Distribution | |||||||
Source: Aftermarket Business A peek at the futureNovember 13, 2009As I was sipping my morning coffee and waiting for this year?s aftermarket eForum to begin, I was struck by how different things were. Traditionally, I?m elbowing my way past the other attendees trying to get one of those muffins that seem to disappear so quickly and fighting for a coveted back row seat near the one door that doesn?t squeak.
|
Source: Aftermarket BusinessCollision repaired in 2010November 10, 2009A recent article from Audatex focused on the growing number of accident claims from deer collisions ? roughly 100,000 accidents each month. It?s interesting because for most of the year, this segment of our coverage group has underperformed relative to some other aftermarket areas. Keep in mind that the year-over-year sales comparisons and operating environment have been more difficult for companies such as Copart, Solera and LKQ Corp. In our opinion, there could be some tailwinds developing for this segment of the aftermarket that will provide very solid growth for 2010.
|
Source: Aftermarket BusinessNew CAFE targetsNovember 9, 2009The federal government?s proposed unified greenhouse gas (GHG) and fuel efficiency standards announced in September will have more impact on OEM manufacturers than aftermarket retailers initially. But don?t discount long-term impacts the new 2012-2016 standards will have on the aftermarket.
|
Source: Aftermarket BusinessHit a business home runOctober 27, 2009As I write this, the baseball playoffs have just begun. And it occurred to me that baseball teams offer a few lessons in business management from which we can all take a little batting practice.
|
Source: Aftermarket BusinessA training showOctober 15, 2009Trade shows are cool. They have all the new toys, displays, spokesmodels and problem-solving parts. Everybody knows about that stuff right? It seems to me that one of the most overlooked and valuable parts of a trade show is the part most people don’t attend — the training. This may range from formal, stand-up training to product demonstrations at a booth. In the grand scheme of things, overlooking the often no-additional-charge, educational sessions is missing out on the show.
|
Source: Aftermarket BusinessA case for global tradeOctober 14, 2009A recent editorial ("Trade Wall," Aftermarket Business, August 2009) by Larry Silvey, editor-in-chief of Aftermarket Business and editorial director for the Advanstar Automotive Group, takes the position that U.S. companies are selling and U.S. consumers are buying too much product made overseas, particularly in China.
|