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Bloomberg / January 26, 2017 Last week in Arizona, car fans spent $259.8 million on vintage and collectable vehicles at the famous Scottsdale auctions. It was $9 million more than last year, thanks largely to the success of million-dollar Ferraris and Jaguars, a group that saw double-digit increases in both the sell-through rate and the average sale price vs. 2016. Less expectedly, the market for cars below $100,000 saw record sell-through rates and above-market sale prices, too. This was true especially when it came to mainstream domestic cars such as the first-generation Ford Bronco. “This interest has been surfacing for a while—the younger buyers love vintage SUVs,” said Jonathan Klinger, a spokesman for Hagerty, a Michigan company that insures vintage and collectable cars. Barrett-Jackson alone sold 12 of them in Scottsdale (“Interest in them continues to grow,” said Craig Jackson, chairman and chief executive officer of the eponymous auction house), with 21 offered throughout all auction houses for the week. Their values have risen as well: The current average value of one in perfect condition is $47,025, according to Hagerty, vs. $23,400 five years ago. For one in drivable and generally good condition, but not perfect, the value is $29,188 vs. $14,500 five years ago. To wit: A rare and highly restored 1968 Ford Bronco Custom pickup sold for $82,500 at the Barrett-Jackson in Arizona, and Mecum sold one in Florida last week for $110,000, a world record price for a special edition Bronco. (The world record for any Bronco sold at auction is $500,000, for a 1969 Bronco sold in 2013.) It all seems to indicate a new norm in the collector market today. While baby boomers dream of vintage muscle cars, millennials with money to spare want vintage SUVs. (And Ford is betting they’ll want new ones, too; an updated Bronco is expected to roll off production lines in 2020.) Ford’s Old Faithful The “first-generation” Broncos that Ford made from 1966 to 1977 are by far the most coveted. These were the cool metal squares set high on big, knobby rubber tires, often with no top at all. The pilot seats inside were vinyl, with a simple, minimal dashboard design, a straightforward manual, three-speed transmission on a short wheelbase and choice of rugged, 105-horsepower straight-six or (later) V8 Ford engines that made them notoriously easy to repair. “We think of the Bronco as neither a conventional car nor a truck, but as a vehicle which combines the best of both worlds,” then-Ford Vice President Donald Frey said in a press memo during the launch. “It can serve as a family sedan, a sports roadster, a snow plow, or a farm or civil defense vehicle. It has been designed to go anywhere and do nearly anything.” Indeed, early Broncos came in wagon, truck, and roadster versions. They excelled at navigating uneven terrain and inclement conditions and were relatively cheap (around $2,404) at the time—the perfect competitor to the Jeep CJ-5 and International Harvester Scout. Ford made nearly 24,000 of them that first year. A Shift in the System While other vintage SUVs, such as the Toyota FJ Cruiser and the Land Rover Defender, have fielded high prices and wild popularity among cool-kid collectors in the U.S. since the turn of the last century, it took longer for Broncos to emerge. They just didn’t seem as special. (Maybe it had something to do with the residual image damage after O.J. Simpson’s White-Bronco-led police chase—though that one was not a first-generation specimen.) That attitude is changing. Millennials were the first generation to mature parallel with the SUV phenomenon, which continues to dominate the new-car market. So it’s only natural that as time passes, that proximity and ensuing affinity would translate into increased appetite for vintage SUVs—especially American ones, which are cheaper and more reliable than their European counterparts. The majority pull of the collector market still comes from baby boomers and Generation X, but not for long. “Here in America we are an SUV culture, so for someone entering this hobby for the first time, they’ve spent more of their life in an SUV than someone in their 60s,” Klinger said. “We know that at some point this year online activity of millennials searching for collector car values will surpass that of baby boomers.” A Good Investment Prices on these vintage jewels vary widely depending on their condition, age, the amount of miles on the engine and the amount of restoration they’ve had. Some have been restored so heavily they’re like a whole new animal. Others are crashed, rusted and not drivable. (Many didn’t survive the abusive off-road duties for which they were designed, which only increases the desirability of the ones that did.) Hemmings lists a 1969 version in white, with pristine burgundy interior, for $115,000; Autotrader lists them for $27,900, $21,495, $77,000, and everywhere in between. You can even get a bare-bones one for less than $7,000—though the likes of that require plenty of extra work. (That’s really part of the allure anyway.) One of the biggest draws, besides those rugged good looks, is their simplicity. Broncos are reliable and easy to use, as far as vintage cars go. Where owning an older car is often like being in a dysfunctional relationship, with continual hurts and disappointments perpetrated by both parties (see: those sexy but finicky vintage Defenders), Broncos are “basically a handful of bolts on a body,” Klinger said. It means you can repair, modify, and upgrade them to your heart’s content. “The mechanicals are very common—most that you need are available at your local Napa Auto Parts store—and the interiors are just a heat-laminated vinyl seat form over foam, so they’re simple and rugged,” Klinger said. “You can really get mechanical satisfaction and mastery out of working on it.”

