the long-standing battle between shops and insurers over “featheredge, prime and block,” by defining where body work ends and paint work begins.
• Crash Parts Legislation: Hot Topic for States? - NCOIL meetings spark discussion on replacement crash parts. Look for crash parts legislation to surface in state legislatures next year.
• Repair Facility of the Future: How to Survive When Other Shops Are Not - Successful, thriving shops share their strategies for staying ahead of the competition.
• Auto parts maker Visteon to restate results for 2002-2004 - Auto-parts maker Visteon Corp. said it plans to restate its results for 2002-04, widening its losses by a total of $65 million to $80 million for the three years.
• Keystone Automotive Industries to Report Fiscal 2006 Second Quarter Results - Company to Present at Gabelli Automotive Symposium in Las Vegas
• Eye on Invision - Plastics maker A. Schulman hopes to blanket market with new sheets. -- ``The automobile industry has been looking for paint replacement items for years,'' said Jay Waddell with the South Carolina consulting firm Plastic Concepts & Innovations. The firm worked with Schulman to develop the machinery that makes Invision sheets.
• I-CAR and OEM's Hold Promotion For Nace Attendees - I-CAR, along with DaimlerChrysler, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Toyota, and Volvo, who include I-CAR training in their technician training programs, will co-sponsor a promotion available to all NACE attendees.
• Governor asks for federal focus on auto industry - MI: Gov. Jennifer Granholm has sent a letter to Michigan's congressional delegation asking for more focus by the federal government on the troubled domestic auto industry and its suppliers.
• A suitor for Delphi plant? - AL: If the Limestone County facility of bankrupt Delphi Corp. has a trump card, it may be in Korea.
• Suppliers of Delphi hope to get paid - When Delphi Corp. filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy this month, the company was besieged by phone calls from its suppliers, wanting to know what will happen to them. -- They're starting to find out -- and it isn't pleasant.
• Environmental group questions Toyota's efficiency and record - "Is Toyota a wolf in sheep's clothing?" -- That's the suggestion of a stinging national ad campaign against Toyota Motor Corp., launched today by a San Francisco-based environmental group. The ad is to run in Mother Jones online today and be printed soon in full-page ads in the New York Times and other publications.
• Quality costs at Ford rise $500 million - Troubles with '04 models contribute to 3rd-quarter loss; firm vows improvement.
• Automakers are seeing the benefits of LEDs - Technology replacing regular bulbs; significant safety advantages seen -- A regular light bulb only lasts about 500 hours running continuously, but a LED (light-emitting diodes) can last 10,000 hours, or as much as 100,000 hours, so that is much longer in terms of longevity.
• Power-window suit over - Case involving girl brain-damaged in accident is settled -- Terms of the settlement are confidential, said attorney Pat Miller, who represents one of the defendants, Church Brothers Collision Repair.
• Nitrogen gaining popularity as efficient alternative to compressed air - Nitrogen is emerging as an alternative to compressed air in automobile and truck tires because proponents say it leaks out at a much slower rate, keeps tire temperatures down, and doesn't contain the damaging moisture found in compressed air. -- The Rubber Manufacturers Association in Washington, D.C., doesn't have a formal position on nitrogen, but spokesman Dan Zielinski said the organization, which represents tire producers, agreed that it has advantages over compressed air.
• Insurers turned big profits this year -- until Katrina - Insurance companies earned record profits this year after reducing coverage in the riskiest regions of the country, like those prone to hurricanes.

October 21, 2005

• Apogee Enterprises Announces New Director, Sara L. Hays - Apogee Enterprises, Inc., which develops and delivers value-added glass products and services for the architectural, large-scale optical and automotive industries, today announced election of a new director, Sara L. Hays, general counsel for Wrightwood Capital, Chicago.
• 'Right to Repair Act' Gains 10 More Supporters - Congressional support for the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act (H.R. 2048) has reached 61 co-sponsors, it was announced today by Kathleen Schmatz, President and CEO of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA).  The proposed legislation gained 10 new co-sponsors in recent weeks.
• Dana to sell assets and close plants - Struggling auto and truck parts maker Dana Corp. on Thursday said it plans to shed three businesses and cut up to 5 percent of its salaried workers, marking the latest restructuring in a U.S. auto parts sector rocked by Delphi Corp.'s bankruptcy.
• PPG Reports Third-Quarter Sales - The majority of the net charges for legal and insurance settlements relate to a settlement reached this week on a civil glass antitrust matter. The case was first filed in 1997 and is pending in federal court. The settlement remains subject to the court's final approval.
• ASA Subcommittee Reviews Parts Procurement Issues - The issue of parts procurement is being addressed by the Collision Division Operations Committee of the Automotive Service Association (ASA). Of particular interest is a pilot plan introduced recently by Farmers Insurance Group to some of its participating repair facilities. The operations committee's Insurance Subcommittee is reviewing Farmers' plan to provide replacement air bags to repair shops participating in its Circle of Dependability (COD) program. The subcommittee is examining potential liability issues and implications resulting from the loss of potential parts profit for repairers.
• Keystone Automotive Increases Credit Facility - Keystone Automotive Industries, Inc. today announced the company has established a $75 million secured credit facility agented by Wells Fargo Bank, NA with JP Morgan Chase Bank, NA participating.

