“Pilkington glass now listed in TecDoc catalogue - PR Inside” plus 4 more

Pilkington glass now listed in TecDoc catalogue - PR Inside
MAHLE Filter Systems India Ltd – Inaugurates second plant at ... - PR Inside
Several Chinese Auto Suppliers Likely to Emerge as Leading Global ... - Industry Week
Cash for Clunkers rolling to a stop - Modesto Bee
On the Move - Sacramento Bee

Pilkington glass now listed in TecDoc catalogue - PR Inside

Posted: 23 Aug 2009 11:49 PM PDT

2009-08-24 08:49:08 -

Pilkington recently became the first glass manufacturer to use TecDoc's professional data and catalogue service, thereby taking advantage of the worldwide acceptance of this trading tool for the independent automotive parts market. The glass manufacturer expects this partnership to yield broad opportunities for further growth, while workshops and the independent automotive parts market benefit from the quality of the additional

technical data.

Since July of this year, it has been possible to call up qualified technical data of the glass manufacturer Pilkington via the TecDoc catalogue system. As part of the NSG Group, the company signed the relevant agreement a short time ago. This makes it the first automotive glass supplier to provide its complete technical data to the leading catalogue portal for the independent auto parts trade. The NSG Group is one of the world's largest manufacturers of glass and glass products for the construction and automotive markets.
Ulrich Zehnpfenning-Bendisch, Managing Director at TecDoc, praises the agreement as "a promising strategic decision for both sides, especially in view of the steadily deteriorating business conditions for glass manufacturers' dedicated automotive glass operations." For this reason, many suppliers are now trying to cooperate with traditional wholesalers. They hope this will provide access to a huge number of garages.

Direct contact with the garage
Pilkington reaps many benefits within the context of the cooperation. Above all, it enables the OEM-quality automotive glass provider to address further distribution channels, which had previously remained out of reach. Thanks to the enormous coverage and market penetration of the TecDoc data records, the supplier reaches key market participants. Along with all garages, this also includes the leading wholesale organisations and partnerships. This is an important sales tool for Pilkington, as the company's presence was previously limited to a narrow range of wholesale catalogues.
In the view of Tobias Plester, Commercial Manager AGR Germany, the collaboration with TecDoc holds significant potential for further growth: "Today efficient commercial solutions that can satisfy the needs of automotive garages and parts dealers as well as those of the parts industry are more important than ever. Because spare parts cannot guarantee successful sales unless they can be found and properly identified quickly and easily in the catalogue system," he explains in praise of the advanced catalogue platform, which "was our system of choice right from the start owing to its huge and qualified database." These arguments also convinced the international decision-makers in the Pilkington Group. And not least because TecDoc is now the leading catalogue solution for the automotive parts trade in Europe. In so doing, the group's management followed the recommendations of Pilkington Automotive Deutschland GmbH, which conducted the negotiations locally.
Given that more than one out of three new passenger vehicles worldwide are fitted with Pilkington glass today, the technical data is especially important for the automotive parts trade as well as for the automotive garages. Along with nearly all classic wearing parts, automotive professionals can also find glass in the catalogue now. This collaboration has ushered in more than 5,200 new article numbers. The high quality of TecDoc catalogue system data strengthens the independent aftermarket (IAM) by facilitating the identification of automotive spare parts.
May be reprinted free of charge. Please forward specimen copy.

About TecDoc
TecDoc Informations System GmbH was established on January 20, 1994. TecDoc is supported by a total of 31 partners from the supply industry and parts trade, represented by the German Association for Spare Parts (GVA). The primary aim of the company is to help ensure the competitiveness of the independent spare parts business. For the sales agents of the free market, TecDoc offers an electronic information system for the passenger and commercial vehicle segment. The availability of the technical catalogue information enables multi-brand service in all automotive service businesses. The TecDoc system currently includes more than 341 parts industry brands. The electronic parts catalogue on DVD and in the Internet bundles over 2.43 million articles in 23 languages. Users have access to more than 1.1 million diagrams. As a result, the system covers more than 40,000 passenger vehicle types and more than 30,000 commercial vehicle types. Every quarter, TecDoc data reaches 410,000 users inside and outside Germany. Sixty percent of those users receive it through TecDoc's own catalogues or through commercial solutions implemented by TecDoc in the WEB SHOP, and the remainder receive it via commercial catalogues.

