NEWS BRIEFS FOR THE
WEEK OF FEB. 16, 2006PA House Halts Clean Air Bill HARRISBURG, PA - Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture) today praised the members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for sending HB2141, a bill that would repeal the state's Clean Vehicles Program back to the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee for deliberation and hearings. The bill would have overturned this past fall's unanimous state Environmental Quality Board (EQB) vote to allow the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to move forward with regulations requiring cars sold in Pennsylvania to meet more protective pollution standards beginning with the 2008 model-year. The regulations were first proposed by the DEP under then Governor Tom Ridge, but were delayed. In 1998 during the Ridge administration, Pennsylvania adopted the California car program in order to be able to participate in the National Low Emission Vehicle (NLEV) Program. Under the terms of the NLEV program, which expires in 2006, the state was supposed to fully implement the program starting with model-year 2006. However, changes to the clean car program and other considerations made it necessary for Pennsylvania to move implementation back to the 2008 model-year. In addition to New York and California, other states that already have similar clean air programs include Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, New Jersey and Rhode Island. The clean cars program that was unanimously approved by the EQB last fall requires automakers to reach an average pollution standard for vehicles offered for sale in Pennsylvania. In other words, automakers must ensure that sales of vehicles that emit more pollution are balanced out by sales of those that emit much less pollution. For new car sales beginning with the 2008 model-year, only those vehicles certified by the California Air Resources Board could be sold and registered in Pennsylvania. The list of cars certified and available for sale this year includes domestic and import SUVs, luxury sedans and compacts. And vehicles sold in New York, which already has a similar clean car program, are exactly the same average price as those currently sold in Pennsylvania. "We are truly pleased that the members of the House refused to be railroaded into passing bad legislation," said Jan Jarrett, vice president of PennFuture. "The proposed cleaner car standard passed by the EQB will mean cleaner air, which is desperately needed by the one million Pennsylvanians with respiratory problems - most of them children or the elderly. With less pollution being released, we should see fewer asthma attacks, other breathing problems and cardiac problems, all of which are exacerbated by pollution from cars and trucks. And putting cleaner cars on the road will reduce our demand for gasoline, which will lead to price cuts, meaning more money in the bank for all Pennsylvanians." "The members of the House recognized what a really bad idea this dirty air bill is and did the right thing today," concluded Jarrett. "This is a big win for public health and Pennsylvania's environment and economy. Once this bill is seriously studied, we are confident that the legislators will support the clean car program."(Source: PennFuture)EPA Eases Permitting Requirements For Small Businesses WASHINGTON - To avoid unnecessary costs and burdens, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will no longer require certain types of small businesses to obtain federal operating permits. The affected automotive businesses include chromium electroplaters that make items such as chrome parts for cars, secondary aluminum production sources like car salvage yards and halogenated solvent cleaners that clean metal parts, electronics and other objects. The operating permit, called a Title V permit, requires a facility to make regular reports on how it is tracking and controlling emissions and to certify each year whether it has met its air pollution requirements. The Clean Air Act states that a small business may be exempted from permits if it is "impracticable, infeasible, or unnecessarily burdensome" for the small facility to meet permit requirements. This action does not change any requirements governing the control of emissions of toxic air pollutants that apply to these facilities - they are still required to limit their emissions of air toxics. In addition, the air toxics standards governing these businesses already require a detailed accounting of compliance. However, the additional requirements of a permit would be very costly for these small businesses and would not provide additional assurance of compliance. (Source: EPA) Mining The Internet For Market Intelligence TORONTO, CANADA - Brandimensions Inc. has begun a research service using Internet-based forums and blogs to generate topical issue-based, industry-specific reports for marketing executives across the automotive and other industries. The reports are providing business with market intelligence - the buzz of consumer sentiment - to help in making critical decisions. The company's Industry Research Program, which was introduced in September 2005, is designed to provide business managers at any company with near real-time consumer intelligence reports that provide consumer insight on industry-wide issues. These reports compile and analyze customer feedback from Internet blogs, chat rooms, forums and other online channels, says the company, providing organizations with unbiased consumer sentiment. Global companies can use these reports to help drive critical business decisions about brands, marketing, product development and public relations in a timely, results-oriented, tactical manner. The report includes analytical indexes and look at a series of leading indicators-: consumer purchasing intent, customer satisfaction, brand and message perception, product performance and competitive positioning. For the automotive industry, the company says there are many influential outlets where today's potential buyer conducts research - manufacturer marketing activities, journalist reviews, automotive portals (reviews, articles and commentary), consumer message boards, discussion forums and blogs. The result is a paradigm shift in the way in which consumers purchase vehicles, parts, accessories and services, as well as the methods that manufacturers use to conduct research, market and communicate to potential buyers. Those interested in the firm's research, marketing and communication services can read more at the company's
Web
site. Bradley Silver, CEO of Brandimensions explained the value the reports provide: "Because the analyzed content is not driven by outside factors such as surveys or focus groups, the reports provide an un unbiased commentary on issues and trends affecting real people. As a result, Brandimensions is able to provide strategic and actionable analysis not available from any other service offering." (Source: Brandimensions