October 20, 2005

• Family steers auto body shop for 75 years - NY: The Schmid clan, Rudy's kin through four generations, is observing the 75th anniversary of the landmark North Side business this week. There was a party "out back" and a gift by the family to two favorite causes: North Side Community Policing Center and Charity for Children.
• Fixing them up - SCC pitches in to help 'Wheel Get There' program -- The nationally recognized program, which provides dependable cars to working people who can’t afford them, has for the past seven years provided dozens of cars to southern Minnesotans. It is run by the Minnesota Valley Action Council.-- A few of the cars have come through SCC’s auto body and collision repair program, including a 1999 Pontiac Sunfire sitting in the department’s garage right now. State Farm Insurance donated the car, which was involved in a recent collision.
• Trenholm gets $3 million grant to train auto workers - The school will use the grant to create an automotive manufacturing technology center to train students in car robotic manufacturing and repair, Molina said.
• Boyd Group Income Fund announces october 2005 cash distribution - Boyd Group Income Fund today announced a cash distribution for the month of October 2005 of $0.0583 per trust unit. The distribution will be payable on November 28, 2005 to unitholders of record at the close of business on October 31, 2005.
• Reynolds V. Christian Bement: No Liability For Corporate Officers And Directors In Overtime Cases - The Reynolds’ case involved a company, Earl Scheib, that owned and operated approximately 50 automobile painting shops in California. Earl Scheib employees, including shop managers, sued the individual executives, who were also Earl Scheib Shareholders, claiming the officers and directors had a policy of requiring employees to work long hours with no overtime pay and misclassifying the shop managers as employees exempt from overtime wages in order to avoid paying overtime.
• Mobile Pit Stop auto repair - CA: Oceano couple is literally there for motorists whose vehicles break down or need repairs
• LKQ Corporation Included in Forbes 'The 200 Best Small Companies' - LKQ Corporation has been ranked #89 in Forbes recent list of "The 200 Best Small Companies." -- LKQ Corporation is the largest nationwide provider of recycled light vehicle OEM products and related services and the second largest nationwide provider of aftermarket collision replacement products. LKQ operates over 95 facilities offering its customers a broad range of replacement systems, components, and parts to repair light vehicles.
• Toyota recalling some Scion tC models - Toyota Motor Corp. is recalling some models of the Scion tC amid reports that a glass wind deflector, located near the moonroof, may shatter when struck by road debris. -- The recall, announced Tuesday, is expected to begin in late October. -- Toyota said there have been three reports filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Customers could reduce the likelihood of the deflector shattering by not opening the moonroof until the vehicle is repaired, Toyota said.
• Nissan may move U.S. headquarters - Nissan Motor Co. is considering moving its U.S. headquarters from southern California to another, probably less glamorous, part of the country, CEO Carlos Ghosn said Wednesday.
• Gentex Reports Record Revenues: Mirror Unit Shipment Growth Increases by 16 percent in the Third Quarter - Gentex Corporation, the Zeeland, Michigan-based manufacturer of automatic-dimming rearview mirrors and commercial fire protection products, today reported third quarter revenues and net income for the quarter ended September 30, 2005.  In addition, the Company announced that it has recently negotiated an extension to its long-term agreement with DaimlerChrysler.
• GM workers to forgo raises; retirees to pay more if UAW deal OK'd - General Motors Corp. retirees will be paying hundreds of dollars more a year for health care coverage and active employees will forgo some of their pay raises if a deal between the UAW and the auto maker is approved.
• Ford 3Q loss hits $284 million - Automaker's weak third-quarter results could force it to ratchet up aggressive restructuring.
• PPG workers await wage news - Union workers at PPG Industries Inc.'s plant in Springdale expect to discover today if they are next in line for the company's proposed two-tier wage system.
• Valspar Approves Share Buyback Plan - Valspar Corp., a maker of coatings and paints for manufacturing, automotive and food-packaging companies, on Wednesday said its board authorized the repurchase of up to 4 million shares, or 4 percent of its outstanding common stock.
• Form 8-K for COPART INC - On September 26, 2005, the Compensation Committee (the "Committee") of the Board of Directors (the "Board") of Copart, Inc. (the "Company") approved payments of cash bonuses for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2005, to executive officers of the Company. -- On September 26, 2005, the Committee also approved an increase in the annual base salary for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2006 for executive officers of the Company.
• Two Japanese Paint Makers To Begin Auto Coating Production In China - Two major paint producers will soon start manufacturing automotive coatings in Guangzhou to meet the growing demand from Japanese carmakers located there. Nippon Paint Co. is setting up a production line at its Guangzhou facility with capacity to manufacture 5,800 tons of automotive coating materials to cater to Honda Motor Co.'s plant there. Operations are expected to begin as early as November. The firm is also building a plant dedicated to the production of electro-coating materials and another factory to make plastic materials. Nippon Paint's investment in the coastal city is expected to reach nearly 3 billion yen (US$26.3 million).
• Two Knoxville auto parts companies folding operations - TN: Two Knoxville companies that made parts for the automotive industry are shutting down after filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year. -- Aristocrat Stamping made seat belt parts and Alignment Engineering did precision tool and die work.
• Cooper Tire & Rubber retracts Q3 projection - Unexpected market conditions have caused Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. to back away from previous third quarter earnings projections. --  On Tuesday, company officials retracted that projection, citing high raw material, shipping, transportation and energy costs.
• New Website Dedicated To Tire Safety and Maintenance With Online Interactive Calculator - A new Website has been launched to provide motorists information on tire maintenance and safety. The site, www.GaugeIt.org is an online resource for motorists to obtain current valuable information on tire maintenance and safety. According to a recent survey conducted by the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA), over 40% of automobile tires on the road at any time are improperly inflated.
• Allstate Reports 2005 Third Quarter Results - Catastrophes of $3.06 Billion, after-tax; Underwriting Profitability Excluding Catastrophes Remains Very Strong
• Humana to settle physicians' lawsuit - The doctors' lawsuit, filed six years ago, contends that managed-care companies programmed computers to pay for less-intensive services than were actually provided.