NAV reached a high of $30.28 on Wednesday, and closed at $29.91. OSK reached $73.71 on Wednesday, establishing a new 52-week high, and closed at $73.11. PCAR reached a high of $68.69 on Wednesday, and closed at $68.40. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above 20,000 for first time The Financial Times / January 25, 2017 Trump rally resumes after presidential orders on pipelines and Mexican wall Donald Trump’s early moves on infrastructure and deregulation have reignited investor confidence in the US economy, propelling stocks into record territory and sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average to close above 20,000 for the first time. Mr Trump was quick to note the milestone for the blue-chip average, tweeting “Great!” with the hashtag “#Dow20K”. But bullish sentiment was not isolated to the Dow, an idiosyncratic index which tracks just 30 popular stocks whose performance is driven by companies with the highest share prices. The broader S&P 500 benchmark also hit new highs, helped by rallies in economically-sensitive sectors directly affected by Mr Trump’s first executive actions, including requiring that domestic steel be used for US pipelines and building a wall along the Mexican border. Investors have poured money into shares of banks and other cyclical companies on hopes that a mix of tax cuts and fiscal stimulus from the Trump administration will accelerate economic growth and inflation. ‘’With a swift move towards signing executive orders, coupled with underlying positive economic data, clarity has begun to hit the headlines, and all the US indexes are celebrating,” said Quincy Krosby, market strategist at Prudential Financial. After a strong post-election rally late last year, the Dow spent more than a month stalled just below 20,000 as investors awaited greater clarity on Mr Trump’s policies. When it passed the threshold, “a loud roar” was heard on the NYSE floor, its governor Rich Barry said. Traders pulled out Dow 20,000 caps they have had ready since about a week after the election, he said. At the close of trading in New York, the Dow was up 0.8 per cent at 20,068.5, while the S&P 500 closed up 0.8 per cent at a record high of 2,298.4. The Russell 2000 index of small, domestically orientated companies rose 1 per cent, but remains just shy of its record close set in December. Since the election, the Russell has gained 15.7 per cent. Launched in 1896, the Dow has surged 9.5 per cent since Mr Trump’s November victory. As a price-weighted average, the Dow has been catapulted higher by strong gains in those member companies with the sharpest share-price movements. Goldman Sachs has accounted for 379 points of the Dow’s 1,736-point march higher since election day as its shares have climbed 30.4 per cent. Boeing, the aerospace group, has contributed 172 points and IT company IBM 158 points. The S&P 500, a benchmark created after the Dow and based on market capitalisation, is far more important to professional investors since it captures a broader cross-section of corporate America. It has trailed the Dow’s gains, rising 7.4 per cent since election day. While the Dow’s march to 20,000 has captured attention, the “degree to which markets can manage to retain their collective stability and constructive trends” is of far more importance, said Peter Kenny, senior market strategist at Global Markets Advisory Group. The Trump administration’s plans to boost infrastructure spending, pare regulations and rethink America’s trade posture have lifted expectations for both inflation and economic growth, boosting the shares of miners this year. MSCI’s ACWI Metals & Mining index, a broad barometer tracking global miners, has rallied nearly 15 per cent in 2017, its strongest year-to-date showing in more than a decade, Bloomberg data show. Miners listed on London’s FTSE 100 have registered gains in the region of 20 per cent this month. Freeport-McMoRan, the large US copper miner, has risen by a quarter since the end of the year. “The reflationary trade of last year and earlier this month has now moved to more of a legitimate inflationary trade, and that is why you have seen a bid for gold and other things that are inflation protection-type investments,” said Michael Underhill, a portfolio manager at RidgeWorth Investments. .