Inc.)Henkel Opens New Technology Center MADISON HEIGHTS, MI - The Henkel Group recently opened a new Adhesives and Sealants Technology Center, to provide crucial expertise and testing resources to transportation manufacturers and tiered suppliers. The new facility provides complete research and development support for new products, including body, trim and powertrain adhesives and sealants, along with paint applications. One key component of the facility is the ability to work side by side with customers' engineering teams, helping to enhance component designs. The newly opened center offers a diverse array of advanced equipment and capabilities including: * Fatigue testing to determine long-term durability of parts and materials. * Dynamic fracture drop towers to test impact resistance. * Several quasi-static, load-testing systems. * Extreme environment cycling equipment to test materials' reaction to significant changes in temperature and moisture. * Thermal analysis to explore how materials react to heat exposure. * Six-axis robotic dispensing stations that validate whether sealants and adhesives meet production requirements. * Rheological test capability. * Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to provide computer modeling to optimize design before prototypes are built. * Prototype capabilities help refine component designs before production. "From computer-based design to real-world simulation, the new Adhesives and Sealants Technology Center offers OEMs and tiered suppliers fast, convenient access to Henkel's technical experts and testing capabilities," said Chuck Evans, vice president of Henkel's Automotive Division. "By bringing all of Henkel's transportation knowledge together in one location, it enables us to deliver even more innovative solutions through collaboration."(Source: The Henkel
Group)TYC/Genera Wins Frost & Sullivan Award PALO ALTO, CA - Frost & Sullivan's (F&S) recent analysis of the North American Mechanical/Electrical Collision Replacement Aftermarket recognized TYC/Genera Corp. with the 2005 Market Leadership Award for its leadership role in servicing the North American automotive collision repair industry. According to F&S, the award is presented to companies that exhibit excellence in their ability to lead the market in revenue market share, building strategies to identify and tackle industry challenges, devise strategies to identify and capitalize on emerging market opportunities, and market penetration. TYC/Genera supplies performance lighting and high-demand collision replacement mechanical/electrical products including radiators, condensers, cooling fan assemblies, and exterior mirrors. F&S cited TYC/Genera Corp.'s leadership in re-establishing aftermarket replacement parts as being acceptable to insurance companies. (Source: Frost &
Sullivan)Energy Expert Proposes Solution
To The Oil Crunch SPOKANE, WA - Energy expert and author Richard Jablin recently released "The Transportation Solution: Kicking Gasoline Dependency." His solution to the energy crisis in a word: electricity. In a preface to his book, Japlin sets the stage. "The oil crisis is upon us. Shell reports that its reserves have been overstated by 20 percent, while the Saudis say they are already producing as much as they can. In the meantime, automobile use in China and India is rising rapidly, and 95 percent of U.S. transportation runs on petroleum. Though improved fuel economy, hybrids, biofuels and alternate fuels will help meet ever-rising demand, they will not be enough." Jablin foresees an innovative, alternative transportation system - a Unified Transportation Network - that is a combination of high-speed electric trains connecting the major U.S. cities that links with a practical system of urban electric vehicle at each urban center. According to Jablin, these consumer-friendly vehicles would dramatically ease traffic, reduce the need for parking, greatly diminish air pollution and provide an effective means of shifting our desperate reliance from petroleum to electricity. "To keep America moving, the answers lie in using existing technology to change current methods of transportation," said Jablin. He added that the resources exist for the network he envisions, and that the proposal is feasible today. "Electricity is an abundant and accessible power source that can be utilized right now. Americans are indicating willingness and a desire to change our ingrained behaviors and begin to make dramatic societal changes that will have enormous benefit. The future of our society depends on it." Jablin is a professional engineer, with expertise in optimizing energy efficiency, controlling emissions from fuel combustion, and reducing air and water pollution. His clients include the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (Source: Richard Jablin)NASCAR Program Reaches Out To Those With Transportation Needs CHARLOTTE (Feb. 6, 2006) - NASCAR and MagicDust Television announced today a partnership with Litton Entertainment to distribute the syndicated original programming series titled, "NASCAR Angels." The television show is in development for Fall 2006 from NASCAR's Automotive Licensing team. Created to drive consumer education about the need for regular vehicle maintenance, the program will showcase the service, technicians and the parts segments of the aftermarket. NASCAR first announced the show concept at the 2005 AAPEX Town Hall meeting last November. The weekly half-hour program debuted at a recent gathering of television programming executives (NATPE) in Las Vegas. Stations in five of the nation's 10 largest markets agreed to carry the show, including New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Chicago. The series will shoot 22 original episodes on location in major NASCAR race markets. Featuring NASCAR Performance Consumer Crew Chief Mark Salem, the show has a simple mission: to help families and communities with their transportation needs. Whether it's getting to work, to a doctor's appointment or a fire truck responding to an emergency, many families and communities rely on their vehicles to get them where they need to go and to help save lives, says NASCAR. Each week a different NASCAR driver, along with Salem and his "angels," will help fix up a family's old car or a school bus in need of repair. The show will also feature top NASCAR drivers and crew chiefs giving deserving families the chance to go behind-the-scenes to meet their heroes and get an up-close-and-personal glimpse into the NASCAR racing experience. The show will offer opportunities for sponsorship and product integration. More information is available from Dave Kobuszewski, NASCAR, at (704) 348-9634(Source: NASCAR)President Bush to Automakers:
Heal Thyselves WASHINGTON (Jan. 26, 2006) - In an extensive interview with the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) prior to his State of the Union address, President Bush expressed empathy with workers and retirees, but said he would not encourage a bailout of the domestic automakers. Speaking about the workers losing their jobs, he said, "So this is going to be a very troubling time for workers and their families, and I recognize that. And so one role the government can take is to help through job training and the company has an obligation to help transition - help these workers transition, as well." In regards to pensions, Bush answered by saying, "My attitude on pension funds is this: If you make a promise, you must fulfill the promise for your pension funds. You have an obligation in corporate America when you negotiate your contract, to fulfill the contract and make good on your pension promises." When asked specifically about the bailing out of OEMs, Bush responded with a comment on corporate responsibility: "I think it's very important for the market to function. And I haven't been asked by any automobile manufacturer for a bailout, if that's what you're asking." He added that his administration's contact with the automakers was about moving forward to a more oil-independent economy - clean coal, clean diesel, flex fuel, batteries and hybrids - with government encouraging and partnering in research and development programs in moving towards hydrogen.(Source: WSJ)SBA Dedicates Web Portal For
Women Entrepreneurs WASHINGTON (Jan. 25, 2006) - The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) today announced the launch of "MY BIZ for Women," a new online tool designed to provide business information and assistance to women entrepreneurs. According to SBA, the site will provide one-stop access to information for women entrepreneurs and will highlight the best resources the government has to offer. The Web portal provides information on starting and growing a small business, gaining access to capital and contracting opportunities and links to other government agencies and SBA resource partners offering business counseling, a state-by-state listing of SBA's Women's Business Centers and other resource information. The MY BIZ for Women Web site can be found at http://www.SBA.gov/women. Features will include the issues affecting women in business, such as business data and research; success stories; business tips; upcoming events and insights shared by monthly guest columnists. SBA Administrator Hector V. Barreto said,"Women-owned small businesses in the United States are rapidly growing. Theyare starting businesses at twice the rate of all businesses. The introduction of 'MY BIZ for Women' is critically important to help new women entrepreneurs start and grow businesses in this country. The SBA is committed to helping women entrepreneurs obtain access to information and opportunities that will allow them to break down economic development barriers, which will allow them to start and grow their small business."(Source: SBA)
To The Oil Crunch SPOKANE, WA - Energy expert and author Richard Jablin recently released "The Transportation Solution: Kicking Gasoline Dependency." His solution to the energy crisis in a word: electricity. In a preface to his book, Japlin sets the stage. "The oil crisis is upon us. Shell reports that its reserves have been overstated by 20 percent, while the Saudis say they are already producing as much as they can. In the meantime, automobile use in China and India is rising rapidly, and 95 percent of U.S. transportation runs on petroleum. Though improved fuel economy, hybrids, biofuels and alternate fuels will help meet ever-rising demand, they will not be enough." Jablin foresees an innovative, alternative transportation system - a Unified Transportation Network - that is a combination of high-speed electric trains connecting the major U.S. cities that links with a practical system of urban electric vehicle at each urban center. According to Jablin, these consumer-friendly vehicles would dramatically ease traffic, reduce the need for parking, greatly diminish air pollution and provide an effective means of shifting our desperate reliance from petroleum to electricity. "To keep America moving, the answers lie in using existing technology to change current methods of transportation," said Jablin. He added that the resources exist for the network he envisions, and that the proposal is feasible today. "Electricity is an abundant and accessible power source that can be utilized right now. Americans are indicating willingness and a desire to change our ingrained behaviors and begin to make dramatic societal changes that will have enormous benefit. The future of our society depends on it." Jablin is a professional engineer, with expertise in optimizing energy efficiency, controlling emissions from fuel combustion, and reducing air and water pollution. His clients include the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (Source: Richard Jablin)NASCAR Program Reaches Out To Those With Transportation Needs CHARLOTTE (Feb. 6, 2006) - NASCAR and MagicDust Television announced today a partnership with Litton Entertainment to distribute the syndicated original programming series titled, "NASCAR Angels." The television show is in development for Fall 2006 from NASCAR's Automotive Licensing team. Created to drive consumer education about the need for regular vehicle maintenance, the program will showcase the service, technicians and the parts segments of the aftermarket. NASCAR first announced the show concept at the 2005 AAPEX Town Hall meeting last November. The weekly half-hour program debuted at a recent gathering of television programming executives (NATPE) in Las Vegas. Stations in five of the nation's 10 largest markets agreed to carry the show, including New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Chicago. The series will shoot 22 original episodes on location in major NASCAR race markets. Featuring NASCAR Performance Consumer Crew Chief Mark Salem, the show has a simple mission: to help families and communities with their transportation needs. Whether it's getting to work, to a doctor's appointment or a fire truck responding to an emergency, many families and communities rely on their vehicles to get them where they need to go and to help save lives, says NASCAR. Each week a different NASCAR driver, along with Salem and his "angels," will help fix up a family's old car or a school bus in need of repair. The show will also feature top NASCAR drivers and crew chiefs giving deserving families the chance to go behind-the-scenes to meet their heroes and get an up-close-and-personal glimpse into the NASCAR racing experience. The show will offer opportunities for sponsorship and product integration. More information is available from Dave Kobuszewski, NASCAR, at (704) 348-9634(Source: NASCAR)President Bush to Automakers:
Heal Thyselves WASHINGTON (Jan. 26, 2006) - In an extensive interview with the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) prior to his State of the Union address, President Bush expressed empathy with workers and retirees, but said he would not encourage a bailout of the domestic automakers. Speaking about the workers losing their jobs, he said, "So this is going to be a very troubling time for workers and their families, and I recognize that. And so one role the government can take is to help through job training and the company has an obligation to help transition - help these workers transition, as well." In regards to pensions, Bush answered by saying, "My attitude on pension funds is this: If you make a promise, you must fulfill the promise for your pension funds. You have an obligation in corporate America when you negotiate your contract, to fulfill the contract and make good on your pension promises." When asked specifically about the bailing out of OEMs, Bush responded with a comment on corporate responsibility: "I think it's very important for the market to function. And I haven't been asked by any automobile manufacturer for a bailout, if that's what you're asking." He added that his administration's contact with the automakers was about moving forward to a more oil-independent economy - clean coal, clean diesel, flex fuel, batteries and hybrids - with government encouraging and partnering in research and development programs in moving towards hydrogen.(Source: WSJ)SBA Dedicates Web Portal For
Women Entrepreneurs WASHINGTON (Jan. 25, 2006) - The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) today announced the launch of "MY BIZ for Women," a new online tool designed to provide business information and assistance to women entrepreneurs. According to SBA, the site will provide one-stop access to information for women entrepreneurs and will highlight the best resources the government has to offer. The Web portal provides information on starting and growing a small business, gaining access to capital and contracting opportunities and links to other government agencies and SBA resource partners offering business counseling, a state-by-state listing of SBA's Women's Business Centers and other resource information. The MY BIZ for Women Web site can be found at http://www.SBA.gov/women. Features will include the issues affecting women in business, such as business data and research; success stories; business tips; upcoming events and insights shared by monthly guest columnists. SBA Administrator Hector V. Barreto said,"Women-owned small businesses in the United States are rapidly growing. Theyare starting businesses at twice the rate of all businesses. The introduction of 'MY BIZ for Women' is critically important to help new women entrepreneurs start and grow businesses in this country. The SBA is committed to helping women entrepreneurs obtain access to information and opportunities that will allow them to break down economic development barriers, which will allow them to start and grow their small business."(Source: SBA)
Toyota Prius H2Hybrid
(Photo: Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc.)Hydrogen-Fueled Hybrids Set to Roll in CA IRVINE, CA (Jan. 26, 2006) - Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc., delivered the first five of 30 hydrogen-fueled Toyota Prius H2Hybrid vehicles to the city of Santa Ana, CA. This is part of a larger South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) program to develop and demonstrate the use and durability of state-of-the-art OEM-caliber hydrogen fuel hybrid vehicles. Included with the vehicles was a hydrogen refueling station. The AQMD initiative is intended to stimulate the early demand for hydrogen, expedite the development of infrastructure, and provide a bridge to fuel cell vehicles. A key benefit of this program, says Quantum, will be the opportunity to educate the public on the use and safety of hydrogen as a fuel through its demonstration in vehicles with which the public is already familiar. According to Quantum, the complete hydrogen internal combustion engine fuel system, including both the injection system and hydrogen storage system, was developed at its Advanced Vehicle Concept Center in Lake Forest, CA. Included in the fuel systems are the company's patented fuel injectors, fuel rails, electronic control system and software, hydrogen storage and an optimized turbocharger. In addition to performing in specified starting conditions and meeting certain drivability specifications, the vehicles have been designed and tested to achieve SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle) emissions standards. Technical specs and other information for the Toyota Prius H2Hybrid is available at http://www.qtww.com/products/oem/hybrid/h2hybrid.php.
(Photo: Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc.)Hydrogen-Fueled Hybrids Set to Roll in CA IRVINE, CA (Jan. 26, 2006) - Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc., delivered the first five of 30 hydrogen-fueled Toyota Prius H2Hybrid vehicles to the city of Santa Ana, CA. This is part of a larger South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) program to develop and demonstrate the use and durability of state-of-the-art OEM-caliber hydrogen fuel hybrid vehicles. Included with the vehicles was a hydrogen refueling station. The AQMD initiative is intended to stimulate the early demand for hydrogen, expedite the development of infrastructure, and provide a bridge to fuel cell vehicles. A key benefit of this program, says Quantum, will be the opportunity to educate the public on the use and safety of hydrogen as a fuel through its demonstration in vehicles with which the public is already familiar. According to Quantum, the complete hydrogen internal combustion engine fuel system, including both the injection system and hydrogen storage system, was developed at its Advanced Vehicle Concept Center in Lake Forest, CA. Included in the fuel systems are the company's patented fuel injectors, fuel rails, electronic control system and software, hydrogen storage and an optimized turbocharger. In addition to performing in specified starting conditions and meeting certain drivability specifications, the vehicles have been designed and tested to achieve SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle) emissions standards. Technical specs and other information for the Toyota Prius H2Hybrid is available at http://www.qtww.com/products/oem/hybrid/h2hybrid.php.
