December 1, 2007
Editorial
The devil is in the demographics
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
How short will the labor shortage get? You may answer, Labor shortage? What about the sales shortage? Good point. But if your company has a future beyond...
Industry Newsdesk
Boler acquires Watson and Chalin Mfg
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Officials of The Boler Company announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Watson and Chalin Manufacturing Inc. Watson and Chalin is...
Freightliner moving certain functions to SC
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Freightliner LLC will transfer selected functions from its corporate headquarters in Portland OR to a South Carolina location closer to customers and...
Crane Composites acquires panel business
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Crane Composites Inc, a division of Crane Co, has acquired the composite panel business of Owens Corning. The acquired business, a portion of the Fabwel...
Spartan Chassis gets$49 million subcontract
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Spartan Chassis Inc, a subsidiary of Spartan Motors Inc, has received a $49 million subcontract order from General Dynamics Land Systems to supply and...
Letter to Editor
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Is Euro 5 acceptance an example for US? Dear Editor: Your article A good-bye to pre-buy (TBB November 2007), was very well-written and enjoyable to read....
Utility plant hits 75,000-van milestone
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Utility Trailer Mfg Co's Paragould AR plant reached a production milestone with its 75,000th dry van, which rolled off the assembly line in August 2007....
Alcoa delivers truck bodies to SIP-WELL
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Alcoa announced that a team from its Alcoa Auto and Truck Structures business in Hungary delivered specially made new lightweight aluminum truck bodies...
Michelin Retread Technologies turns 10 years old
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Ten years ago, Michelin Retread Technologies (MRT) began operation. Since its beginning in 1997, MRT has grown to include 45 franchisees, with 77 retread...
Grote robotic production idea wins EIA award
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Grote Industries product development engineer Edward Sitarski had more than a good idea when he proposed automating manual terminal connector LED production....
VIBCO receives award for business excellence
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
VIBCO Vibrators was awarded a Business Excellence Award from the Providence Business News at the seventh annual Business Excellence Awards dinner recently....
Class 8 trailer orders inch upward in October
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Class 8 orders released by ACT were 20,287 in October 2007, up 1% year-over-year (versus down 27% year-over-year in September 2007). While our sense is...
ArvinMeritor building CVS facility in Mexico
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
ArvinMeritor Inc will open a new Commercial Vehicle Systems (CVS) facility in Monterrey, Mexico. This new facility which will include approximately 400,000...
Betts Spring acquires Life-Time Fenders
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Betts Spring Co has announced the acquisition of Life-Time Fenders LLC of Canfield OH. Betts is a diversified manufacturing and distribution concern primarily...
VIPAR draws more than 600 to business conference
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
VIPAR Heavy Duty recently announced that it drew more than 600 suppliers and distributor/stockholder attendees to its annual business conference at Marco...
AEM says da to ConExpo Russia
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) announces the formation of a new exhibition ConExpo Russia in response to manufacturers seeking improved...
Fewer vehicle dealers are preparing for expansion, SBRB study indicates
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Fewer owners and managers of small automotive and other vehicle dealerships indicated during the third quarter of 2007 that they are planning for expansion...
Chicago-area dealer joins Clement Industries network
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Fleet Equipment Center of Bolingbrook IL has been named a Clement Industries dump trailer distributor for the Chicago area. It will offer the full line...
ACOFAS seeks ideas for training clinics
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
ACOFAS (the American Council of Frame and Alignment Specialists) is offering free registrations to the 2008 Technician Training Clinics to technicians...
International's engine plant wins award
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
International Truck and Engine Corp's Melrose Park engine plant has received the Illinois Governor's Pollution Prevention Award for the 13th time. The...
AMD adds new standards, revises others
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
For more than two years, members of the Ambulance Manufacturers Division (AMD) of the National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) have worked with the...
Vicon expands fabrication capabilities
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Vicon Fabricating Co, a custom fabricator based in Mentor OH, has installed a 6,000-watt Koike laser cutting machine. The laser is capable of cutting...
SmartWay, initiative kick off campaign
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
The United States Environmental Protection Agency's SmartWay Transport Partnership program and EPA Region 5's Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative have launched...
Medium-, heavy-truck sales off in October
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Medium and heavy trucks sold at a predictably slower pace in October 2007, according to figures compiled by Wards Communications. Dealers sold 45,519...
NLP will distribute Cole Hersee products
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Cole Hersee Co announces that National Liftgate Parts (NLP), based in Cincinnati OH, is now a distributor of its complete line of electrical and electronic...
Goodyear sales reps attend Boot Camp
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
At Goodyear's new Commercial Tire Academy Boot Camp in Dallas TX, tire sales representatives undergo a week of intense training to learn more about tire...
Old Dominion Freight Line opens new service center
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Chuck Powell, vice-president of the Pacific Northwest region for Old Dominion Freight Line Inc, announced the opening of a new service center in Eugene...
