SEMA News—April 2014
INDUSTRY NEWS
Fast Facts
Mike Boyte has been appointed manufacturing manager for MultiCam Inc.
He has more than 20 years of manufacturing and quality-control experience in industries related to factory automation. In addition, he is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and will continue to lead MultiCam’s efforts in lean manufacturing, which were implemented in 2012.
In his new position, Boyte will report to Tony McGrew, director of operations. MultiCam, Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX; 972-929-4070.
Through a newly announced partnership between Meyer Distributing Inc. and Vehicle Specialties Inc. (VSI), Meyer will use its logistical capabilities to bring enhanced service to VSI customers. The Hammond, Indiana, facility will remain in operation, continuing to work with its suppliers and customers and focusing on growth in the high-performance and racing parts industry. Meyer Distributing, Jasper, IN; 800-MEYERUSA. Vehicle Specialties, Hammond, IN; 219-845-4473.
Christopher Titus has rejoined Goodguys Gazette after a 12-year hiatus.
Titus will entertain readers with a brand-new, hilarious monthly column entitled, “From the Combustion Lounge,” beginning with the May 2014 issue. Since his last column in 2002, Titus has toured extensively, bringing his signature brand of satirical, dysfunctional comedy to fans worldwide.
His new stand-up show, “The Angry Pursuit of Happiness,” is currently touring America.
Piston Driven Manufacturing—the officially licensed manufacturer of Performance Racing Industry (PRI) apparel and related merchandise—announced the launch of PRI Gear online. PRI Gear offers a full line of racing- and vintage-inspired products. “It is our objective to develop quality, industry-inspired designs that not only relate to our industry, but are also comfortable and fun to wear,” said Tim Sousamian of Piston Driven. The full line of offerings is available at www.prigear.com. Piston Driven, Newport Beach, CA; 714-774-9444.
Mahle Aftermarket Inc. has announced that Mahle Service Solutions is now the official name for the company’s division specializing in the tool and equipment segment. Mahle RTI, formerly RTI Technologies, located in York, Pennsylvania, was purchased January 1, 2013, and is a key component of the new division. According to Max Dull, general manager for Mahle Service Solutions in North America, the Mahle RTI name will transition fully under the Mahle Service Solutions banner at AAPEX 2014. Dull also stated that the new division name will not affect the company’s brand names currently on the market, which include ArcticPRO A/C service equipment, NitroPRO nitrogen tire inflation systems and FluidPRO fluid exchange systems. Mahle, Farmington Hills, MI; 248-347-9700.
Innovative Creations Inc. announced that Kyle Dahlquist joined the company in August 2013 as a design engineer.
Dahlquist previously worked in sales at Desert Rat Off-Road Truck Centers. Prior to that, he worked for Pirelli Tires as a field engineer and has also worked in marketing for BFGoodrich and Michelin.
From a young age, Dahlquist was driven to work in the automotive industry. “I’ve been building cars since I could buy them,” said Dahlquist. “Fabrication and design are what I like to do.” Innovative Creations, Peoria, AZ; 623-486-2300.
MAVTV, owned and operated by Lucas Oil Products, has teamed with Brenton Productions to provide the latest trends in the automotive industry and the best in automotive “how-to” television programming. Brenton Productions’ “Two Guys Garage” TV programming begins airing June 6, 2014. All-new episodes of “Two Guys Garage” will air in the Friday night prime-time block of automotive programming on MAVTV and late mornings on Sundays. “We are very pleased and excited to partner with MAVTV to distribute our programming,” said Frank McGonagle, chairman of Brenton Productions. “Consistent air times are very important to our clients, and we will be able to provide that with our partners at MAV.” Brenton Productions, Swansea, MA; 800-572-7798.
ReadyLIFT Suspension Inc. announced that Vincent Pistonetti has joined the marketing team to further expand the marketing efforts of the ReadyLIFT street- and off-road product lines. Pistonetti has spent the past four years with K&N Engineering, where he was instrumental in coordinating marketing and advertising programs. Pistonetti is ready to design and implement new marketing and branding strategies across the full spectrum of advertising mediums for ReadyLIFT. ReadyLIFT Suspension, Henderson, NV; 800-549-4620.
Ben Wulf has been named president and CEO of Port-A-Cool LLC, a manufacturer of portable evaporative coolers and evaporative cooling media. He assumed the role from Bill Lloyd upon Lloyd’s retirement, effective January 2014. Wulf most recently served as vice president of marketing and international sales at Port-A-Cool. In that capacity, he was instrumental in identifying key markets to build the company’s global presence through its distributor partner networks in Mexico, Canada, South America, Europe, the Middle East and Australia. Port-A-Cool, Center, TX; 936-598-5651.