Media contact:
Gabriele Kordes - phone +49 (0) 171 – 45 17 707 - press@tecdoc.net
Birgit Schiller - Tel. +49 (0) 221 66 00 – 214 - Fax +49 (0) 221 66 00 - 100 - birgit.schiller@tecdoc.net

MAHLE Filter Systems India Ltd – Inaugurates second plant at ... - PR Inside

Posted: 23 Aug 2009 11:42 PM PDT

2009-08-24 08:41:57 - Anand Automotive Company to cater to new Product range

Parwanoo, August 22, 2009 – Shri Kishan Kapoor, Hon'ble Minister for Industries, Himachal Pradesh inaugurated the Parwanoo Plant - II of MAHLE Filter Systems (India) Ltd (MFSI), a leading manufacturer and exporter of Automotive filters in India, on 22nd August 2009.

The new plant - Parwanoo Plant - II will cater to a new Product range utilising enhanced technology to

service the requirement of MFSI's existing and new customers like Tata Motors, M&M, GM and Bosch. It will also cater to the requirements of the replacement market in India and for exports.

MAHLE Filter Systems India, a joint venture between MAHLE Group of Germany and Anand Automotive Systems, earlier known as Purolator India Limited, was established in 1966 to manufacture an extensive range of Air, Oil, Fuel and Hydraulic filters for application in the Automotive, Railway, Aviation and Earthmoving industries both for OEMs and Aftermarket.

"With the Capital Investment at about Rs 60 million in building, plant and Machinery, the proposed Installed Capacity of the plant is expected to be 22 million filters per annum", said Mr Deepak Chopra, CEO Designate, Anand Automotive Systems.

"At the initial stage, the 37th plant of Anand Automotive Systems, will generate direct and indirect employment for more than 150 people. Increased production in future will result in further job opportunities", said Mr Deepak Chopra. He also mentioned that this project again demonstrates the Group's commitment towards the state of Himachal Pradesh, particularly Parwanoo, where it has manufacturing facilities from as far back as 1976.

The plant will go into production by February 2010 and will generate annual revenue of Rs 50 crores.

The new plant will manufacture the PU Moulded filter elements, Ecological Plastic Embedded filter elements and Lube Oil spin-on filters with new crimping design. The process in the plant will include Poly-urethane Moulded elements, Filter Paper Embedment into Plastic and Felt media, Crimping process for sheet metal parts.

About MAHLE Filter Systems India

Mahle Filter Systems (India) Limited (Formerly known as Purolator India Limited), is a manufacturer and exporter of Filters in India. The Company manufactures a wide range of Air, Oil, Fuel and Hydraulic filters for application in diverse fields such as Automotive, Industrial, Railways, Aviation and Earthmoving industries. An extensive range and quality products have placed MAHLE Filter Systems (India) in an enviable position as the principal supplier of filters to both the Original Equipment and Replacement markets with a sizeable presence in the overseas markets.
MAHLE Filter Systems India already has three plants at Parwanoo, Gurgaon and Pune, having annual revenue of Rs 300 crore in 2008-09

About Anand Automotive Systems
Anand Automotive Systems serves the global automotive industry with innovative and technologically advanced range of automotive systems from shock absorbers, struts, forks, engine bearings, automotive and industrial filters, piston rings, gaskets, axles, propeller shafts, synchronizer rings, exhaust systems, climate control, hydraulic brakes, airbrake components, friction material to car care products, adhesives, coolants, sealants, safety products and water & environmental technologies. Established in collaboration with various world leaders in the automotive segment, employs 6000 people and has 36 manufacturing locations in India with an extensive customer base in OE and Aftermarket.

SNS Foundation – the CSR arm of Anand – takes up developmental initiatives in places where the Group has manufacturing facilities. It has been in Parwanoo for the last 18 years and has been chosen as the Mother NGO for Reproductive & Child Health Care Programme for the districts of Solan and Shimla and also undertakes projects to improve the environment through CAPART. For more information, please visit www.anandgroupindia.com/

About MAHLE Group, Germany
The MAHLE Group is one of the 30 largest companies in the automotive supply industry worldwide. As a leading manufacturer of components and systems for the combustion engine and related products, MAHLE ranks among the top 3 systems suppliers for piston systems, cylinder components, valve train systems, air management systems, and liquid management systems. MAHLE employs around 49,000 people at 115 production plants and eight research and development centers. In 2008, MAHLE achieved sales in excess of EUR 5 billion (USD 7.3 billion).