October 19, 2005

• Our View, Our Mission: Defining the Problem - IGA: How the auto glass industry articulates its problem matters - because how we define a problem, reveals how we can solve the problem.  And, we believe the auto glass industry could do a lot better for itself, could go a long way to leveling the playing field – if it fully understood its potential strength from pooling resources and organizing itself in a meaningful way.  -- The significance of the Allstate Insurance’s announcement that you have to be signed onto Metryx by October 19th, or you won’t get Allstate jobs, is that its an admission of steering.
• Ford must pay $4 million in rollover suit - Former Ford employee said company didn't make recommended design changes.
• Eight Inducted Into the Automotive Hall of Fame - Eight automotive pioneers and leaders were inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in ceremonies held on October 11. They are Mario Andretti, John Boyd Dunlop, Sir William Lyons, Jim Moran, Shirley Muldowney, John F. (Jack) Smith, Jr., John Mohler Studebaker and Alexander Winton.
• AAA Provides Tips on Choosing an Auto Repair Facility - In recognition of its annual October Car Care Month, AAA urges motorists to be aware of their automobiles' maintenance schedule and develop a trusting, long-term relationship with a reputable repair facility. -- "Auto repairs complaints usually involve the "Four Cs" -- lack of communication, inadequate competence, complex technology and consumer fraud," said Dawn Duffy, AAA spokesperson.
• Students get creative with hoods - NE: Auto-body instructor Don Wilson has been surrounded by hoods for 30 years. -- Car hoods, that is.
• College Student Calls 10 On Your Side After Trip for Oil Change - VA: Jenny just wanted an oil change, but when she took her car to Stirling's Auto Repair in Hampton, the college student claims she got a whole lot more.
• Michigan-based auto supplier to close Greenville, Miss., plant - China plant size to double
• Valeo eyeing businesses of Delphi, Visteon - "The weakness of Delphi and Visteon, two market leaders, should allow us to win market share or make acquisitions," Valeo Chairman Thierry Morin told Le Figaro daily. "Delphi like Visteon should be open to propositions from equipment makers such as Valeo. Some of their activities could interest us."
• DELPHI BANKRUPTCY - Congress Must Stop Global Vultures From Destroying Auto Industry
• Siegel-Robert Automotive To Open Chinese Plant - The facility, scheduled to open in January, will manufacture chrome-plated and painted plastic grilles, nameplates, badges, door handles and interior and exterior trim components for the Chinese and global automotive tier 1 and original equipment manufacturers.
• Automakers show signs of schizophrenia - Industry claims you can still go fast without using much gasoline
• Fake auto parts endangers lives - In south-east Asia, fake automotive parts are becoming a threat to the domestic markets. It is a matter of time until the problem spreads to the UK.
• N.Y. Supt. Mills Calls for Tougher No-Fault Auto Fraud Laws - New York Superintendent of Insurance Howard Mills joined with Assemblyman Jeff Brown (R-Manlius) to call on the New York State Assembly to pass tougher no-fault auto insurance fraud legislation. - The two called for legislation to combat so-called "runners" who refer accident victims to crooked health care providers and those who stage accidents in order to collect from insurers
• DuPont Launches New Capacity for Safety Glass Interlayers - Company Responds to Growing Global Demand for Impact-Resistant Glass

