Shop Owner Staff

Companies that build and maintain a superior workforce will have a long-term competitive advantage in their marketplaces. Here are some strategies for doing just that.

Bosch has released an informative brochure intended to help the motorist understand automotive diagnostics and vehicle flash reprogramming, how they work and why they are very important when servicing most vehicles.

ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) offers many of its most popular tests in computer-based format at more than 200 secure test center locations. The testing window runs until August 23 and includes evenings and weekends, but available seats are filling up quickly.

Affinia Group Inc. has established a memorial scholarship fund through the University of the Aftermarket Foundation in memory of Larry W. McCurdy, a long-time leader in the industry and Chairman of the Affinia Board of Directors beginning with the company’s inception in 2004.

In response to attendee feedback calling for more education and training opportunities at the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX), the “Inside Track” Learning Forum has been expanded to include 28 education seminars. All sessions will be held over a three-day period in the Venetian in Las Vegas, NV, Tuesday, Nov. 2 through Thursday, Nov. 4.

Mike Curtis, the manager at Sandone Tire in Scranton, PA, said that his shop performs between 100 and 150 vehicle inspections per month. The most frequently found problems involve worn brakes, ball joints and tires. If vehicle inspections were to be eliminated, safety advocates fear that vehicle owners may forgo necessary repairs.

The star of the show for this summer’s sweepstakes campaign is a one-of-a-kind Raybestos ’32 Roadster Pickup. The sweepstakes has been developed to help technicians celebrate the racing heritage and reliable performance of Raybestos brand Brakes and Chassis parts.

Independent repair shops that participate in the Bosch Service Center (BSC) program have access to an impressive array of technical, training, and marketing support programs that can boost their business and bottom line. Through the BSC program, Bosch helps member shops keep up with the latest technology found in domestic, Asian and European vehicles.

To encourage more industry participation during Fall Car Care Month in October, the Car Care Council is extending a special offer. For a limited time, the council’s “Be Car Care Aware” point-of-sale starter kit will be offered at $59, a 25 percent savings. The kit contains materials to enhance community car care events throughout the year and can be easily ordered online.

The Automotive Management Institute (AMI) is accepting applications for the following six scholarships to be awarded this year: the Emil Stanley Merit Award, the BodyShop Business Magazine Scholarship, the Gale Westerlund/Richard Cossette Memorial Scholarship, the Tom B. Babcox Memorial Scholarship, the Automotive Video Inc. (AVI) Educational Scholarship and the Zurich “High Octane” Scholarship.

Passage of the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act would require big automobile manufacturers to share relevant repair and safety information with local neighborhood repair shops and provides strong protections for automobile manufacturers’ proprietary information.

Federal-Mogul Corp. has developed a new EcoTough-coated piston for gasoline engines that combines the properties of low wear and low friction in a single application.