"We believe this program will help expedite the expansion of a hydrogen infrastructure and bridge the technology gap between conventional gasoline vehicles and fuel cell vehicles, as this technology of the future is being commercialized," said Alan P. Niedzwiecki, president and CEO of Quantum.
(Source: Quantum)
Escape Hybrid E85
(Photo: Ford Motor Co.) WASHINGTON, (Jan. 25, 2006) - Ford Motor Co.'s new SUV research vehicle, the Escape Hybrid E85, has a dual mission: to help reduce U.S. dependence on imported oil while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Anne Stevens, executive vice president for Ford said, "This innovative research program could lead to breakthroughs to significantly reduce our nation's dependence on imported oil while also helping to address global climate change." The company's Escape Hybrid E85 combines two petroleum-saving technologies - hybrid electric power and flexible-fuel capability. The vehicle is capable of operating on blends of fuel containing as much as 85 percent ethanol; E85 is a fuel blend that contains 85 percent ethanol and only 15 percent gasoline. Compared to regular fuels, ethanol use releases no CO2. As an example, Ford noted that using an ethanol blend, the Escape Hybrid E85 produces about 25 percent less carbon dioxide than a gasoline-fueled version Escape Hybrid. Ford notes that if just 5 percent of the U.S. vehicle fleet were powered by hybrids operating exclusively on E85, imports of oil could be reduced by about 140 million barrels a year.(Source: Ford Motor Co.)What Customers Want
From Your Products BOSTON (Jan. 16, 2005) - As Harvard Business School marketing professor Theodore Levitt put it, "People don't want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole!" So, when marketing products or services, does the aftermarket industry focus on customer segments and then develop products? If so, are companies building products for needs that might not exist? Marketers should think less about market segments and more about the jobs customers want to do." So says an article, "Marketing Malpractice: The Cause and the Cure," by Clayton M. Christensen, Scott Cook and Taddy Hall that was published in the December 2005 Harvard Business Review. According to the authors, "With few exceptions, every job people need or want to do has a social, a functional, and an emotional dimension." In other words, if you retool your thinking by understanding the dimensions of what customers want - the end use - the results of the mind-shift would be staggering. The article stresses the need for companies to focus less on developing products for ever narrower customer or psychographic market segments and more on the premise that customers simply want a product or service that satisfies a need. The authors assert that the job, not the customer or market segment, should be the fundamental unit of analysis. The key to improving or developing a product does not come from understanding the "typical" customer, but rather from understanding the result they desire. They use a number of examples to illustrate their premise: Google was designed for the job of finding information, not for a "search demographic." Pierre Omidyar, they say, did not design eBay for the "auction psychographic," but rather to help people sell personal items. An excerpt of the article and link to the entire article is available at the school's weekly e-newsletter, HBS Working Knowledge.(Source: HBS Working Knowledge)Introduce Your Shop to Your Community's Hybrid Owners GREENFIELD, MA (Jan. 30, 2006) -The annual Tour de Sol is a high-tech, high-touch road rally event that celebrates progress made toward more environmentally friendly vehicles that use less fuel, emit less emissions and offer new ways of getting around. This year's event will showcase "green" vehicles - hybrid, natural gas, biofuel, electric, and fuel cell - from Honda, Toyota, Lexus, Ford and more. New York State businesses, students and inventors will be participating. -The 2006 event will include a "green" car show, drag racing, a Monte-Carlo style rally and a student education day. The Automotive Career Development Center (ACDC), based in Worcester, MA, is helping to support Tour de Sol. The training facility is encouraging shops to get involved by hosting a "Trials" rally event for hybrid owners in their own communities on April 16, 2006. The rally, a distance race that begins and ends at a repair shop, rewards mpg, not mph. For shop owners, it is a chance for media exposure within your community, says ACDC, and more importantly, an opportunity to meet hybrid owners in your community and market yourself as a shop they can consider when their vehicles need repair and servicing. For information on getting involved, hosting expectations, Trial rules and available assistance from ACDC, contact Craig Van Batenburg at (800) 939-7909 or by email at [email protected](Source: NESEA, ACDC)Ford Announces Plan to Manage Active And Legacy Health Care Costs WASHINGTON (January 25, 2006) - Speaking at the World Congress' Health and Human Capital Management Congress, Ford's Clinical Operations Medical Director Dr. Walter Talamonti outlined the company's strategy to cut costs and improve health care for the company's health care insured. He prefaced his remarks by framing the size of the problem. While Ford at year-end of 2005 had 300,000 active employees globally, it currently insures the health care of 590,000 individuals in the United States alone, at an expense of $3.5 billion. The company plans to make changes in its "Continuum of Care" program, to provide better health care management to employees while at the same time reducing costs. The program has been designed to help employees who are at risk for developing health problems or already are dealing with acute or chronic illness. The following areas form the crux of the plan: * Educating employees about medical issues they may face in the future is integral to the program. Ford will soon begin communicating directly to affected employees internally within the program. This change is designed to reduce both costs and confusing messages. * Rather than continue with multiple independent wellness programs at each Ford location, the company will coordinate and integrate the programs throughout the system to gain