manufacturing
CTEA commits to growing voice
WINDSOR, Ont. – Complying with all the rules that apply to producing a vehicle is no small task, and this even holds true for the businesses which build on the work of Original Equipment Manufacturers. Attach something like a dump body or snow plow, and you’re expected to identify and certify the final product with a Canada Safety Mark. Each change has to meet applicable standards, and those who do the work must be able to issue recalls and respond to compliance audits, and familiarize themselves with the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations, and Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Put another way, reaching for a welder or torque wrench is just part of the job. The Canadian Transportation Equipment Association (CTEA) has long been a resource to help comply with the underlying rules. But it’s also been quietly building on that mandate – establishing a stronger voice for businesses which perform the tasks.
Volvo expands land for customer experience
DUBLIN, VA - Volvo Trucks has added 49 acres to a customer experience track next to its 36,000-square-foot Volvo Trucks Customer Center. The land builds on the 1.1-mile track that already features on-highway and off-road areas. Another 221 acres has also been secured under a lease-to-purchase agreement for future use.
Wabash National buying Supreme body builder
LAFAYETTE, IN - Wabash National is purchasing Supreme Industries -- the second-largest maker of truck bodies in the U.S. - as an answer to the growing e-commerce segment. The cash offer is valued at US $21 per share, which equates to an equity value of $364 million and enterprise value of $342 million. The company expects to realize at least $20 million in annual cost savings by 2021, largely through corporate and procurement expenses and operational savings. Supreme, founded in 1974, recorded $299 million in sales last year and has seven facilities across the country. (All figures are in US dollars.) The Wabash portfolio includes dry freight vans, refrigerated vans, liquid and dry bulk tank trailers, and platform trailers.