October 18, 2005

• Woman Disappointed With Insurance Offer After Wreck - IN: A nurse whose SUV crashed while she was returning to Indiana from the Gulf Coast told Call 6 for Help that she was disappointed in her insurance company's first offer to help cover the expense. -- State Farm first offered her several thousand dollars less then her vehicle's Kelley Blue book value. -- Call 6 contacted State Farm, which said its claims department addressed Davis' concerns. In the end, State Farm offered Davis more than the Blue Book value, minus Davis' deductible.
• A Used Car or a Katrina Biohazard?  - Since the hurricane struck on Aug. 29, auto clubs and law enforcement officials have warned consumers to scrutinize used cars for water damage and investigate their histories.  Because a damaged car's title can be "washed"- varying state laws make it relatively easy to obtain a clean title in one state for a vehicle branded with a "flood" or "salvage" title in another - such warnings are routine after major storms. -- Katrina's automotive losses were hardly routine. Cars that sat in sewage and fuel-contaminated floodwaters in New Orleans could pose unprecedented risks to anyone who handles the vehicles or their parts, according to the Coordinating Committee for Automotive Repair, a nonprofit organization that provides advice on pollution prevention and worker health and safety issues to segments of the auto industry, including repair businesses.
• I-CAR Launches "myI-CAR" - The new online function allows anyone in the collision industry to view personal I-CAR training records and submit a request to update personal information online 24/7. To use "myI-CAR," an individual must have successfully completed at least one I-CAR training program, I-CAR qualification test, or earned Gold Class points through the Industry Training Alliance, and have a valid e-mail address.
• Newly Released I-CAR Training Programs - As collision repair technology advances, I-CAR is committed to meeting the collision industry’s needs by conducting extensive research and, using this research, developing and delivering the latest information to the industry.
• Driving Out the Defects - Computer simulations snag many automotive bugs, but rigorous road tests in extreme climates are the final exam for new vehicles. -- Death Valley is a favored summer test spot because its broiling sun bakes plastic parts, toasts paint and stresses radiators and air conditioners.
• Billionaire envisions merging Lear, Collins & Aikman - Wilbur Ross, a buyout specialist also interested in Delphi units, aims to tap unused capacity.
• Reassembling Delphi: CEO aims to repair auto business - Mr. Miller, who is 63 years old, says he came out of retirement in June not just to fix Delphi but the entire beleaguered U.S. auto industry, which has been squeezed by growing foreign rivals like Toyota Motor Corp. and rising health-care costs for a massive unionized work force, most of whose members have top-dollar health insurance.
• Delphi executives to take a pay cut amid bankruptcy proceedings - Top executives at Delphi Corp. said Monday they will take pay cuts while the auto supplier seeks wage concessions from its hourly workers and tries to reorganize its finances under bankruptcy protection. -- Wilbur L. Ross, whose New York company, WL Ross & Co., has formed a partnership with auto supplier Lear Corp. to explore acquisitions in the automotive interior components sector, said Delphi executives are making the right move in sharing the pain.
• Goodbye, Mr. Goodwrench - There will be no federal help this time. There is no money for it and, thanks to examples all around us, we now believe that a society that props up bankrupt, money-losing companies will soon be bankrupt itself. Keeping foreign competition out makes no sense, either, since the foreign competition is making its cars here in the United States.
• Visteon seeks lower wages by moving jobs out of the U.S. - Visteon Corp. is transforming itself into a Third World manufacturer. -- The migration of Visteon’s manufacturing out of the United States is so dramatic that internal documents estimate the company’s average North American wage and benefit package could eventually approach $8 an hour.
• Lawyer's war on Ford drawing notice - Most of Watts' suits against Ford stem from deaths or serious injuries in rollover crashes involving the company's Explorers, Expeditions or pickups, which Watts said have design defects in roofs, window glass and seatbelts.
• Nissan recalling minivans over seat adjustment problem - Nissan Motor Co. said Monday it will recall more than 100,000 minivans because of problems with a seat adjustment mechanism that could cause a finger injury. -- The automaker said the recall affects 109,437 Quest minivans from the 2004-2006 model years. Someone adjusting the second row seat in the vehicle could have their finger pinched when moving the metal mechanism, Nissan said.
• Toyota to recall record 1.4 mln cars globally - Toyota Motor Corp., Japan's biggest auto maker, said on Tuesday it would recall about 1.41 million cars globally -- its biggest ever -- including the Corolla and 15 other models due to trouble with their headlight switching systems.
• S-LEC’s Multi-Layer Technology - When looking at vehicle trends, glazing plays a much more important role than before, in terms of its functionality, with the emphasis on two or more functions being combined in one glass product. Naturally, PVB interlayer for laminated glass is now being discussed more widely as a practical way of adding new functions to automotive glass systems.
• Green Parts International Inc. Announces 3rd Quarter Update and Management Discussion of Operations - Green Parts supports an integrated auto salvage, repair parts and scrap metals business from its headquarters in Atlanta, GA. In the next three years, Green Parts has targeted the acquisition of 32 salvage yards in the USA and worldwide with a goal of rolling up $50,000,000 in gross revenue per annum.
• Fake Chinese Auto Parts Flooding Korea - Fake automotive parts smuggled from China are posing a serious threat to the Korean market. -- Until recently, major automakers, such as Hyundai and Kia Motors, were the main brands that fake parts makers plagiarized the most. But now even forgeries of parts from independent contractors have been distributed, complete with fake logos.
• Omax Auto likely to acquire US firm - New Delhi: Omax Autos is set to join the growing league of Indian auto components manufacturers that are acquiring companies in the overseas markets. -- The company is on the verge of taking over an auto component firm in the US.
• Henkel sees increased opportunities for taking stakes, acquisitions in Japan - The chief executive said Henkel is primarily interested in expanding its industrial operations in Japan, not its consumer business. And he pointed specifically to the auto industry as a very important target group for Henkel.

