2004 NARSA Heat Transfer and Mobile A/C Pavilion Exhibitor Directory
A New Era Begins
NARSA’s partnership with AAPEX provides exciting new opportunities for engine cooling and mobile A/C service and manufacturing professionals.
The recently concluded NARSA Annual Convention, held the first week of November in conjunction with the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo, provided engine cooling and mobile A/C service professionals a first hand look at the future of their business in the context of the $250 billion automotive aftermarket industry in its entirety. Having been challenged in recent years to maintain a premier position in the cooling system service side of the repair business, NARSA Board made the dramatic decision in the spring of 2004 to partner with AAPEX show management. The result is a targeted area of the AAPEX trade show floor dedicated exclusively to showcasing the manufacturers and suppliers in this unique industry.
In order to have the best of both worlds, industry leaders also recognized the need to maintain NARSA’s culture and identity by providing dedicated educational programming and networking opportunities during NARSA Convention just prior to the opening of the AAPEX Trade Show on November 2 at the Sands Expo Center. The results were encouraging.
“This is simply mind boggling,” commented John Holowka from Erie Radiator in Buffalo, NY. “The size and scope of this show is amazing!” Echoing those same sentiments, Neil Black from Auto Air & Radiators who came all the way from Australia to experience the Show, “I’m still over-awed by the size of the Show. My desk is an absolute mess with literature and catalogues that I picked up at the Show.” Just how big and awesome was the Show? More than 117,000 people attended Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week (AAIW), shattering record attendance numbers from 2003 by approximately 12,000, according to show organizers. AAIW is comprised of the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) and the SEMA Show.
Most significant to the more than 3,800 exhibiting companies at AAIW is the 15 percent increase in buyers attending the shows — an all-time high attendance of 59,476. “Our exhibitors reported not only an increase in the number of buyers, but in the number of decision-makers attending the show,” said Bill Glasgow Sr. of W.T. Glasgow Inc., AAPEX show manager. “The quality of attendees this year furthers our reputation as the aftermarket show where business is done,” he added.
Getting Things Started
The weekend before the opening of AAPEX was set aside for Board and committee meetings, as well as the annual NARSA Golf Outing. Saturday, October 30th saw NARSA’s volunteer leaders roll up their sleeves and get down to the business of NARSA’s future. The highlight of the day was the first strategic planning meeting for the organization in nearly a decade. The process began with what’s known as a SWOT analysis, that is, a review of the organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Out of this effort developed several key strategic objectives upon which NARSA Board aims to build the organization’s future over the coming 12 months.
Sunday was Halloween, and after NARSA Board met in the morning hours, a group of 36 gofers headed over to the Legacy Golf Club for an enjoyable day out on the links. The day began with a great lunch in the clubhouse sponsored by Visteon, followed by a back nine shotgun start in the blazing sunshine. By the turn, however, as the sun sank lower in the western sky, the temperatures cooled. And by the end of the round, it was downright chilly! But that didn’t stop Daryl Bippert (NARSA National Chairman from Lone Star Radiator in San Antonio, TX) from blasting the longest drive on # 17, and Brian Sornberger and Max Carter, both from SPI, from knocking them closest to the pin on # 6 and # 10 respectfully. The winning foursome of Bippert, Rick Fuller from Delphi, Randy Lalonde (NARSA National President) and Scott Cooper from American Condenser shot a blistering 11 under par 61 to edge out Sornberger, Carter, Jason Best and Dan Wedige and take home the Ray Seekins Cup. The day concluded with a reception back in the clubhouse, with food and libations courtesy of our good friends at Delphi.