The Coker Group opened its new 100,000-sq.-ft. West Coast distribution and wheel-manufacturing center in City of Industry, California. The company celebrated with a grand opening celebration in late January. The event was attended by local dignitaries, elected government officials, automotive celebrities and select media. The Coker Group’s new West Coast facility serves multiple purposes as a steel and wire-wheel manufacturing plant, tire warehouse and distribution center, allowing the company to easily assemble and ship products to customers in the western United States and around the world. Coker Tire, Chattanooga, TN; 800-251-6336.
Artonic, a web-design and online-marketing firm based in Tecumseh, Michigan, earned the 2013 Summit International Awards Marketing Effectiveness Award (MEA) for the company’s creation and construction of ididit Inc.’s website. According to ididit, Artonic used custom designs to mirror ididit’s detailed, award-winning hot-rod steering columns and accessories. The MEA-winning final product proved its effectiveness through the website’s analytics data. The data showed a 57% bounce-rate decrease, 110% increase in visit duration, 188% increase in pages viewed per visit and a 226% overall increase in page views. ididit, Tecumseh, MI; 517-424-0577.
Gantt-Thomas & Associates Inc.—a Midwest-based sales and marketing agency—has hired Denise Perkins as director of e-commerce development. In this newly formed position, Perkins will oversee processes and procedures that will maximize the company’s vendor partners’ impact with both brick-and-mortar and e-commerce customers. Perkins comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience within the industry. Most recently, she served on the Internet sales team for Lund Industries as e-commerce account manager. Perkins will be based in the Gantt-Thomas office in Lenexa, Kansas. Gantt-Thomas & Associates, Lenexa, KS; 913-438-7772.
A 30-second WeatherTech advertisement aired on Fox Network during the second quarter of Super Bowl XLVII. The purchase of the advertisement time was a sizable marketing investment for the automotive floor-mat manufacturer, according to WeatherTech, which is produced by MacNeil Automotive Products Ltd. The WeatherTech commercial, titled “You Can’t Do That,” is focused on the company’s commitment to American manufacturing and creating jobs in the United States. It was designed to evoke a strong reaction from viewers, according to the company. MacNeil Automotive Products Ltd., Bolingbrook, IL; 630-769-1500.
Trim Parts Holdings Corp. (TPH), parent company of Trim Parts Inc. and Parts Unlimited, has acquired the assets of First Place Auto Products of Canton, Ohio. “Mopar enthusiasts around the country are mourning the recent passing of Fritz Wurgler, founder of First Place Auto Products,” said Mitch Williams, CEO of Trim Parts Holdings. “We felt that the best way to honor his passion for Mopar products was to purchase the assets and continue with the First Place Auto brand.” More information is available through Jim Pennekamp at jpennekamp@trimparts.com. Parts Unlimited Inc., La Grange, KY; 800-342-0610. First Place Auto Products, Canton, OH; 330-493-1420.
Brembo Racing has announced that Race Technologies—Brembo’s partner for its high-performance, GT and sports-car businesses—will expand its role and will now handle all logistics and commercial account management for Brembo’s entire racing business. The Brembo Racing staff in North America will continue to be responsible for all engineering and technical support for the top racing market and will support new-product development directly with the Brembo Italy team. Together, Brembo and Race Technologies will add racing staff and improve inventory availability. The level of on-track and off-track support will be increased to meet both customer and market needs. All racing business will continue to be supported from the company’s Mooresville facility, where staffs from both Brembo North America and Race Technologies will be present. Brembo North America Inc., Plymouth, MI; 734-468-2100.
Avery Dennison has appointed Nick Tucci vice president and general manager of Reflective Solutions. In this role, Tucci will provide leadership and strategic vision for the global business, which develops and manufactures reflective material and technologies used worldwide. Tucci has more than 20 years of experience with Avery Dennison, including leadership positions in finance, product re-engineering and marketing. Most recently, Tucci served as vice president, procurement for the Americas. Avery Dennison, Painesville, OH; 440-358-3653.
David Crockett was promoted to vice president of aftermarket sales and operations for Rolling Big Power Inc. (RBP), part of the Lexani Companies family of brands. Crockett joined the Lexani Companies in 2009 and has served in many roles while continuing to expand his sales and account base. The move was made to recognize Crockett’s contributions to both Lexani and RBP during his tenure with the organization. Rolling Big Power, Corona, CA; 951-272-9090.
Champion Brands announced results from real-world field trials showing that the company’s formulated and blended SAE 5W-30 Performance Diesel Motor Oil reduces engine wear and corrosion, while maintaining viscometric properties. The company says test results indicate the new oil meets or exceeds the OEM diesel specifications for owners with Ford, International, Cummins, Dodge, Detroit Diesel, MACK, Caterpillar, Mercedes, Volvo, Chrysler, Daimler vehicles and others. In mileage testing, Champion says the SAE 5W-30 was found to deliver up to 4.5% fuel economy improvement over a conventional SAE 15W-40 API CJ-4 lubricant tested at an independent testing facility using the SAE J1321 fuel test protocol.