October 17, 2005

• Safelite Solutions Introduces TotalClaim(TM) Suite of Managed Claim Products - Safelite Solutions, an industry leader in third party glass claim administration, announces the creation of a new suite of property and casualty claims management products and services for the insurance and fleet industries. In addition to TotalClaim(TM) Reporting and AutoGlass Solutions, the foundation of Safelite Solutions' product offerings, the company has leveraged core capabilities to produce four additional claims management products that represent property and casualty claim outsourcing business solutions.
• Keystone Automotive Acquires Automotive Parts Distributor in Massachusetts - Keystone Automotive Industries, Inc. today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of Veng USA, headquartered in Seekonk, Massachusetts. Veng USA recorded trailing revenues of approximately $37.1 million over the twelve months ended August 31, 2005. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The acquisition is scheduled to close on October 31, 2005. The closing is subject to the satisfaction of certain customary conditions.
• Lynx Services Contributes To The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company’s Goals - The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company (Ohio Casualty), a member company of Ohio Casualty Group®, headquartered in Fairfield, Ohio, recently announced that it is working with LYNX Services® (LYNX), a leading outsource claims administrator, to manage its auto glass and collision claims. This program is a significant contributor to Ohio Casualty’s customer service efforts as well as its financial performance objectives. LYNX Services is honored to be a contributor to the success of these goals.
• Covington Body Shop Wins Air Quality Award - KY: Greg Schneider, owner and operator of American Auto Body Truck Shop, has won a Small Business Air Quality Stewardship Award.  He received the award at the annual awards luncheon at the Berry Hill Mansion in Frankfort.
• Body shops do brisk business during deer season in autumn - It may be Santa and flying reindeer that usher in the holiday season for most retailers in eastern North Carolina. -- But it is the whitetail deer that keeps auto body shops busy this time of year.
• No relief as paint prices rising with petroleum costs - While State Farm may be willing to alter its pricing, the company still has to remain competitive, which means there are limits to what shops can do in terms of price reporting, according to one industry expert, who asked not be named because of his work with insurers. -- “The allowances for paint and materials are controlled by the insurers and they don’t actively grant increases,” according to the expert.” The shops are once again going to be squeezed in the middle—the costs of supplies are going to go up on one side and the insurers are going to continue to stick their head in the sand and try to ignore it as long as they can. That puts the squeeze on the shops to eat it out of their margins. It’s getting harder and harder for them to do that.”
• Should you prepay for car repairs? - Think of it as a 401(k) plan for your car or truck. -- Customers of John Schupp’s two Sci-Tech Automotive repair shops in Raytown and Grandview can prepay for car repairs. Schupp will even match 10 percent of their monthly payment.
• Financial controller at auto parts firm faces theft, forgery charges - Muncie, IN: A financial controller at an auto parts maker stole about $167,000 from his employer and laundered it through a girls softball league, authorities said.
• Hannibal man pleads guilty to money scheme - A Hannibal man pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday afternoon to one count of interstate transportation of stolen money in connection with a check kiting scheme that involved about $900,000 and banks in Missouri and Illinois. - According to court documents, Foxall admitted the check kiting scheme took place from 2002 until Aug. 15, 2005. During that time, he was engaged in a number of business ventures, including Premier Auto Glass, Five Star Auto Detail, Five Star Auto Sale and Foxall Properties, all in Hannibal.
• Numbers paint bleak picture - The best way to paint a picture of the American auto industry is by the numbers, and in 2005 that picture is not pretty at all. Here are some telling statistics out of Detroit.
• Blue-Collar Blues - Delphi Corp. says that $25-an-hour factory jobs and comfortable pensions are luxuries of a past era that it can no longer afford, an era that may be remembered as the golden age of blue-collar workers.
• Gain seen for auto parts firms - Korea: The move by Delphi Corp., the biggest auto parts maker in the United States, to file for bankruptcy is expected to have a positive effect on Korea's auto part exports, a state-run think tank said yesterday. -- The Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade said the impact from Delphi's downfall on local manufacturers is expected to be significant as Delphi's bankruptcy will likely accelerate moves by U.S. automakers to diversify their acquisition of parts from overseas suppliers.
• More automotive jobs leaving Saginaw - Eaton Corporation moves labor to Mexico
• ThyssenKrupp wants to sell auto business - German steel and engineering group ThyssenKrupp wants to sell its automotive division either as a whole or in parts, German magazine Focus reported on Sunday, quoting company sources.
• Auto-parts maker will close Granite City plant - MO: Bankrupt auto-parts supplier Tower Automotive Inc. will close its Granite City plant by the end of 2006, laying off about 300 employees as the financially troubled company seeks to trim excess manufacturing capacity.
• Trade with China: Emerging economic giant casts long shadow - China, the world’s most populous nation and a fast-growing economic and political power, might seem an odd place for one of the smallest U.S. states to set up a sales office. -- But that is what South Carolina will do this week when Gov. Mark Sanford and Commerce Secretary Bob Faith lead a state delegation to Shanghai to open a branch office.
• Automotive E-Commerce and Technology Guru Mark Boyd Joins Auto Dealer Traffic, Inc. - Auto Dealer Traffic, Inc., a leading automotive internet marketing firm, has named Mark Boyd as the company’s new Executive Vice President and Director of Strategic Development. Renowned in the automotive e-commerce world for his unprecedented success at Dealix Corporation and Chrome Systems, Inc., Boyd has an impressive history and expertise in the automotive technology sector that will help Auto Dealer Traffic empower auto dealers through search engine marketing and search engine optimization technology.
• Group 1 Automotive Announces Preliminary Third-Quarter Results, Revises Full-Year Outlook and Schedules Earnings Release - Group 1 Automotive, Inc., a Fortune 500 specialty retailer, announced today that it expects to report earnings per diluted share of $0.83 to $0.86 for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2005. -- Group 1 owns 95 automotive dealerships comprised of 143 franchises, 33 brands and 31 collision service centers located in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma and Texas. Through its dealerships and Internet sites, the company sells new and used cars and light trucks; arranges related financing, vehicle service and insurance contracts; provides maintenance and repair services; and sells replacement parts.
• Auto-insurance costs on the rise in Arizona - High gas prices might not be the only thing cramping motorists' driving budgets: Auto-insurance costs in Arizona are on the rise and remain on the high side nationally. -- The average rate has gone up 16.6 percent in Arizona in the latest five-year measurement. But there is some good news: The increase is less than the national average.