Billy, Vegemite is made from “leftover brewers' yeast extract, with various vegetable and spice additives.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegemite Spread some on toast and enjoy the unrivaled taste.

Volvo is, literally, obsessed with its margins. It's a Swedish thing. It's all about the high expectation Swedish investors behind the company.

Mary Tyler Moore, groundbreaking television actor, dies aged 80 The Guardian / January 25, 2017 Star won seven Emmy awards for her work on her eponymous sitcom and The Dick Van Dyke Show Mary Tyler Moore, the award-winning actor and star of two of America’s best-loved sitcoms, died on Wednesday at age 80. Moore, who won seven Emmy awards for her work on The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, died in the company of friends and her husband, Dr S Robert Levine, representative Mara Buxbaum said in a statement. “A groundbreaking actress, producer, and passionate advocate for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Mary will be remembered as a fearless visionary who turned the world on with her smile,” Buxbaum added. Moore was also nominated for an Academy Award for the 1981 film Ordinary People, in which she played a mother coping with the death of her son. Born on 29 December 1936 in Brooklyn as the eldest of three children, Moore and her family later moved to Los Angeles where she began appearing in commercials at age 17. From 1961 to 1966, she played Laurie Petrie on the popular series The Dick Van Dyke Show. The comedic role as the wife of Van Dyke’s character was Moore’s first major television role and made her a household name. Her most iconic role was on the Mary Tyler Moore Show, which aired from 1970 to 1977, in which she portrayed Mary Richards, an independent young woman working in a Minneapolis newsroom, as the women’s movement in the US was underway. In the groundbreaking TV series, the 30-year-old Richards battled unequal pay and defied social norms of the time period. The series ran seven seasons and won 29 Emmys. Moore created her production company, MTM Enterprises, with her second husband, Grant Tinker. The pair had pitched the Mary Tyler Moore Show, which spawned three spin-off series, including Rhoda, Phyllis and Lou Grant. The company was responsible for shows such as The Bob Newhart Show and St Elsewhere, among others. Moore won her seventh Emmy in 1993, for supporting actress in a miniseries or special, for a Lifetime network movie, Stolen Babies. Throughout her career, Moore also had a number of roles in film, including the serious role in Ordinary People, which won the Academy Award for best picture, and theater. She won a Tony award for her role in the Broadway play Whose Life Is It, Anyway? in 1980. In her personal life, Moore married her first husband in 1955 and then gave birth to her only child, Richard, who later died at the age of 24 after accidentally shooting himself. Her younger sister, Elizabeth, died at 21 of an overdose and her brother, John, died of kidney cancer aged 47. Moore lived with diabetes and served as chairwoman of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, and championed causes such as animals rights. She married Levine, a cardiologist, in 1983. She penned two memoirs, After All (1995) and Growing Up Again: Life, Loves, and Oh Yeah, Diabetes (2009), in which she discussed her life, career, struggles with alcoholism, losing her son and living with type 1 diabetes. Actor Lena Dunham issued a statement, saying that Moore’s “humor, style and vulnerability have had a profound influence on me as a television creator and on every woman I know working in television to upend expectations of traditional femininity. Her remarkable presence and ahead of her time ability to expose the condition of single working womanhood with humor and pathos will never be forgotten. Her generosity as an animal rights activist and icon will never be forgotten. I never met her and I’ll love her forever. I know I’m one of millions.” Rose Marie, who appeared alongside Moore in the Dick Van Dyke Show, also paid tribute to her today. “She was wonderful. She came to us as a complete novice, but she learned so quickly and she became one of the best,” she said. Rose Marie went on to add: “The last time I saw her, I think, was when we did that reunion [several years ago], but I kept in touch with her – we talked every once in a while up until about four or five months ago, when she didn’t answer the phone. She was very sick. Dick would call me and tell me that she wasn’t doing well. I will miss her greatly.” . . .

