Cleaning Equipment Maintenance
The saying, "An ounce of preventionis worth a pound of cure," definitely holds true when itcomes to the operation of cleaning equipment in rebuilding shops. According to David Zehren, product manager,stationary equipment for Georg Fischer Disa Goff, Inc., Seminole,OK, routine maintenance of cleaning equipment impacts all rebuilders,no matter how large or small. "The issue of
Crankshaft Polishing: Make Sure The Journals On The Crankshaft Are Properly Polished
Today’s high output, close tolerance enginesare more dependent than ever on quality remanufacturing procedures,durable parts and precise machining. One of the best ways to assurelong bearing life in today’s engines is to make sure the journalson the crankshaft are properly polished. The oil film between the journals on the crankshaftand the loaded portion of the
In Pursuit of Quality: Tom Vecchi, Engine Supply, Inc. incoming PERA president
Tom Vecchi, president of Engine Supply, Inc.,Phoenix, AZ, and incoming president of the Production Engine RemanufacturersAssociation (PERA) hasn’t spent his entire business life in theengine rebuilding market. However, since acquiring Engine Supplyin 1988 with his brother-in-law, Len Joy, who is chairman of theboard, he’s learned enough to know that rebuilding engines isnot an easy way
1998 Market Update – CV Shafts
One of the biggest issues still facing rebuilders is the controversyover the pros and cons of grinding CV joints. Though many CV unitrebuilders will tell you it’s getting harder to remain competitiveunless you grind, nobody grinds unnecessarily in this tight marketbecause of the costs of machine work and labor. Craig Russell of Drive Plus, Inc.,
1998 Market Update – Cores: The Consolidation Of The Automotive Aftermarket
Core suppliers are watching the consolidation of the automotiveaftermarket with much interest. After all, many businesses intransition are their customers. But while some core suppliersare not as busy as they’d like to be, most don’t blame the consolidationsof large retailers like Auto Zone and Chief for their troubles.Likewise, many don’t believe that the rebuilder mergers
Machine Shop Market Profile Part II
In Part I of our annual review of the machine shop market, which appeared in our July 1998 issue, we provided average production numbers in 1997 for cylinder heads, engine blocks and crankshafts reported by machine shops. According to our survey respondents, custom engine rebuilders/machine shops averaged 18.29 gas and diesel engines rebuilt monthly during
Machine Shop Market Profile
Interviews conducted with parts and equipmentsuppliers, as well as machine shop owners and custom engine rebuilders,generally point to market demand which has remained flat whenengine production numbers are compared to year earlier figures.Recent survey results of machine shops concerning production year1997 confirm these assumptions. Automotive Rebuilder magazine conducted a surveyof the machine shop membership of
Cleaning – Do You Know Where Your Dollars Are?
Cleaning parts in the machine shop doesn’tcome cheaply. According to Automotive Rebuilder’s Machine ShopMarket Profile about 15.2% of engine machining and rebuildingproduction work involves disassembly and cleaning. According torebuilders that we surveyed, disassembly and cleaning accountedfor the highest percentage of total rebuilding production timein the shop. So there can be significant benefits to reducingcleaning costs
Ideal Supply – “Farming” For Opportunities
As the winner of our fifth annual "MachineShop of the Year" award contest, Ideal Supply Co., Listowel,Ontario, can claim a number of "firsts." It is the firstCanadian recipient of our award and, to our knowledge, it is alsothe first machine shop which has obtained ISO (International StandardsOrganization) 9002 certification. About two hours due east of
“Heading” In The Right Direction: Heads Are A Hot Commodity These Days
Heads are a hot commodity these days, but itdepends on the application. Some heads like those for Chevy 350and Chrysler 2.2L/2.5L engines are always in demand, but pricesare low because of the glut of cores that are available for theseengines. Even so, anybody who’s selling heads these days has tohave them. The hot heads are
Low Cost Quality Honing For The Small Shop
My son and I run a small automotive machineshop doing engine rebuilding and custom machine work in ruralMissouri. We try to do the very best work possible all the time.Whether we are rebuilding a Ford 8N or a 427 Corvette engine,we use the same amount of care doing the job. When our customerspick up their
Steering A Course Through The Rack Wars: Today’s Market For Remanufactured Rack-And-Pinion
Is today’s market for remanufactured rack-and-pinionsteering units meandering through the doldrums of a mature aftermarket,or is it heading in a new direction that may soon create new opportunitiesfor rebuilders? Some say the worst is behind them. They sayrack prices have bottomed out, competition has leveled off, anda growing number of retailers have come to realize
Cost Accounting In The Shop
Do you feel that your shop has the type ofcontrol over costs, expenses and productivity that it needs tosurvive in today’s market? Do you understand how to calculatethe actual cost of each job that you do and the efficiency thateach of your employees achieves on a daily, monthly or annualbasis? Unfortunately, most shop owners do
Cleaning With Jet Spray Washers: Replacing Solvent Cleaning Processes With Aqueous Cleaning.
As more environmental regulations phase outmany chlorinated solvents and ozone depleting chemicals, manyautomotive machine shops and engine rebuilding operations arereplacing their solvent cleaning processes with aqueous cleaning.Some argue that while replacement chemicals have been found, theirtotal safety and part cleaning applicability has not been researchedenough. According to many rebuilders and equipment makers, developmentsin aqueous cleaning
Updating The Asian Import Engine Market: The Learning Curve For Part Identification
"The learning curve for part identificationis awesome" says Bob Gibson as he describes the difficultiesof imported engine core identification. As vice president forsales and marketing at Engine Masters, Inc., a Dallas, TX, productionengine rebuilder, Gibson knows that the demand for import enginerebuilding is growing, and that he’ll do what it takes to be apart of
Motor Service, Inc.: Brian Casey, Incoming Engine Rebuilders Association (Aera) Chairman
What do you do after graduating from WorcesterPolytechnic Institute in Worcester, MA, with a degree in managementengineering? Why, run a heavy duty machine shop and service repairbusiness, of course. Well, maybe not always. But that is the wayit has turned out for Brian Casey, incoming Engine RebuildersAssociation (AERA) chairman and one of the guiding hands
Waste Minimization: Ways To Reduce, And Even Eliminate, Hazardous Wastes From Your Cleaning Process
Managing your shop’s wastes shouldn’t be hazardous to your business.Although there is a lot involved with managing wastes from cleaningoperations including operating costs to disposal requirements,the good news for rebuilders is that there are ways to reduce,and even eliminate, hazardous wastes from your cleaning process. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), materialsand wastes of
Niche Market Opportunities
In today’s highly competitive market, it makes sense to constantlybe on the lookout for new opportunities. Information on the marketsdescribed in this article may provide some new business prospectsfor those shops not already involved with them. However, rebuildersshould constantly be prospecting for other niche markets for theirexisting products or services. There are potentially many products
Can We Expand Demand: There Is A Better Alternative To Buying Or Leasing A New Or Used Car
Can the engine rebuilding industry increase the size of the marketfor replacement remanufactured engines over the next several years?Can engine rebuilders and their parts and equipment suppliersexpand consumer awareness about a rebuilt engine being a preferredalternative to buying or leasing a new car or truck, or installinga used engine? Chuck Barnett, president of Dura-Bond Bearing
Power Steering Pumps and Gearboxes
In today’s increasingly competitive marketplacethe quest for additional profits is of paramount importance notonly for continued growth and success, but for the survival ofthe company itself. This is particularly true for undercarriagespecialists such as CV axle and rack-and-pinion rebuilders. Niche market diversification can accomplisheconomic and strategic objectives that will not only improve the"profitable" cash flow