October 14, 2005

• Cox Protects Consumers With Easy Access to Information on State Farm Salvaged, Retitled Vehicles - Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox announced today that consumers can now access information on 2,532 previously damaged vehicles at www.michigan.gov/ag. Cox has posted each vehicle’s identification number (VIN), make, model, and year online as part of his settlement with State Farm Mutual Insurance Company over the company’s failure to make sure titles show the vehicles were previously damaged by theft or accident.
• State Farm Michigan Salvage Vehicle Information - Attorney General Cox Provides Notice to Vehicle Owners
• Auto service group helps victims of domestic violence - Members of Bumper to Bumper Certified Service Centers, a mostly-male group of Chicago area auto service company owners, wanted to make a strong statement this year with its annual charity event. -- With that in mind the organization decided in January to find a way to provide cars to victims of domestic violence. What was born was the Bumper to Bumper Charity Car Campaign aimed at helping women who needed help.
• Tower Automotive Continues Operational Restructuring - Company to Consolidate Production from Milan, TN and Granite City, IL Facilities into Other Tower Locations
• Light the way to a safer Halloween - The Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CCFF) is continuing a Halloween tradition by partnering with CARSTAR Collision Repair Centres, for its sixth annual FrightLites fundraising campaign. Across Canada, more than 100 CARSTAR locations, along with CCFF volunteers, will be selling the non-toxic glow sticks. The campaign, which runs throughout October, promotes safety among trick-or-treaters and raises much-needed funds for cystic fibrosis (CF) research and treatment.
• Adjust to new auto industry, DesRosiers tells firms - A group of leaders from Goodyear, Pilkington and Alcoa, along with the Collingwood Labour Council, municipal, provincial and federal politicians and local business people attended the Business in Motion lunch at the Georgian Manor Resort Wednesday.
• Ford Appoints First Female Executive VP - Ford Motor Co. has named its first female executive vice president in its 102-year history as part of a series of moves intended to boost Ford's flagging North American operations, the company said Thursday. - Anne Stevens, 56, was named executive vice president and chief operating officer for the Americas, a new position that makes her one of the highest ranking women in the auto industry. Stevens previously served as Ford's group vice president of Canada, Mexico and South America. She joined the company in 1990.
• Execs line pockets, humiliate employees - The double threat that U.S. workers face from cheap labor overseas and greedy executives here at home made headlines when Troy-based Delphi Corp. -- the world's second largest auto parts manufacturer -- announced Saturday it was filing for bankruptcy.
• Automotive tech scholarships available for '06 - RI: Christopher Bannister, chairman of the Automotive Technology Department at New England Institute of Technology in Warwick, R.I., has announced the availability of an automotive related scholarship that will be awarded to individuals studying automotive technology in 2006. -- The annual investment to help develop future aftermarket industry leaders is primarily funded through proceeds from the annual Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium.
• Students to Explore Auto Careers in New Car Dealerships - Governor Schwarzenegger recognizes Automotive Career Week
• Universal Technical Institute, Inc. Announces Timing of Fiscal 2006 Business and Financial Outlook Conference Call - Universal Technical Institute, Inc., a provider of technical education training, announced today that it will issue a press release and hold a conference call on October 26, 2005 at 2 p.m. Pacific Time (5 p.m. Eastern Time).
• Japanese auto supplier to locate in Lauderdale Co. - MERIDIAN, Miss: Japanese automotive supplier Teikuro Corp. has announced plans to locate a plant at the G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery Industrial Park in Lauderdale County. -- Teikuro Corp. provides hard chrome surface treatment for the automotive industry and repair of large and small die applications for stamping, forming and forging. The Meridian facility will service automotive industry customers in Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Georgia.
• Auto parts wholesaler to expand in Suwanee - GA: You could call it the "wheel" deal. -- Genera Corp., a California-based wholesaler of imported automotive replacement parts, has partnered with Duke Realty Corp. to develop a facility at Suwanee's Horizon Park. -- Genera serves auto parts distributors and supply companies throughout the United States and Canada.
• 2006 Ford Freestyle Earns IIHS 'Best Pick' Rating for Frontal Crash Test Performance - Following its recent 40-m.p.h. offset frontal barrier crash test, IIHS noted that Freestyle's occupant compartment experienced minimal intrusion by maintaining its integrity very well -- an essential factor in helping to protect vehicle occupants in a frontal crash.
• Toyota to fix software problem on 75,000 Prius hybrids - Toyota will tell the owners of 75,000 Prius hybrids that their cars might stall while driving because of a computer software problem. -- The automaker said Thursday that engines for 2004 and some early 2005 Prius models need to have their Electronic Control Module (ECM) reprogrammed.
• Culture change helps auto supplier prosper - US Farathane's worker retention and revenues soar; communication at all levels called key. -- There used to be a revolving door at US Farathane Corp., a plastic-injection mold automotive supplier. -- CEO Andrew Greenlee solved the first problem by staying after taking the reins in early 2001 at the age of 33. He could have used the job as a stepping stone, but instead made a long-term commitment to the company.
• ADESA Corporation and AutoTec Partner to Help Dealers, Auction Industry - ADESA Corporation announced today it has teamed with AutoTec, LLC, to provide its dealers with Auction ACCESS®, a simpler, more convenient way to do business at any ADESA U.S. auction location and, for that matter, around the entire industry.
• Charged in Lowell, Mass. Staged Accident Scheme - Nine individuals have been arraigned in Middlesex Superior Court in Cambridge, Mass. in connection with an insurance fraud scheme that included the staging of several motor vehicle collisions in Lowell, Tyngsborough, and Bedford. Another 7 individuals were also indicted in connection with the scheme and warrants have been issued for their arrests.
• Apogee Enterprises Names James S. Porter CFO - Apogee Enterprises, Inc., which develops and delivers value-added glass products and services for the architectural, large-scale optical and automotive industries, today announced that James S. Porter, vice president of strategy and planning, has been named Apogee chief financial officer (CFO). He has been interim CFO since July.
• Safelite Group Announces Fuel Reduction Efforts - Safelite Group, a leading provider of auto glass products and services, announces the launch of a company-wide program called "Turn It Off - Idling Gets You Nowhere." The initiative is an effort to reduce fuel consumption of the more than 2,500 vehicles used by two subsidiaries - Safelite AutoGlass, the nation's largest provider of auto glass services, and Service AutoGlass, a leading U.S. auto glass wholesaler. --  The "Turn It Off" theme was chosen to remind employees to not leave their vehicles idling between trips and to alter a culture of doing this. Prior to 2001, Safelite Group technicians were required to keep their vehicle engines running to keep the urethane, an important component in the windshield installation process, at the proper temperature. New Safelite vehicles are now designed and equipped to keep the urethane at the needed temperature and operate electrical equipment without the engine idling. By 2004, 85 percent of Safelite's fleet had this capability.
• Direct Costs of Depression in the Workplace Are Tip of the Iceberg - Employers Have Huge Stake in Promoting Depression Treatment