Be sure you lubricate the o-rings with oil or grease.

You're welcome. We aim to please.

I'm guessing you have a Vickers V20. http://www.eaton.com/ecm/groups/public/@pub/@eaton/@hyd/documents/content/pll_1573.pdf

IVECO Trucks Press Release / January 25, 2017 A revitalised product range combined with increased management stability and growing professional Dealer Network, has reflected extremely positively in Australia and New Zealand, with IVECO achieving a combined full year volume growth of over 25 per cent in 2016. IVECO New Zealand recorded its best sales performance on record with a 45 per cent volume increase on 2015 full year results. In Australia, IVECO achieved a 6 per cent full year volume increase, the brand’s best sales performance since 2013. IVECO Australia Marketing Manager, Darren Swenson, says the company was pleased with the result as it marked a turnaround for the brand and would help build a foundation for additional future growth. “The last two to three years has seen considerable change at IVECO, a new management structure has been implemented, our manufacturing facility has undergone restructuring and there has been considerable time and effort devoted to better meeting the needs of our customers,” Mr Swenson said. “Wholesale changes of this nature obviously take time to effect, so it’s exciting to already be seeing some early benefits as an organisation as well as for our customers.” Boasting one of the widest product ranges of any manufacturer in Australia and New Zealand, from car-licence van and cab chassis through to roadtrain-capable prime movers (Australia only) and an off-road range second to none, IVECO will continue with its new model releases and product upgrades in 2017. Due for launch this year is the award-winning Euro6 Eurocargo, International truck of the Year 2016, while Daily van, cab chassis and Daily 4x4 models would also benefit from upgrades along with selected Stralis variants to name just a few. Exciting new products aside, Mr Swenson also nominated the brand’s continued investment in its Dealer Network and promoting its aftersales products and services, as key priorities for 2017. “The Dealer Network has grown markedly over the past 12 months and now encompasses over 60 outlets comprising of full line, light duty and parts and service outlets,” he said. “This number will expand in 2017 with additional strategic appointments and the further evolution of existing outlets. “Similarly, through our successful ‘Trusted’ messaging, we’ll further promote the brand’s aftersales offerings in an effort to increase buyer awareness of Dealer servicing and our range of extended warranties, program maintenance contracts and related products. “A big thank-you to all the buyers who supported IVECO in 2016 – rest assured that the company is focused on continuing to meet their transport requirements well into the future.” .