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Several Chinese Auto Suppliers Likely to Emerge as Leading Global ... - Industry Week

Posted: 23 Aug 2009 09:04 PM PDT

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Cash for Clunkers rolling to a stop - Modesto Bee

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 12:25 AM PDT

"It definitely 'steroid-ed' the market. Successful chaos," dealership owner John Gardner said Sunday. His string of Central Valley Automotive dealerships on north McHenry Avenue did at least 180 deals under the program before running out of qualifying vehicles. "We could have sold 40 more cars if we had the product," Gardner said.

"It's a good problem to have," added sales manager Danny Perez.

"We're slammed. It depleted our entire inventory," Modesto Toyota Sales Manager Ashur Paulus said with a grin Sunday. Behind him, seen through the glass showroom wall, customers wandered in the gray expanse of a nearly empty front lot.

No one on the lot or signing documents in cubicles at the dealership was using the program, but all said they got to thinking about a new car because of the Cash for Clunkers frenzy.

Even high-end dealers saw traffic and sales gains.

"Our Mercedes line had no vehicle that qualified (under the program), but we had eight to 10 deals with Volvos," Modesto European salesman Chris Heslin said.

Don Winter of Ripon was the last to cash in on Cash for Clunkers at Central Valley Dodge/Hyundai in Modesto on Sunday afternoon.

After 10 years and 210,000 commuter miles, Winter said goodbye to his 1999 Mitsu-bishi Montero and hello to a sparkling white 2009 Honda Accent. The Montero's 20 freeway miles to the gallon cost him about $80 a week in fuel, Winter figured. He expects to get 30 miles per gallon from the Accent.

The Accent met another key criteria. "The major thing was the golf clubs have to fit in the trunk," said Winter, who works as a golf pro.

Worth more this way

Cash for Clunkers brought him in, Winter said, estimating that his trade-in was worth about $500. As a clunker, it brought him $4,500.

While sales clinked in the cash box, however, the program's administration was declared a clunker. Dealers said excessive paperwork, changing requirements and a dismal reimbursement record by the government were problems.

"Each car takes about an hour to process. Our finance guys are working longer hours than even we are," Perez said.

Modesto Toyota controller Sue Madden said she submitted about 10 scanned documents per clunker through a government Web site daily from 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. or after 11 p.m. to avoid extensive delays because of volume. Madden said she's received seven payments for the dealership's approximately 168 claims, which puts her ahead of the curve.

"They're at 3 percent return, which I should have about four or five so far, so I'm doing pretty good," Madden said.

Early on, she gave her sales force a checklist of insurance and other documents needed for every buyer. "I'm the clunker cop," she said and laughed.

Even with Madden's diligence, Modesto Toyota is waiting for at least $700,000 in Cash for Clunker reimbursements.

Central Valley Automotive has received one payment and is owed more than $800,000, Gardner said.

His dealerships have a corral of more than 180 doomed clunkers. But they won't be destroyed until the government money arrives, just in case.

"(Delayed payment) is definitely a problem for the smaller dealerships that are less capitalized. It's been a total administrative problem," Gardner said.

Bee staff writer Nanette Austin can be reached at naustin@modbee.com.

On the Move - Sacramento Bee

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 12:03 AM PDT

Sacramento

Bill Hertoghe of Rocklin has rejoined Haig & Lewin Inc., an independent insurance claims adjusting company, as vice president of the special investigations unit. He retired from the California State Lottery as deputy director of security/law enforcement.

The Von Housen Automotive Group has named Mark White of Fair Oaks as general manager and Jason Bryner of Fair Oaks as manager of previously owned car sales for its Mercedes-Benz of Sacramento dealership.

Sveta Khamishon of Sacramento has been named sales and marketing director for the Eskaton Home Care program.

Davis
Rob Tocalino of Sacramento has been hired as director of marketing for the Robert and Magrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, UC Davis. He will oversee marketing, publications, advertising and public relations for the center.

Cameron Park

Eskaton Lodge of Cameron Park has hired Shelagh Cashman of Cameron Park as sales and marketing director.

El Dorado Hills

The Von Housen Automotive Group has promoted Rick McClure of Rancho Murieta to general sales manager and Rob Laird of El Dorado Hills to manager previously owned car sales at Mercedes-Benz of El Dorado Hills.

Lincoln

River City Bank has hired Stefan Murphy of Nevada City as a financial adviser for its financial services group. He will provide investment management advice and services at the Lincoln, Roseville, Woodland and Davis branches.

E-mail notices of managerial and professional career moves to onthemove@ sacbee.com. Photographs may also be e-mailed, but will be used as space allows.