October 13, 2005

• Self-healing bodywork - A car that protects itself from superficial damage using supple bodywork is on the drawing boards at General Motors in Detroit, Michigan, US. -- GM is using a "shape memory” alloy, which expands when heated, to remove minor dents, and claims to have had best results with an alloy of nickel and titanium that changes state at around 70°C. The alloy is mixed with filler particles of electrically conductive carbon, so that feeding a current through the material makes it heat up and rapidly change shape. -- The alloy could be placed along the edge of a car door, an area that often suffers knocks as people climb in and out. When the door opens, a low current would flow through the strip, making it expand slightly. As it closes again, the current switches off, cooling the strip down. Should the door have suffered a bump, the expanding alloy ought to absorb any dents as it shrinks back to normal. -- Unfortunately, GM says, the material provides no protection against heavy impacts and certainly cannot grow a new surface.
• Insurance firms auctioning autos - More than 400 vehicles that flooded when Hurricane Katrina battered the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29 will be auctioned off Friday to licensed automotive dealers and dismantlers. -- That auction is closed to the general public.
• Web service connects auto dealers, customers - Troy business builds customized Web pages to show what repairs are being done on a car.
• Petroleum increases put squeeze on auto body repair industry - It's not just parts that are being effected, that shiny paint on the exterior of your vehicle, it's petroleum-based too. -- In addition to manufacturing costs, auto repair experts say it's costing them more to have parts shipped to them. Some are even preparing to raise their labor rates to offset the increase.
• ABRA Auto Body & Glass-Woodbury Assists Make-A-Wish Foundation - Aaron Fowler was a typical teenage boy living in Oakdale, MN, with a simple dream of restoring his 1990 Acura Integra. Unfortunately, Aaron is battling terminal Acute Myologeneous Leukemia, and may only have a short time to live. -- White Bear Acura performed all of the mechanical repairs.
• Local custom shop honored by carmaker - MO: A Neosho auto customizing shop is receiving national recognition for their work by one of America’s biggest auto manufacturers. -- Street Graffiti is being honored by General Motors for work they performed on a 2005 Pontiac Vibe. Street Graffiti was one of only eight shops nationwide to receive a car from GM to “play with,” according to Dawn Roper, co-owner of the business.
• Lottery for auto work is set - MA: Residents of Nashoba Tech's seven district communities, including Chelmsford, are invited to enter their vehicles to be repaired as long as: the vehicle is registered; the necessary repairs meet the educational and curriculum requirements of the school; the work is the result of a collision and is not a restoration project.
• Takeover doubted for car-parts firm - Automotive stock analysts and other industry experts said that the plunge in the price of Dana Corp. shares in recent days makes Toledo's largest company a possible, but unlikely, takeover target.
• Auto: Battle of the Supply Chains - Amidst the financial news of debt ratings, bankruptcies, and financial distress of the Automotive industry, Ford is looking to reduce its production supply base and build a “sustainable supplier structure” that would prove to be more viable than today’s current business models.
• Visteon Recognized For Global Sustainability Practices - Visteon was selected based on a variety of practices initiated within the company, including environmental policies and practices, ethics training and community involvement.
• GM forging parts contingency plan in case UAW strikes - General Motors Corp. said Wednesday it is working on a contingency plan in regards to a potential strike by the United Auto Workers union against the automaker's top supplier, Delphi Corp.
• Delphi chief says he will try to save plants - Delphi Corp. Chief Executive Officer Steve Miller said Wednesday he will take an "extremely hard look" at what can be done to save plants in Dayton and other communities during the auto maker's Chapter 11 proceedings. -- But hourly workers could see wage cuts as early as the second quarter of next year, he said.
• Bridgestone to pay Ford $240 million in failure feud - Bridgestone Corp., the world's second-biggest tiremaker, agreed to pay Ford Motor Co. $240 million to end a five-year dispute over which company was responsible for tire failures in Ford sport utility vehicles.
• London gets another auto parts plant - Warren Industries, which makes stamped and welded assemblies for the North American automotive market, will open an 85,000-square-foot plant in London, employing more than 80 people.
• Universal Technical Institute, Inc. Begins Training at Sacramento Facility - Universal Technical Institute, Inc., a provider of technical education training, today announced that the first class of approximately 60 students began training on October 10, 2005, at its temporary Sacramento campus. The temporary facility has capacity for approximately 400 students and the facility is approximately 21,000 square feet.
• TRW says Dalphi transaction cleared - TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. on Wednesday said European regulators cleared its proposed acquisition of a majority stake in Dalphi Metal Espana SA, a maker of airbags and steering wheels.
• Northern Va. Police Bust Staged Accident Ringleaders - Authorities are taking aim at 'swoop and squat' accident scams They call it the "swoop and squat'.' A driver pulls in front of another vehicle and slams on the brakes, deliberately causing an accident to collect the insurance money. -- In northern Virginia, local state and federal authorities formed a task force, Operation Moving Target, after an Arlington police officer making a routine traffic stop learned that the cars involved had been stolen from Indiana. Arlington Police learned that police in neighboring Fairfax County were conducting a similar investigation, and the task force was formed, said Arlington Police Capt. Rich Alt.
• ENTEK employees raise money for Louisiana workers - The PPG plant in Lake Charles, La., was closed and most of its 1,400 employees ordered to evacuate the town to avoid the hurricane. About 120 workers stayed onsite to protect the plant. -- After the hurricane passed, when PPG officials went about assessing damage to the plant and finding out what happened to employees, it discovered that most of their homes were destroyed or severely damaged, but the people were safe.