Owner/Driver / January 25, 2017 One area of trucking we don’t hear from too often is military operators, so Owner//Driver sat down with an accompished ex-Army truckie to find out what it’s all about. Andrew Wilkins worked his way up through the Australian Army as a truck driver, eventually reaching the post of Operations Manager after seven years and before leaving was due to become an instructor at the Army School of Transport (ART). Now based out of Larapinta, Andrew drives b-doubles for Flynn Transport and speaks highly of the Australian Army as an avenue for young people looking to break into the industry. "You go to the Army School of Transport, where you start with a medium rigid (MR) class licence," he said. "Then you get posted to your unit, where you move onto a heavy rigid (HR) licence, for use of the R series Mack. "Every different vehicle in the Army counts for another licence code, so you’re trained to drive absolutely everything. "Your options are limitless as a driver." Andrew was first posted to 105 Field Battery based out of Enoggera in QLD and later to 85 Transport Troop based in Moorebank in NSW, although he was lucky enough to travel all around Australia and abroad. "My first unit was artillery, so I was towing field guns and I also got trained to use and work on them too. "You get to go overseas and drive with the Army and it’s always been a bit different – no two days are the same. "I became an ambulance driver with them overseas." An average day on the job was a hard one for Andrew to pinpoint, because the array of work is so varied, but he did his best to give us a snapshot. "A typical day in a regular unit is turning up at 7am to do some physical training, before getting into uniform and doing first grade service work on the vehicle; fluid levels and basic checks. "Then you’ll be running supplies around within the barracks or out to logistics groups. "Lunch is usually 12-1pm, then it’s much the same work to see you out until 4pm or so. "During that day you might be changing tyres, doing vehicle maintenance or anything else that comes up. "Then other times you’ll do road train work and in that period of my work I was on the road for a good portion of the year. "You’ll move stuff between bases interstate and all over the country and some of these trips can be a month or two moving the big heavy machinery and stores and containers between bases." The reasoning for driving such a myriad of vehicle types comes down to the lines the Army break transport into. The first line is for combat transport, like people, ammunition and weapons so they can be moved around and ready to go. The second line is combat service support which encompasses the heavier stuff like water, fuel, ammunition, parts and more. The third line is bulk supplies and equipment, which could be anything from earthmoving equipment right through to tanks. "We train the same way we fight, those combat lines work in the same way wherever we are in the world." The journey for Andrew was an enjoyable one, and he still remembers being a cadet and realising he wanted to drive the host of trucks on offer. "I was wrapped on trucks from an early age and when I joined the cadets and saw the trucks, I thought ‘I’m going to join the Army and drive the Unimog,’ then I saw the Macks and wanted to drive them too." Photo gallery - https://www.ownerdriver.com.au/industry-news/1701/day-in-the-life-of-army-truckie

UD Trucks Press Release / January 24, 2017 Developed for growth markets, the all-new medium duty truck range is scheduled for global launch in Bangkok on March 1, 2017 This March, UD Trucks will launch Croner, its all-new medium duty truck, as it continues its rich legacy of building the “truck the world needs today” specifically for its growth markets across Asia, Africa, Middle-East and South America. Croner is a reliable and versatile truck range built with robust components and uncompromising quality that delivers extra productivity and superior uptime. It will cater to a wide range of applications to help meet the varying needs of our customers in growth markets. Named after the god of time in Greek mythology, Croner is engineered to help customers stay ahead of the competition, through the simple concept of saving time. “It is our aim for Croner to make every moment count, through maximizing productivity and minimizing downtime on every run our customers make,” said Nobuhiko Kishi, Senior Vice President of UD Trucks Brand and Product. Designed to excel in the medium duty segment to compete in growth markets, Croner’s superiority comes from the best of three worlds – strong Japanese heritage and craftsmanship, the Volvo Group’s global technology system, and local gemba approach in manufacturing, sourcing and support. UD Trucks will also provide extensive customer service and service sales packages with the launch of Croner. For more information, or to enquire about Croner, visit http://www.udtrucks.com/en-int/reveal .

Commercial Motor / January 24, 2017 New Scania S580 arrives on the fleet at Kersey Freight. .

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Scania Group Press Release / January 24, 2017 Nearly 1,000 guests will attend Scania's famed Winter event, which started in Trysil, Norway, on 17 January and will continue through February. Two dozen Scania trucks, ranging from a vintage P93M 4x4 to current and new generation R and S-series trucks, will be put to the test in challenging conditions at the Norwegian mountain resort. .

The U.S. Army Transportation Museum at Fort Eustis is quite good. A lot of rare trucks, aircraft (CH-54 Skycrane, Piasecki H-25 Mule, CH-21 Shaunee, CH-37 Mojave and VZ-9 Avrocar), the "exoskeletal" Letourneau-Westinghouse XM437 "GOER"*, and all the amphibians including the LARC-V, LARV-XV and massive 100-ton BARC-3X (LARC-LX prototype). You can also see U.S. Army locomotives and train cars, recalling how the Army has had its own railroad from the Civil War up to the present day (733RD Logistics Readiness Division). Down by the river, you can see the ships belonging to the U.S. Army's own "navy" including their 4,200 ton displacement General Frank S. Besson class LSVs. 1099th Transportation detachment, 329th Transportation Company, 159th Transportation Battalion? * https://books.google.com.hk/books?id=vyoDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA110&lpg=PA112&ots=-CZz_DPkaj&focus=viewport&dq=army+GOER&hl=zh-TW .

