SEMA News—March 2015
INDUSTRY NEWS
Fast Facts
Tom Fredrickson has been named COO at Lucas Oil Products Inc. After joining the company in 2002, Fredrickson served as general manager and chief administration officer. His new title continues his corporate responsibilities, encompassing production, marketing, sales and R&D. Prior to joining Lucas Oil, Fredrickson spent 17 years with Lutheran Brotherhood, a not-for-profit financial services company. Lucas Oil Products, Corona, CA; 951-270-0154.
Champion Oil selected Innovative Marketing Services (IMS) as its newest rep agency covering the Western United States and Western Canada. IMS has been nominated for SEMA Rep Agency of the Year three out of the past five years. Company founder Jerry Nuñez is a member of SEMA’s Manufacturers’ Representative Network (MRN) Hall of Fame. IMS CEO Lynne Trimble also serves on the MRN select committee. Dick Hedman, Scott Freeny, Joe Bovee and Jeff Gloden round out the IMS team. Champion Oil, Clinton, MO; 660-890-6231. Innovative Marketing Services, Tempe, AZ; 480-203-7933.
Turn 14 Distribution has opened a new distribution center in Reno, Nevada, to meet customer and supplier demand for increased distribution and market penetration in the Western United States. The new distribution center will be the company’s second 52,000-sq.-ft. location. With the Reno addition, Turn 14 will be able to service 33% of the United States with next-day ground shipping (including Southern and Northern California), 83% of the United States in two days or less and 100% of the continental United States in three days or less. Turn 14 Distribution, Montgomeryville, PA; 267-468-0350.
Luken Communications launched its latest network, Rev’n, in December 2014. The new network currently claims 30 affiliate stations in 28 markets, reaching an estimated 36.3 million DMA households. Geared toward automotive performance enthusiasts, Rev’n is dedicated to cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats, ATVs, snowmobiles, events, auctions and more. Automotive content includes “Two Guys Garage,” “Bidding Wars,” “Truck U,” “My Classic Car” and “Road Test Magazine.”
Luanne Brown, president of eTool Developers and SEMA Board of Directors member, received the 2015 Spirit of Leadership Award in January 2014. Presented annually by the Women’s Automotive Association International (WAAI), the award recognizes professional women in the automotive industry for outstanding professional achievements, community involvement and contributions to the automotive industry. Other honorees included Celeste Briggs, director of General Motors’ Women’s Retail Network; Ruth Fruehauf, founder and CEO of the Fruehauf Trailer Historical Society; Debbie Pollack, Luxury Automotive Marketing senior strategist; Elaine Robertazzi, retired former owner of Liberty Lincoln-Mercury; and Susan Scarola, president of the DCH Charitable Foundation. eTool Developers, Grand Rapids, MI; 616-451-2335.
Heatshield Products is celebrating 30 years of business in 2015. The company started with two products—Thermal Sleeving and Thermaflect Shield (originally called Heat Blanket)—and the Heatshield Products line has grown to more than 400 products that span the automotive, marine, industrial and military markets. Today, Heatshield Products has two manufacturing facilities and plans to open a third in 2015. Heatshield Products Inc. Valley Center, CA; 760-751-0441.
Rupes S.p.A. acquired Cyclo Toolmakers of Longmont, Colorado, producers of the Cyclo orbital polisher. Rupes is an Italian manufacturer of electric and pneumatic power tools and vacuum systems and is known for its polishing system, BigFoot. Cyclo manufactures its polishers in its Colorado facility, which is slated to become the center of Rupes’ and Cyclo’s operations in North America. The new company will operate as Rupes USA Inc. Rupes S.p.A., Vermezzo, Italy; +39-366-5826-966.
ClassicCars.com launched ClassicCars.com One-Step eBay Listing Program, which provides classic-car dealers with inventory on eBay Motors. The program is targeted at both high- and low-volume classic- and collector-car dealerships. Dealers log into their ClassicCars.com Dealer Dashboard and select vehicles to publish on eBay Motors. From there, ClassicCars.com and eBay utilize proprietary platform technology to automatically create effective eBay listings using a format and template designed to facilitate buyer-seller communications. ClassicCars.com, Phoenix, AZ; 480-285-1600.
A ’37 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Sport Cabriolet A won Best of Show at the second-annual Arizona Concours d’Elegance in January 2014. The pre-war cabriolet, owned by Thomas Taffet of Chatsworth, California, was brought to the Arizona Concours by the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center. The 540 K earlier won Best of Class in the European Classics group.