October 12, 2005

• Used-vehicle buyers should check histories - MI: Robert and Joni Aukerman, of Kalamazoo, say they're among those victimized by the situation. -- In the spring they were informed by the Attorney General's office that they owned a salvaged car and were eligible for a $1,000 payment from State Farm. Now the couple is considering whether to pursue legal action against the insurer.
• Toyota buying hybrid parts from Hitachi to meet vehicle demand - In turning to Hitachi, Japan's largest car maker decided to look outside the company to secure procurement for the key component at a time when concern for the environment and rising fuel costs, especially in the U.S., have led to surging demand for the fuel-efficient vehicles.
• GM is slashing costs to bring out new cars - Automaker revamps engineering operations to save up to $1 billion on next midsize lineup.
• Bankruptcy move has plants on edge - Delphi’s bankruptcy declaration brought mixed responses from area automotive suppliers.
• Delphi bankruptcy heralds major changes in auto jobs - It would be difficult to overemphasize the enormity of the Delphi Corp. bankruptcy declaration. It is not just recognizing the fact that the company can't make ends meet. It signals the beginning of the end of an extraordinary era, but most likely the beginning of another.
• CEO says Valeo won't face same problems as Delphi - "It would never happen to Valeo for a simple reason -- our management system is characterized by speed and transparency," Valeo's chairman and chief executive, Thierry Morin, told LCI television. -- Morin added that Valeo had undergone restructuring in the past few years, it had cut the number of production sites and taken them to low-cost countries.
• U.S. Automakers May Be Saved By Bankruptcy Filings - U.S. Automakers suffering from bloated pensions (including astronomical healthcare costs), tough unions and high fuel costs. They've had to resort to heavy discounting, including "employee price" specials, so that products would continue to move quickly enough to keep factories running.
• DaimlerChrysler recalls 283,000 Ram pickups for transmission - DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler unit, the third-biggest U.S. automaker, said it will recall 283,000 Dodge Ram pickup trucks that may roll away if the gear shift isn't fully placed in the "park" position.
• Tower Automotive Opens New Manufacturing Plant in Germany - Tower Automotive announced that it has opened a new manufacturing facility in Duisburg, Germany. It is scheduled to begin production in early 2006. The new facility will primarily serve DaimlerChrysler for the production of complete body-in-white assemblies including the front and double cabin door assemblies for the next generation Mercedes-Benz Sprinter light truck.
• Moran joins Auto Hall of Fame - Auto magnate Jim Moran will be inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame tonight in Detroit, joining such industry luminaries as Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and Lee Iacocca. -- induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame. -- ''In addition to being a true rags to riches story and really an inspiration to anyone going into the business, Jim Moran was really one of the retailing pioneers in the automotive industry,'' said Jeffrey Leestma, president of the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Mich.
• Local Best Award Presented to ABRA Auto Body & Glass - ABRA Auto Body & Glass announced today that its repair center in Sioux Falls was named one of the top three companies in the "Windshield & Glass Repair" category. The results were based on an on-line survey conducted by The Local Best.com.
• Reaction Injection Molding Provides Superior Alternative to (Thermoplastic) Injection Molding - RIM technology drives global growth of high quality, low cost molded products. -- Parts created through the RIM technology include car bumpers, dashboards, snowboards, footwear, sporting goods, medical equipment, furniture, decorative moldings, and mannequins.
• Mexico's struggling Vitro to sell headquarters - Mexican glass maker Vitro, struggling under heavy debt and increased competition, said on Tuesday it put up for sale its corporate headquarters near the northern city of Monterrey.
• DuPont Announces Leadership Changes - Complete bios and photos are available on the DuPont web site
• Dumping Your Car - For many of us, especially those with a Y chromosome, a car becomes as comfortable as an old pair of shoes, and dumping a beloved clunker is tougher than kissing a girlfriend goodbye.
• Ontarians urged to beware of auto insurance fraud ring - The Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO) wishes to warn all Ontarians of an insurance fraud ring across the province. -- It has been brought to the association's attention that over the past several weeks, ads have been circulating throughout the media in dozens of cities across the province advertising fraudulent automobile insurance.

October 11, 2005

• Delphi CEO offers warning, remedy - Miller says Delphi collapse could 'fatally wound' GM; urges slashing workers' pay.
• Letters from State Farm: ‘Your car’s a total wreck’ - The letters are part of a $40 million, out-of-court settlement brokered in private by lawyers for State Farm and a small group of state attorneys general who later came to represent Missouri, Illinois and nearly all other states. -- State Farm is giving consumers until Nov. 18 to sign the settlement. The insurer says those who sign will get checks early in January.
• Should Insurers Purchase Parts? - For insurers to buy and pay for parts for every body shop in the country is not that difficult as you may think. Because of the tremendous buying power of the insurance companies they could negotiate better discounts with the OEM’s while still using the dealership network for delivery.
• Safety at intersections - Car manufacturers are working on advanced driver assistance systems for more safety at intersections, which have been identified by researchers as the number one spot for accidents in city areas.
• Ford loses three top execs - Loss creates major reshuffling in North America; more are expected to leave
• EPA Office Assesses Penalty to Alaska Auto Salvage Yard - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued an administrative complaint for eight alleged hazardous waste and used oil violations to Dean's Auto Salvage, located in Anchorage, Alaska. The fines total $85,413. The alleged violations were for failure to properly manage hazardous waste and used oil between May 2002 and September 2003.
• Dana to restate earnings after accounting errors - Axle maker's mistakes involve customer prices and supplier deals; shares fall 34 percent.
• EnTire Solutions, LLC Supports Legislative Informational Session on Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems - EnTire Solutions, LLC recently hosted an informational tire pressure monitoring session to educate members of Congress on the benefits of tire pressure monitoring systems.
• Jerome's Auto Body gets new name, new home - ND: Auto body repair has been in the Lundeen family for three generations. Jay's grandfather, Clarence Lundeen, started Lundeen's Body Shop directly south of the Minot Municipal Auditorium in 1952 and ran the shop until his death in 1976. It was around that same time that Clarence's son, Jerome, opened his own body shop, Jerome's Auto Body.
• Auto repair goes from garage to lab - L'Anse Creuse North teaches teens about technical systems with software provided by DaimlerChrysler.

October 10, 2005

• Caliber Collision Centers Names Robert Genthert Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer - "Bob's extensive experience in financial management and strategic planning, as well as his hands-on, operations-focused management approach will complement and support the talents of our senior management team," said Dan Pettigrew, president and chief executive officer for Caliber Collision Centers. "We're confident that Bob's demonstrated ability to manage financial operations and field support functions in a competitive, rapidly changing environment will benefit the service and value we offer our internal and external customers and our insurance company clients."