I believe the Paccar-branded axles are produced by Meritor, probably in Mexico, part of a 7-year contract agreement announced in 2015. Meritor has 4 plants in Mexico. Detroit axles are "machined and assembled" in Radford, Michigan, but the axle housing and other parts are likely produced in Mexico, Brazil, India and/or China. .

New Paccar tandem rear axle now standard on Kenworth T680 and T880 Kenworth Truck Company / January 24, 2017 The new Paccar tandem rear axle is now standard on the Kenworth T680 and T880. The new Paccar tandem axle, the industry’s lightest and most efficient tandem in its class, is designed to improve the operating efficiency for line haul, regional haul and pick-up and delivery customers. Rated at 40,000 pounds, the Paccar tandem axle supports a gross combination weight of 80,000 pounds. The Paccar tandem axle features a unique pinion-through-shaft design that simplifies power flow through the forward axle for maximum efficiency. The axle also incorporates an innovative laser-welded carrier design that reduces weight and improves fuel economy. “The new Paccar tandem rear axle for the aerodynamically efficient Kenworth T680 on-highway model and the T880 vocational flagship model provides enhanced fuel economy, reduces vehicle weight by up to 150 pounds, and complements the excellent performance and fuel efficiency of the Paccar [DAF] MX-11 and MX-13 engines,” said Kurt Swihart, Kenworth marketing director. The Paccar tandem axle offers ratios of 2.47 to 3.70 with engine torque compatibility up to 1,650 lb.-ft. and multi-torque rating compatibility up to 1,750 lb.-ft. Warranty coverage is five years or 750,000 miles. Learn more: https://paccarpowertrain.com/products/axles/ http://www.kenworth.com/media/53475/paccar-axles-v20.pdf

Volvo Cancels D16; Mack Cancels Titan Tractor Trailer/Body Builders / January 24, 2017 Volvo Trucks announced in a memo to its dealer network that it will no longer be selling its 16-liter D16 engine in the North American market, citing “diminishing demand.” By extension, this also means Volvo’s brother company, Mack Trucks, will no longer be offering its large displacement MP10 engine, which is based on the D16. Mack is also discontinuing sales of its Titan heavy haul tractor as well. Introduced into the U.S. back in 2005, the D16 offered displacement of 550 to 625 hp – mainly at heavy haul applications. “The decision is the result of limited market demand for this engine displacement and the long-term investment that would be required to maintain the D16 for the unique operating requirements of the North American market,” Brandon Borgna, spokesman for Volvo Trucks, told Fleet Owner. “We also continue to see a general shift among our highway customers toward the lighter, more fuel-efficient Volvo D13 engine, which comprises the most popular engine displacement in North America,” he added. The company noted that its D16 engine was available in Volvo’s VNL and VNX models. The VNL will continue to be available with the Volvo D11, D13 and Cummins X15 engines, while production of the VNX – introduced in 2013 – will be placed “on hold” though it will remain in Volvo’s product lineup for now. “We’re evaluating solutions that will allow us to offer it in the future. In the interim, we intend to offer an ‘X-package’ for the VNL model, providing the ride height and heavy-haul attributes of the VNX with either the Volvo D13 or Cummins X15 engine,” Borgan said. “But aftermarket service and support will continue for customers who currently have a D16 engine.” Volvo added that its new “X-package” for the VNL model will include a 20,000-lb front axle, dual steering gears, heavy-duty bumper, chrome grille, high ride height for improved ground clearance, and 500 hp versions of the Volvo D13 and Cummins X15 engines. The Volvo I-Shift automated mechanical transmission (AMT) will remain the standing offering on Volvo trucks equipped with a D11 or D13 engine, though manual transmissions will remain available as an option. The X15 engine will also be made available with a manual transmission or the Eaton Ultrashift AMT when ordered with Volvo models, the company said. Mack spokesman Christopher Heffner told Fleet Owner that the company’s Titan tractor model and – as noted above – its engine, the Mack MP10, are being discontinued in North America as well. He said in an email that's because many of the applications that the Titan served can be handled by Mack Pinnacle and Granite models equipped with the newer higher horsepower and torque outputs of Mac'sk MP8 13-liter engine. “Mack will continue to provide full aftermarket service and support for customers who currently own a Titan model,” Heffner added. The internal sales memo also noted that Mack plans to discontinue its proprietary Maxitorque manual transmission, but that particular development could not be confirmed

