MEMA provides an automotive supplier perspective on steel industry
The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) report, "The Steel Industry: An Automotive Supplier Perspective" provides insight into the structure and financial situation of the steel industry. The report also highlights benefits the steel industry realizes as a result of more than 180 duty orders on imported steel, and the absorption of the industry's pension obligations by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and other programs....
UAW rejects new agreements with Volvo Trucks North America
Volvo Trucks North America, Inc., announced that employees represented by the United Auto Workers rejected two of three tentative labor agreements covering approximately 2,800 members of UAW Local #2069 at the New River Valley, VA, plant. ...
Tri-State Kenworth named 2004 Kenworth Medium Duty Dealer of Year
Tri-State Kenworth in Enfield, Conn., was named 2004 Kenworth Medium Duty Dealer of the Year for the United States and Canada at the annual Kenworth Dealer Meeting....
Driver shortage expected to shrink In first half of 2005
The driver labor environment tightened for the second consecutive month in January 2005, impacted primarily by fewer people participating in the total workforce in both December and January, according to FTR Associates....
Record year for Volvo Trucks
Last year was the best in Volvo Trucks’ history, with deliveries increasing by 29% to 97,264 from 75,312 –- boosted by considerable demand for heavy trucks on all the major markets in Europe, North and South America and Asia....
Saulsbury starts production in Florida
Saulsbury announced that it is building stainless steel fire and rescue apparatus at its Ocala, Fla., plant. The first units are in the final stages of construction and will be delivered soon. ...
Bay Area Kenworth named 2004 Kenworth Dealer of Year
Bay Area Kenworth in Oakland and Sacramento, Calif., was named 2004 Kenworth Dealer of the Year for the United States and Canada at the annual Kenworth Dealer Meeting held last week in the Seattle area. ...
Commercial truck sales start off strong in 2005
Sales of the types of trucks typically used for commercial applications were up sharply in January, according to figures compiled by Wards Communications. Trucks with gross vehicle weight ratings greater than 10,000 pounds were up 34% compared with those of January 2004. Truck dealers combined to sell 44,821 trucks in Classes 3-8 during the month, compared with 33,385 that were sold in January 2004. ...
Wabash National’s 4Q, fiscal-year gains ‘gratifying’
Wabash National president/CEO William P. Greubel said the company’s fourth-quarter and year-end results were “gratifying.”...
International RXT launched at Chicago Auto Show
International Truck and Engine Corporation has unveiled the International RXT, a more than five-ton, 22-foot-long commercial pickup truck. Drawing on the family bloodlines of the International CXT – the world’s largest production pickup truck – the International RXT is one of four vehicles that International is showcasing at the 2005 Chicago Auto Show from February 11-20 as part of its new “International XT Family” that the company is bringing to customers – now and in the future....
Detroit Diesel accused of price-fixing
Law firm Duane Morris LLP has announced its filing of two class action lawsuits on behalf of hundreds of International and Volvo Truck dealers against Detroit Diesel Corp. and seventeen of its distributors. The lawsuits allege that Detroit Diesel violated federal antitrust law by organizing a group boycott and price fixing scheme with its independent distributors....
Toyo Tire recalls batch
Toyo Tire Corp. has announced the recall of a batch of 24 medium-duty radial truck tires manufactured with DOT production date codes of "5004." To date, there have been no reports of accidents, injuries or property damage resulting from using those tires....
Brake venture revved up
At a press briefing in Sandestin, Florida, yesterday, members of the top management team of Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC outlined the progress the joint venture has made since its formation last summer and detailed how the operation is bringing its brake and related products to OEMs and the trucking aftermarket....
Diesel catalyst gets EPA nod
Johnson Matthey's Environmental Catalysts and Technologies group has announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the verification of their diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) to include on-road engines manufactured for 1991 through 2003 model years. Sold under the trade names CEM and DCC, Johnson Matthey said its DOCs are verified for use with on-highway diesel fuels that have less than 500-ppm sulfur content....
Third consecutive year of intermodal growth
Surging fourth quarter intermodal volume helped make 2004 the best year ever for intermodal growth, according to Intermodal Market Trends & Statistics, a quarterly publication of the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA)....
Schneider buys stake in Illinois distribution park
Schneider National, Inc. has acquired 24.4 acres of land at Gateway Commerce Center in Madison County, IL....
NTEA to host April distributor-manufacturer relations workshop
In support of the NTEA's Strategic Plan, the Association will hold a Distributor-Manufacturer Relations Phase I Workshop April 20 at the Hilton St. Louis Airport in St. Louis, MO....
Diesel drops to $1.983
The national average retail price for a gallon of diesel took a modest 0.9-cent dip to $1.983, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. This breaks a stint of rising prices, which increased 5.8 cents over four weeks. ...
Freightliner offers higher horsepower engines for Coronado
Freightliner Trucks announced today the immediate availability of two new horsepower ratings for the Coronado heavy-duty vehicle....
Parent company of Sloan Transportation Products recapitalizes business
Qualitor, Inc., parent company of Sloan Transportation Products, has announced the recapitalization of its business. Based in Southfield, Mich., Qualitor was previously a Wind Point Partners portfolio business, and is now owned by Thayer Capital Partners, Baird Capital Partners and American Capital, along with Qualitor’s senior management team. ...
CFS establishes links with CVSA
The Council of Fleet Specialists (CFS) has established ties with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), a not-for-profit organization whose aim is to promote commercial motor vehicle safety and security by providing leadership to enforcement, industry and policy makers....
EPA Inc reports strong growth in trailer shipments
Trailer manufacturers had another year of growth in 2004, according to figures compiled by Economic Planning Associates (EPA Inc), Smithtown, New York. EPA Inc survey participants reported shipping 223,625 complete trailers last year, a 29% increase from 2003....
Paccar profits mark a banner centennial
Paccar Inc., which recently celebrated its centennial, reported record revenues and earnings in 2004, which for the year was $11.4 billion and $907 million, respectively. For the fourth quarter of last year, Paccar reaped $241.4 million worth of profits on $3.19 billion in revenue. ...
Buffers USA opens distribution center
Buffers USA announced the grand opening of its new 13,000-square-foot distribution center in Los Angeles. ...
Toyota celebrates grand opening of Tijuana plant
Toyota Motor Manufacturing de Baja California (TMMBC) in Tijuana -- Toyota's first full-scale operation in Mexico – celebrated its grand opening. The plant, which currently employs approximately 650 and plans to hire another 50 people, began production of Tacoma truck beds in August 2004 and Tacoma trucks in December 2004. ...