efficiency. * Managing risk at an earlier stage is cheaper than dealing with an illness after the fact. Ford is currently looking into new methods of addressing future employee health care risks before illnesses occur. * Ford will provide an on-line health care management Web site to empower its users to take a greater role in their own health care. (Source: World Health Care Congress)Hands-Free Voice Control and Satellite Video Applications Hit The Aftermarket SEATTLE (Jan. 25, 2006) - XM Satellite Radio is now hands-free, thanks to the efforts of VoiceBox Technlogies and IBM. The products will be used by Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI) and XM Satellite Radio (XM), according to an announcement at the recent 2006 International Consumers Electronics Show. By embedding a speech recognition engine from IBM into its VoiceBox Navigator, the conversational platform will enable drivers to give verbal commands to their vehicles' XM satellite radio system. Whether users are searching for music, entertainment, making a telephone call or asking for driving directions, the technology allows users to search and navigate information using everyday conversation. XM 's director of Advanced Applications Rod Mackenzie said, "After extensive analysis, XM chose VoiceBox as its source for voice technology because of its intuitive and conversation voice search offerings that have remarkable accuracy in noisy, real-world environments." Jim Geschke, North American vice president and general manager of electronics, Johnson Controls, stated, "We selected VoiceBox after extensive testing because of its distinct, accurate and reliable voice user interface platform that allows users to speak in a natural, informal way when operating in-vehicle devices such as navigation and music management, particularly in noisy car cabin environments." Another new application unveiled by XM and its partner, On2 Technologies is the delivery of in-vehicle satellite video or consumers, which will receive audio and video entertainment from XM. Video content can be either streamed live or stored for later playback. (Sources: VoiceBox, XM)S&P Downgrades GM To A "Sell" NEW YORK CITY (Jan. 26, 2006) - Standard & Poor's (S&P) Equity Research has downgraded its opinion on shares of General Motors (GM) to "Sell" from "Hold." The downgrade is a result in part from GM's report of a 2005 loss that was wider than what S&P had projected. S&P's Senior Automotive Industry Analyst, Efraim Levy, stated that GM's earnings quality appears even worse than stated because the company's announcement excludes costs for employees being shifted to job banks in connection with restructuring efforts. Separately, S&P believes that Tracinda Corp.'s purchase of 12 million GM shares in late January could boost some investors' confidence in GM's ability to improve its financial performance, although S&P does not share the same confidence. .(Source: S&P)ALLDATA Wins Software Piracy Suit ELK GROVE, CA (Jan. 27, 2006) - U.S. District Court judge William Terrell Hodges agreed with ALLDATA LLC in a judgment in Ocala, FL that Florida resident Tom Taylor illegally copied and sold the company's automotive diagnostic and repair software in violation of copyright law. ALLDATA was awarded $20,000 in statutory damages, plus more than $12,200 in attorney's fees in its lawsuit against Taylor. In addition, Judge Hodges permanently enjoined Taylor from any future copyright infringement and ordered him to deliver all existing copies of the counterfeit software to ALLDATA. Taylor did not contest the findings. ALLDATA's General Manager Jeff Lagges, commented, "Software piracy goes way beyond one person copying one program. In one year alone, worldwide software companies lost more than $13 billion and thousands of jobs due to piracy. Pirated software also hurts the user, because they receive no customer support and end up using outdated or defective products. With our customers and our employees depending on us, ALLDATA will continue to aggressively protect the products we create."(Source: ALLDATA)India Moving into Third Place CHICAGO, IL (Jan. 24, 2006) - India is expected to equal or surpass Japan as the world's third largest economy this year, according to Dr. William T. Wilson, chief economist for Keystone India, a division of LaSalle Consulting LLC. Measured in terms of purchasing power, India will eclipse the $4 trillion mark in 2006, making it equal to or greater than Japan's. Only the United States and China will possess larger economies. Wilson noted several recent initiatives in the country were driving India's economy: "The results of liberalizing strategic sectors such as telecom, banking, aviation and real estate are now beginning to show." He added that India's economic growth rate will continue to exceed the inflation rate by more than 2 percent per year. In addition, consumer spending will continue to be robust, as per capita income growth is expected to rise by an inflation-adjusted 7 percent in 2006. Motor vehicle sales, Wilson noted, surpassed the 1 million mark in 2005 and are expected to continue registering double-digit growth over the next few years. Lasalle had also released a report in December 2005 that predicts India will become the third largest automobile market within the next quarter century.(Source: Keystone India, Lasalle Consulting LLC, The Financial Express)Too Busy To Shop For A New Car? TAMPA, FL (Jan. 24, 2006) - With recent studies indicating that a majority of consumers do some Internet research before purchasing a new vehicle, a new Web-based service adds a whole new dimension to the experience. For busy professionals, executives, business owners and parents with little time today for car shopping, TestDriveYourNewCar.com provides a personal service. Essentially, the Web site allows consumers to schedule an appointment for a test drive via the Internet - at their convenience and on their time. The appointment can take place at your home, at your office or at a local new car dealership. To test drive the site yourself, simply visit www.testdriveyournewcar.com, and complete the online form. The company will schedule a test drive with you. Company President CharlesYancy says this is a new marketing tool never imagined just a few years ago. "The car buyer has many choices when shopping for a new car today. We believe the timing is right and we are changing the way America buys cars."(Source: TestDriveYourNewCar.com)
