MANUFACTURER NEWS
Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire realigns business units
Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire announced Thursday the company is realigning its business units in an effort to improve customer service. Effective June 1, the company will consist of four units: Consumer Replacement Tire, Consumer OE Tire, Truck and Bus Tires and Off-Road Products. Business presidents for the categories are, respectively: John Gamauf, Mike Martini, Sing Ahluwalia and Ralph Burchfield.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Caterpillar to expand joint venture
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Caterpillar have agreed to expand operations of their joint venture, Shin Caterpillar Mitsubishi. SCM is a nearly 40-year-old joint venture equally owned by MHI and Caterpillar. The agreement allows SCM, which currently supplies construction equipment to Caterpillar from Japan, to invest in existing Caterpillar manufacturing facilities in China, India and Indonesia. SCM and Caterpillar will collaborate and leverage both companies’ manufacturing technologies and know-how to support Caterpillar’s business expansion plans in Asia. SCM will also participate in developing new products that target the Asian region.
RENTAL NEWS
New Volvo Rents centers open in several states
Volvo Construction Equipment Rents announced last week the opening of independently owned Volvo Rents centers in California, New York and Florida. The company also announced the signing of a franchise contract for Volvo Rents centers in Minnesota. In addition, Sparks Equipment Plus opened a second Volvo Rents facility in Louisiana. Sequoyah Management opened the Volvo Rents center in Bakersfield, Calif. Bill’s Rental Center has entered a franchise agreement to own and operate Volvo Rents centers in Lino Lakes, Minnesota. Best General Rental opened for business in Kingston, N.Y., and Florida Rental Solutions opened a Volvo Rents franchise in Pensacola, Fla. Sparks Equipment Plus opened a Volvo Rents facility in Shreveport, La. The company’s first Volvo Rents business opened in 2002 in Bossier City, La.
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
Karlsten to replace Gigou as Volvo Trucks president
Volvo announced last week that Peter Karlsten, currently president of Volvo Trucks in Brazil, will become the new president of Volvo Trucks North America. Karlsten will replace Michel Gigou in a planned succession. Gigou’s foreign service contract expires at the end of 2003, although Karlsten will assume his new position Oct. 1. Gigou will serve until the end of the year as chairman of Mack Trucks, which is a subsidiary of Volvo. In addition, Gigou will continue to be responsible for the common corporate functions that support both Mack and Volvo until the end of the year.
