News: ISN Show Draws Record Crowd
Orlando, FL — The ISN 2008 Tool Dealer Expo was held in Orlando, FL, June 27 and 28 at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. The event attracted 190 suppliers, and nearly 700 tool and equipment distributors. Guests spent the two days visiting with manufacturers, learning about the latest and greatest new products to hit the market,
Point of View: Is There a Profitability Crisis in the Independent Repair Business?
All year-round, a part of my job is to meet and discuss business conditions with industry experts. These experts cross all lines in the aftermarket, from shop owners to manufacturers, to distributors, to repair technicians. Earlier this year, one of our industry’s top suppliers held its own “business conditions” discussion with more than 500 shop
Tech Feature: Hybrid Service will Increase as Hybrids Move Out of Warranty and into the Independent Service Bays
By now it’s no secret that the price of one gallon of regular-grade gasoline has topped the $4 mark and will undoubtedly be even higher one year from now. In light of rising fuel costs, consumers are once again returning to basic transportation by trading in their old gas-guzzling SUVs for more economical vehicles, especially those powered by hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) technology. On the one hand, the current popularity of hybrid technology seems to offer an ….
Bosch Icon Wiper Blades Go Racing
Bosch’s advanced bracketless ICON wiper blade is going racing! ICON blades are now poised to take on the rain in Grand American Road Racing throughout North America. Bosch has formed the ICON Wiper Blade Challenge, which is a contingency award program that will provide for the use of Bosch ICON wiper blades under rain racing conditions, as well as the display of the Bosch logo on each side of the race car, plus ….
AAPEX Reports Strong Exhibitor Registrations
Despite rising energy prices and an overall sluggish economy, the aftermarket industry is still bullish on its annual trade show – the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX), November 4-6 the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas, NV. Show organizers report strong exhibitor registrations, slightly exceeding the same time last year ….
Fuel Surcharges Are On the Minds of Repair Shop Owners
Since the Arab oil embargo of the 1970s, sharp increases in fuel prices have become a fact of life for most Americans. Like it or not, rising fuel prices affect every sector of American business, including automotive parts distribution. Most of us who fix cars for a living understand that even a minor increase in
Tech Tip: Proper Tools Essential for Handling TPMS Issues
Just as the sports world claims you can’t identify the players without a program, the tire industry chants that you can’t fix a problem without the right tools. The world of tire pressure monitoring systems, or TPMS, is no different. In fact, having the proper tools is critical to servicing vehicles equipped with TPMS. While technology has done its best to ….
Heavy Duty Transmission Clinic Features Additional Tour and Speaker
The APRA Heavy Duty Transmission Division will be hosting their annual technical clinic on July 16 and 17 in Milwaukee, WI. Adding to the already announced presentations by AxleTech and Oshkosh, attendees will hear from veteran financial analyst Will Burnett on "How to Value Your Business, and Why it’s Important." With today’s increasing consolidation, it’s not ….
AMI Announces Applications for the $1,000 AES ‘Building a Learning Culture’ Technician Scholarship
The Automotive Management Institute (AMI) is accepting applications for the new $1,000 Automotive Electronics Service, Inc. (AESWave.com) "Building a Learning Culture" Technician Scholarship. AMI’s resource development effort, EXCEL, in conjunction with AESWave.com established the scholarship to help automotive service professionals obtain the management education and ….
Heatless Dryers, Purifiers and Condensate Drains Help Deliver Clean, Dry Compressed Air for Greener Operations
Quincy Compressor Inc., a leading manufacturer of reciprocating and rotary screw air compressors and an EnPro Industries company, releases a new line of compressed air system purifiers, condensate drains and high-tech modular desiccant air dryers to help industries comply with local environmental laws and produce high quality, clean and dry compressed air ….