(Photo: Ford Motor Co.) WASHINGTON, (Jan. 25, 2006) - Ford Motor Co.'s new SUV research vehicle, the Escape Hybrid E85, has a dual mission: to help reduce U.S. dependence on imported oil while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Anne Stevens, executive vice president for Ford said, "This innovative research program could lead to breakthroughs to significantly reduce our nation's dependence on imported oil while also helping to address global climate change." The company's Escape Hybrid E85 combines two petroleum-saving technologies - hybrid electric power and flexible-fuel capability. The vehicle is capable of operating on blends of fuel containing as much as 85 percent ethanol; E85 is a fuel blend that contains 85 percent ethanol and only 15 percent gasoline. Compared to regular fuels, ethanol use releases no CO2. As an example, Ford noted that using an ethanol blend, the Escape Hybrid E85 produces about 25 percent less carbon dioxide than a gasoline-fueled version Escape Hybrid. Ford notes that if just 5 percent of the U.S. vehicle fleet were powered by hybrids operating exclusively on E85, imports of oil could be reduced by about 140 million barrels a year.(Source: Ford Motor Co.)What Customers Want
From Your Products BOSTON (Jan. 16, 2005) - As Harvard Business School marketing professor Theodore Levitt put it, "People don't want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole!" So, when marketing products or services, does the aftermarket industry focus on customer segments and then develop products? If so, are companies building products for needs that might not exist? Marketers should think less about market segments and more about the jobs customers want to do." So says an article, "Marketing Malpractice: The Cause and the Cure," by Clayton M. Christensen, Scott Cook and Taddy Hall that was published in the December 2005 Harvard Business Review. According to the authors, "With few exceptions, every job people need or want to do has a social, a functional, and an emotional dimension." In other words, if you retool your thinking by understanding the dimensions of what customers want - the end use - the results of the mind-shift would be staggering. The article stresses the need for companies to focus less on developing products for ever narrower customer or psychographic market segments and more on the premise that customers simply want a product or service that satisfies a need. The authors assert that the job, not the customer or market segment, should be the fundamental unit of analysis. The key to improving or developing a product does not come from understanding the "typical" customer, but rather from understanding the result they desire. They use a number of examples to illustrate their premise: Google was designed for the job of finding information, not for a "search demographic." Pierre Omidyar, they say, did not design eBay for the "auction psychographic," but rather to help people sell personal items. An excerpt of the article and link to the entire article is available at the school's weekly e-newsletter, HBS Working Knowledge.(Source: HBS Working Knowledge)Introduce Your Shop to Your Community's Hybrid Owners GREENFIELD, MA (Jan. 30, 2006) -The annual Tour de Sol is a high-tech, high-touch road rally event that celebrates progress made toward more environmentally friendly vehicles that use less fuel, emit less emissions and offer new ways of getting around. This year's event will showcase "green" vehicles - hybrid, natural gas, biofuel, electric, and fuel cell - from Honda, Toyota, Lexus, Ford and more. New York State businesses, students and inventors will be participating. -The 2006 event will include a "green" car show, drag racing, a Monte-Carlo style rally and a student education day. The Automotive Career Development Center (ACDC), based in Worcester, MA, is helping to support Tour de Sol. The training facility is encouraging shops to get involved by hosting a "Trials" rally event for hybrid owners in their own communities on April 16, 2006. The rally, a distance race that begins and ends at a repair shop, rewards mpg, not mph. For shop owners, it is a chance for media exposure within your community, says ACDC, and more importantly, an opportunity to meet hybrid owners in your community and market yourself as a shop they can consider when their vehicles need repair and servicing. For information on getting involved, hosting expectations, Trial rules and available assistance from ACDC, contact Craig Van Batenburg at (800) 939-7909 or by email at [email protected](Source: NESEA, ACDC)Ford Announces Plan to Manage Active And Legacy Health Care Costs WASHINGTON (January 25, 2006) - Speaking at the World Congress' Health and Human Capital Management Congress, Ford's Clinical Operations Medical Director Dr. Walter Talamonti outlined the company's strategy to cut costs and improve health care for the company's health care insured. He prefaced his remarks by framing the size of the problem. While Ford at year-end of 2005 had 300,000 active employees globally, it currently insures the health care of 590,000 individuals in the United States alone, at an expense of $3.5 billion. The company plans to make changes in its "Continuum of Care" program, to provide better health care management to employees while at the same time reducing costs. The program has been designed to help employees who are at risk for developing health problems or already are dealing with acute or chronic illness. The following areas form the crux of the plan: * Educating employees about medical issues they may face in the future is integral to the program. Ford will soon begin communicating directly to affected employees internally within the program. This change is designed to reduce both costs and confusing messages. * Rather than continue with multiple independent wellness programs at each Ford location, the company will coordinate and integrate the programs throughout the system to gain efficiency. * Managing risk at an earlier stage is cheaper than dealing with an illness after the fact. Ford is currently looking into new methods of addressing future employee health care risks before