Many Thanks to This Year’s NARSA Golf Outing Hole Sponsors:
| Accu-Tech Bauer Radiator CSF, Inc. Delphi Erie Radiator Fineline Fuel Systems Jamestown Container Johnson Manufacturing Koyo Modine Performance R.L. Polk & Co. RADAC Corp. Spectra Premium Thermal Components Transpro Valeo Engine Cooling Visteon |
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Getting Down to Business
A NARSA Convention is well known for its outstanding and timely educational programming and Las Vegas did not disappoint. Back for an encore performance from the Nashville Show, Dick Crook and Paul Ciezniak of Transpro got things started with their Heavy-Duty Heat Transfer Marketplace Overview. Dick and Paul, the Dynamic Duo of Heat Transfer, continued their popular dialogues with a discussion on a number of heavy-duty heat transfer topics of interest, including recent trends in heavy-duty radiator construction, the ins and outs of charge air coolers, complex heat exchanger package arrangements, basic heavy-duty heat transfer concepts, low flow radiator operation, coolant toxicity and heat exchanger mounting.
As a follow up to the Dick and Paul Show, Angelo Miozza from West Side Radiator moderated the Heavy-Duty Panel Discussion – High Efficiency Radiator Cores, Charge Air Coolers, and A/C Condenser Technologies. Attendees were able to take what they learned from Dick and Paul, and put it to the real-world test! The goal of this program was to update cooling system professionals as to where we are now and where we’re heading with the next generation of cooling efficiency, along with providing information on how to “order the right radiator core.”
NARSA Membership Meeting & Keynote Address provided a real treat for convention attendees as first, Randy Lalonde, NARSA National President, and then Francisco A. (Frank) Ordoñez President of Delphi Product & Service Solutions and Vice President of Delphi Corporation, offered their own personal comment on the state of the industry. It’s been a period of major change for the Association, and Randy chose this open forum as his opportunity to update member on what the future holds for NARSA, as well as other key topics, including: a report on the Association’s annual membership, review of existing programs and an overview of upcoming programs and events. Following the luncheon, NARSA was honored to have Francisco A. (Frank) Ordoñez, President of Delphi Product & Service Solutions and Vice President of Delphi Corporation, as our guest to deliver the keynote address. During the keynote address, Frank discussed his vision for the future of the aftermarket parts industry, with a focus on the mobile A/C and thermal products side of the business. Frank expressed his vision for training, an elaboration on the need for training and education of the technician, the equipment needs of the future, and the value of belonging to a group like NARSA that can provide these services to the membership. Also during the luncheon festivities, Jeff Gordon, the Executive Director for the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation, was on hand to accept a $2,500 donation from the Association's very generous members as a show of support for the organization's outstanding works. The occasion was only the latest in a long history of charitable gift giving by NARSA and our members. To date, NARSA members have donated well over $100,000 to a variety of very worthy causes which are local to the cities hosting a NARSA Annual Convention
The programming turned decidedly more toward the management side of the business following the luncheon with Charlie Fewell’s program on Building a Successful Business Plan. Fewell, from ACDelco, has been a frequent presenter at NARSA meetings. His Las Vegas presentation focused on how a business owner can make significant changes in his financial position by doing the small, seemingly insignificant things every day. Charlie focused on how to build a business plan for success, including a discussion on how to forecast sales and expenses; how to calculate the cost per day to operate the business and the sales needed to break even on expenses; and how to measure potential, productivity and efficiency.
To complement Charlie’s program, the Association invited Jim Moore of Delphi-ISS/Aspire to deliver his program on What Will Affect Your Business in the Future? during which he examined promising new trends, including integrated shop-management systems and advanced vehicle information standards. Attendees heard about many of the coming changes to cooling-system technology, including electronic cooling system components and the influence of 42-volt technology, new heat exchangers and alternative refrigerants and the special service considerations that accompany each of these technologies
The final program of the afternoon was Bob Losyk’s session on How To Build Repeat & Referral Business™, a nuts and bolts program which demonstrated how to get free word of mouth advertising and referrals by customers.
During the Opening Night Reception & Awards Presentation, the Association recognized Jim Moore from Delphi with The Cooling Journal Excellence in Education Award for his outstanding support of the Association’s technical programs. Said Moore, “In all my years of training, I’ve never been recognized in this way. Thank you, NARSA.” Also, Marty Newell and the good people at Active Radiator, were recognized as the Associate Members of the Year for the company’s terrific support of the Association over the years.