China Yuchai introduces hybrid ISG engine
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
China Yuchai International Ltd, a leading manufacturer and distributor of diesel engines in China, has announced its latest R&D innovation: a hybrid ISG...
Navistar affiliate enters into venture with M&M
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
A wholly owned affiliate of Navistar International Corp signed a joint venture agreement with Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd (M&M) of India to produce diesel...
Sixteen more firms join ranks of MVPs
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
The National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) added 16 members to its list of companies that have achieved Member Verification Program (MVP) status....
Idealease continues to thrive at age 25
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
In 1982, against long odds and a bleak economy, the former International Harvester Co transitioned its full-service lease franchise to 11 International...
Features
Automation, not complication
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
When Hyundai Translead began to plan its new 154,000-square-foot building for high-speed production of dry-freight van trailers, the manufacturer had...
Fabrication made easier
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
The 2007 Fabtech International & AWS Welding Show surpassed attendance expectations and set new highs for number of exhibiting companies and net square...
Waiting for 2009
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Rick Weber
Imagine that you have been in the waiting room of your doctor's office for about a year. The receptionist calls you to the counter and explains that the...
Bright lights for NATM
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
The National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (NATM) heads back to Las Vegas with a new theme for its convention: Don't Gamble on Your Company's Future:...
Plant Focus: Plant Equipment
Product Focus
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Miller system optimizes aluminum welding Miller Electric Mfg Co's new aluminum welding system features a newly enhanced Millermatic 350P all-in-one MIG/Pulse...
Product Profiles
Product Profiles
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Hutch 9036i built for intermodal chassis An improved version of the Hutch 9000 two-pin slider, the new Hutch 9036i from Hutchens Industries, with 36 spring...
People and Positions
Trailer, truck, & body OEMs
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
American LaFrance LLC announced that Bill Hinz has joined Patriarch Partners Management Group as managing director/platform leader for the Aero, Auto,...
Component manufacturers
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC has promoted Al Rollison to national account manager. With more than 14 years of sales management and marketing...
Information Vehicles
Catalog covers Kinedyne's complete line
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Kinedyne Corp offers a new 60-page catalog on its complete line of products for trucks, vans, and railcars. Featuring a new design for easy visual reference,...
Literature simplifies air dryer selection
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC has released a new air dryer application guideline. The Air Dryer Application Selection and Guideline (BW2600) is...
Legend Access certified for Windows Vista
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Karmak Inc has released Legend Access, which is certified for use on Microsoft's Windows Vista. Legend Access allows users to connect to and run applications...
Poster explains AWS classification system
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
To help welders better assess the suitability of their tubular filler metal to their welding application and to enhance the overall understanding of tubular...
Literature details Roll-Rite 6200 Series
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
New literature is available from Roll-Rite on its 6200 Series window-shade tarp system designed for light-duty dumps using up to 16 feet of tarp. Suitable...
Track employee training history with ease
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Shift Schedules has released a series of Excel Spreadsheets that can keep track of employee training in a precise, organized manner. Simply enter training...
Brochure covers Genesis gas springs
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Austin Hardware & Supply Inc has a new brochure featuring the company's exclusive Genesis gas springs. The eight-page color brochure lays out, in easy-to-read...
NTEA annual report highlights achievements
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Helping Today. Thinking Tomorrow sums up the National Truck Equipment Association's (NTEA) goals and accomplishments for its members and the industry...
New on Wheels
Chevy Silverado Hybrid for 09 ready to roll
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Chevrolet has announced the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid, a full-size pickup truck that achieves 40 percent greater city fuel economy and a 25 percent...
Outlaw supplies 70 cubic feet of storage
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Highway Products Inc of White City OR introduces the Outlaw version of the Highwayman RV tow bodies that provides 70 cubic feet of storage. This RV-towing...
Benson debuts frameless dump
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Benson International has expanded its product line to include the Ironman frameless dump trailer. This application will allow the company to service the...
Ryder tractors, trailers take a green turn
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Ryder System Inc has announced the launch of its RydeGreen line of tractors and trailers, designed to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions....
Newest Half/Pack small but maneuverable
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
The newest member of the Heil Environmental family of Half/Pack front loaders is also the smallest. Heil offers a 20-cubic-yard Half/Pack on a single-axle...
Direct Trailer brings dropdeck to market
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Direct Trailer LP, based in Houston TX with sales and engineering offices in Jasper AL, introduces its steel dropdeck to the trailer marketplace. The...
Sterling rolls out new model 360
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Sterling Truck Corp continues to expand its light commercial vehicles line with a new model. The new Class 3 Sterling 360 is the lightest product in Sterling's...
Rear Eject trailer for scrap steel hauling
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Philippi-Hagenbuch Inc (PHIL) has introduced a 90-ton Rear Eject scrap steel haulage trailer (patent pending) for a greenfield steel mill in Mississippi....
