LAS VEGAS — WIX Filters is branching out into new areas that its sales staff drives by nearly every day.
WIX at AAPEX 2010 announced a new industrial filtration product line consisting of more than of 8,000 part numbers for critical hydraulic and fluid power system applications found in manufacturing environments including power generation, mining, foundries, pulp/paper and more.
Jeff Blocher, brand manager for WIX Filters, says the company “looks for ways to take the aftermarket customer into new business.”
The WIX Filters industrial filter line is cataloged by a smart part number that is common in the industry. Each part number describes the type of filter, its construction family, micron rating, media type and special characteristics.
But WIX is not leaving the aftermarket behind. Blocher says the company has increased focus on foreign nameplates, improving its time to market by 30 percent. The improved flow can mean more than one additional part a day for a store.
WIX has introduced 291 new light and heavy duty filters through the first 10 months of 2010. This total includes 32 domestic and 33 foreign nameplate premium light duty filters and 66 opening price point filters. WIX also placed 112 new heavy duty filters into service, while expanding international coverage by 48 new product numbers.
In addition to adding parts coverage, WIX is building its promotions of programs like Good Guys. WIX will become the Official Filter of The Goodguys Rod & Custom Association, the world’s largest hot rod and custom organization, beginning in January 2011.
“We look forward to sharing the passion for custom hot rods with Goodguys’ 70,000 members and the hundreds of thousands of car enthusiasts that attend their annual events across the United States,” Blocher says.
Every year Goodguys hosts more than 20 events, ranging from two-day affairs attended by 30,000 to 40,000 people to three- and four-day extravaganzas attracting over 100,000 automotive enthusiasts.
Also WIX during the last year raised $45,0000 for the American Cancer Society through its Filter Out Cancer program.
“That’s really neat,” Blocher says. “It’s something that the people at WIX have enjoyed supporting.”