illnesses occur. * Ford will provide an on-line health care management Web site to empower its users to take a greater role in their own health care. (Source: World Health Care Congress)Hands-Free Voice Control and Satellite Video Applications Hit The Aftermarket SEATTLE (Jan. 25, 2006) - XM Satellite Radio is now hands-free, thanks to the efforts of VoiceBox Technlogies and IBM. The products will be used by Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI) and XM Satellite Radio (XM), according to an announcement at the recent 2006 International Consumers Electronics Show. By embedding a speech recognition engine from IBM into its VoiceBox Navigator, the conversational platform will enable drivers to give verbal commands to their vehicles' XM satellite radio system. Whether users are searching for music, entertainment, making a telephone call or asking for driving directions, the technology allows users to search and navigate information using everyday conversation. XM 's director of Advanced Applications Rod Mackenzie said, "After extensive analysis, XM chose VoiceBox as its source for voice technology because of its intuitive and conversation voice search offerings that have remarkable accuracy in noisy, real-world environments." Jim Geschke, North American vice president and general manager of electronics, Johnson Controls, stated, "We selected VoiceBox after extensive testing because of its distinct, accurate and reliable voice user interface platform that allows users to speak in a natural, informal way when operating in-vehicle devices such as navigation and music management, particularly in noisy car cabin environments." Another new application unveiled by XM and its partner, On2 Technologies is the delivery of in-vehicle satellite video or consumers, which will receive audio and video entertainment from XM. Video content can be either streamed live or stored for later playback. (Sources: VoiceBox, XM)S&P Downgrades GM To A "Sell" NEW YORK CITY (Jan. 26, 2006) - Standard & Poor's (S&P) Equity Research has downgraded its opinion on shares of General Motors (GM) to "Sell" from "Hold." The downgrade is a result in part from GM's report of a 2005 loss that was wider than what S&P had projected. S&P's Senior Automotive Industry Analyst, Efraim Levy, stated that GM's earnings quality appears even worse than stated because the company's announcement excludes costs for employees being shifted to job banks in connection with restructuring efforts. Separately, S&P believes that Tracinda Corp.'s purchase of 12 million GM shares in late January could boost some investors' confidence in GM's ability to improve its financial performance, although S&P does not share the same confidence. .(Source: S&P)ALLDATA Wins Software Piracy Suit ELK GROVE, CA (Jan. 27, 2006) - U.S. District Court judge William Terrell Hodges agreed with ALLDATA LLC in a judgment in Ocala, FL that Florida resident Tom Taylor illegally copied and sold the company's automotive diagnostic and repair software in violation of copyright law. ALLDATA was awarded $20,000 in statutory damages, plus more than $12,200 in attorney's fees in its lawsuit against Taylor. In addition, Judge Hodges permanently enjoined Taylor from any future copyright infringement and ordered him to deliver all existing copies of the counterfeit software to ALLDATA. Taylor did not contest the findings. ALLDATA's General Manager Jeff Lagges, commented, "Software piracy goes way beyond one person copying one program. In one year alone, worldwide software companies lost more than $13 billion and thousands of jobs due to piracy. Pirated software also hurts the user, because they receive no customer support and end up using outdated or defective products. With our customers and our employees depending on us, ALLDATA will continue to aggressively protect the products we create."(Source: ALLDATA)India Moving into Third Place CHICAGO, IL (Jan. 24, 2006) - India is expected to equal or surpass Japan as the world's third largest economy this year, according to Dr. William T. Wilson, chief economist for Keystone India, a division of LaSalle Consulting LLC. Measured in terms of purchasing power, India will eclipse the $4 trillion mark in 2006, making it equal to or greater than Japan's. Only the United States and China will possess larger economies. Wilson noted several recent initiatives in the country were driving India's economy: "The results of liberalizing strategic sectors such as telecom, banking, aviation and real estate are now beginning to show." He added that India's economic growth rate will continue to exceed the inflation rate by more than 2 percent per year. In addition, consumer spending will continue to be robust, as per capita income growth is expected to rise by an inflation-adjusted 7 percent in 2006. Motor vehicle sales, Wilson noted, surpassed the 1 million mark in 2005 and are expected to continue registering double-digit growth over the next few years. Lasalle had also released a report in December 2005 that predicts India will become the third largest automobile market within the next quarter century.(Source: Keystone India, Lasalle Consulting LLC, The Financial Express)Too Busy To Shop For A New Car? TAMPA, FL (Jan. 24, 2006) - With recent studies indicating that a majority of consumers do some Internet research before purchasing a new vehicle, a new Web-based service adds a whole new dimension to the experience. For busy professionals, executives, business owners and parents with little time today for car shopping, TestDriveYourNewCar.com provides a personal service. Essentially, the Web site allows consumers to schedule an appointment for a test drive via the Internet - at their convenience and on their time. The appointment can take place at your home, at your office or at a local new car dealership. To test drive the site yourself, simply visit www.testdriveyournewcar.com, and complete the online form. The company will schedule a test drive with you. Company President CharlesYancy says this is a new marketing tool never imagined just a few years ago. "The car buyer has many choices when shopping for a new car today. We believe the timing is right and we are changing the way America buys cars."(Source: TestDriveYourNewCar.com)
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