Tuesday morning saw the opening of the tradeshow, but not before NARSA’s Associate Members convened to discuss issues of importance to the manufacturing and supplier segment of the industry. Jim Moore also made a brief presentation during the meeting on confusion over the plethora of coolants that have flooded the marketplace in recent years. Jim had to quickly move on over to the Sands Expo Center for his NARSA-sponsored program on The Future of Engine Cooling Systems, during which he detailed the coming changes in cooling-system technology, many of which are already taking hold in the market, including embedded temperature sensors and reverse-flow cooling systems, along with electronically controlled thermostats, cooling fans/water pumps and other technologies.
The AAPEX Trade Show opened promptly at 9:00 to kick off four solid days of business opportunities for those companies that chose to take exhibit in NARSA Heat Transfer and Mobile A/C Pavilion, the Association’s small contribution to the $250 billion aftermarket.
The day’s events concluded back at Harrah’s with NARSA Grand Gala Vegas Style! And what would a trip to Vegas be without a Casino Night? This sponsored event offered attendees an opportunity to try their luck at a variety of games of chance using NARSA “money” and walk away with great memories and fun prizes! Poker, roulette, black-jack and craps tables were all at their fingertips for four solid hours, with the evening capped off with a Texas Hold ‘Em tournament. In addition, guests enjoyed fabulous food and libations courtesy of the generosity of some of the industry’s top suppliers. The more funny money guests won, the more chances they had to use to bid on fabulous prizes at the end of the night. Guests won a variety of great prizes, including Vegas show tickets to see the likes of Celine Dion and Cirque du Soleil; a Delphi SKYFi Satellite Radio system; spa treatments at Harrah’s; wearables donated by industry manufacturers; fabulous golf equipment; and the grand prize, complimentary hotel accommodations and meeting package to the 2005 NARSA Show, also at Harrah’s! It was a great evening, filled with good times, good food, and great networking, all courtesy of the generous support of our manufacturing and supplier partners.
Thank You to Our Grand Gala Sponsors
| American Condenser | Bronze |
| Arzon Limited | Bronze |
| Behr Service America | Bronze |
| CSF, Inc. | Gold |
| Compressor Works, Inc. | Silver |
| Delphi Automotive | Platinum |
| SCS Frigette | Silver |
| Johnson Manufacturing | Gold |
| Koyo Cooling | Platinum |
| Modine Aftermarket Division | Gold |
| Nissens North America | Bronze |
| Northern Factory Sales | Bronze |
| Performance Radiator | Silver |
| RADAC Corp. | Gold |
| Roppels/Radpro | Gold |
| S.A. Day Co. | Bronze |
| Spectra Premium Industries | Silver |
| Taalman Engineered Products | Bronze |
| Tanks’ N Tabs | Silver |
| Thermal Components | Gold |
| Visteon Automotive Systems | Platinum |
The final NARSA-sponsored educational program of the week was on Wednesday morning. Daryl Bippert of Lone Star Radiator Co. in San Antonio, TX moderated the panel discussion on Warranties: Avoiding Comebacks, Meeting Customer Expectations And The Realities On What You Should and Should Not Warrant, which focused on ways to reduce the number of unjustified warranties; educating customers about proper cooling system maintenance; being careful to explain how a manufacturer’s warranty exactly works; and effectively evaluating the failure before you warrant any suspected defect. Representatives from several key member manufacturers, including Delphi, Modine, Valeo, CSF and RADAC, along with shop owners from around N. America, offered their companies’ policies on that is and what is not warrantable. All agree that the key in situations where a customer suspects a warrantable defect, is to educate that customer on important issues like corrosion, proper maintenance and coolant formulations.
The remainder of the week was dedicated to the trade show, with attendees looking for new products, new ideas, and new opportunities to grow their profits. Said Randy Lalonde, NARSA National President, “I’m convinced now more than ever that this relationship we’ve established with AAPEX is a win-win for everybody involved.” This sentiment seemed to echo the thoughts of others that this partnership between NARSA and AAPEX opened many new doors to the engine cooling and mobile A/C service specialist.
Plans are already well under way for the 53 rd Annual NARSA Convention, October 30 - November 4, 2005. Mark your calendars and plan to be in Las Vegas.