DaimlerChrysler’s Board of Management has accepted the resignation of Jim Hebe, president of Freightliner LLC, a business unit of the Commercial Vehicles Division.

When North American truck sales recently experienced a dramatic collapse and continued weakness due to a glut of used trucks flooding the market, silently, much of the blame fell on Hebe.

The Board also announced the appointment of corporate turnaround guru Rainer Schmuckle as Hebe’s successor. Schmuckle was most recently senior vice-president in charge of controlling of DaimlerChrysler AG, and formerly chief financial officer and chief executive officer of Adtranz, the former DaimlerChrysler rail systems business unit.

The Portland, Ore.-based truck manufacturer, which also controls Sterling and Western Star among other nameplates, had already initiated a comprehensive profit improvement program, focused on reducing production capacity and cutting costs and it will continue under the new management.

Grote offering LED strobes for emergency, construction markets

Grote Industries has introduced new LED technology for the emergency, construction and service vehicle lighting market.

Grote’s LED strobe lamps require a 12-volt DC connection – no costly external power supply is necessary. Grote claims the longevity of its Supernova LEDs lead to reduced maintenance costs – they last substantially longer than strobe tubes and are less likely to break. And the Grote strobe lamps have a dual function – the strobe can be set to perform in either dual or quad flash.

Tribospec wins Chevron sales and service award

Tribospec Corp., which markets Chevron’s lubrication products in eastern Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes, has been honored with Chevron’s prestigious award for sales and service.

Tribospec also recently opened a new facility to serve the Quebec marketplace. “Tribospec has demonstrated a strong commitment to service, product integrity and a passion to bring the best lubrication business solutions to their customers,” said Ray Wellman, lubrication business manager, Global Lubricants, for Chevron.

Tribospec serves the on-road trucking industry and construction, industrial, mining and forest market places.

Recochem celebrating its 50th anniversary

Recochem, the maker of Turbo Flow, has achieved a prestigious honor most companies never see: this year it turns 50 years old.

As part of the festivities, the company is suspending operations for an afternoon at each of its facilities -Montreal, Edmonton, Toronto, Napierville, Que., Vancouver, Belgium and Australia – in honor of the anniversary.

Chicago Rawhide expanding its presence in Canada

Chicago Rawhide has inked a new long-term sales representation agreement for its heavy-duty bearing and seal aftermarket business in Canada.

The company selected the newly created division of Specialty Sales and Marketing (SS&M), a sales agency based in Mississauga, Ont. Bruce Hipkiss, a longtime Chicago Rawhide and SKF Canada executive will head the new heavy-duty division of SS&M.