Replacement DPFs coming from Denso, Clean Diesel Technology Fleet Owner / January 24, 2017 A replacement line of diesel particulate filters (DPFs) and diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs) for heavy-duty trucks has been introduced by Denso Products and Services Americas, which made the announcement at Heavy-duty Aftermarket Week. The new diesel aftertreatment emissions products are being manufactured by Clean Diesel Technologies Inc. (CDTi) and will be sold through Denso’s expanded distribution network under the PowerEdge name. Built with high-grade stainless steel and using the same filter substrate material as OEM units, the new DPFs will initially be available as exact replacements for the most popular Cummins, Detroit Diesel, Navistar and Volvo heavy- and medium-duty diesels, according to Denso Sr. VP Joseph Mejaly. All will be supplied with the required gaskets specific to each application, according to a CDTi spokesperson, who added that Hino and Isuzu replacement DPFs will be added to the PowerEdge line soon. Meeting all US Environmental Protection Agency regulations and available for installation in 49 US states and Canada, the new replacement emissions control products feature CDTi’s latest generation of coatings said to maximize regeneration efficiency while cutting the amount of precious metals needed to clean the diesel exhaust. Both DPFs and DOCs in the PowerEdge line are approved for horizontal, vertical and dual installation.

RT / January 24, 2017 Authorities in the US state of Utah are investigating why railroad crossing arms weren't down and lights and bells were off when a double-decker passenger train violently smashed into the back of a semi-trailer. The two people in the cab of the trailer and the 82 passengers aboard the train weren't seriously injured. .

US tax policy chief Kevin Brady vows to push on with import levy The Financial Times / January 24, 2017 The Republican shaping plans for US tax reform has vowed to push ahead with a controversial levy on imports, saying it is vital to fixing the current “backward” system despite the opposition of foreign countries and American importers. Kevin Brady, the chief tax policymaker on Capitol Hill, launched a robust defence of his proposal to tax imports and sought to tie it to President Donald Trump’s “America first” economic agenda just as the new president appears to waver on the idea. The plan to penalise importers and incentivise American exports has emerged as the most contentious part of the biggest proposed overhaul of the tax code in 30 years, a process that begins in Mr Brady’s Ways and Means committee in the House of Representatives. “I do expect China and Europe and Mexico to yell about this,” Mr Brady said. “They have a tax advantage built in because America voluntarily gives them and their products a significant tax advantage over ours here in the United States and gives them a tax advantage in their own country as well. That unbalanced approach will not continue.” Today foreign competitors “adjust” their taxes at their borders by adding taxes to American-made products and taking taxes off their own, he said, but the US did not. By killing that “completely backwards” feature — which he would do by not letting US companies deduct import costs from their taxable income — Mr Brady said he would eliminate the price advantages of Chinese steel, Mexican cars and foreign oil. But he faces a fierce battle over his plans. Big importers including retailers, apparel makers and the billionaire Koch brothers have united against the proposal, arguing it would cripple businesses that cannot source their products in the US and force them to raise prices for consumers. The proposal will need Mr Trump’s backing to prevail, but the new president has created considerable uncertainty over his position at a time when his administration’s key policymakers on tax have not yet taken the reins. This month Mr Trump called Mr Brady’s idea “too complicated”, telling the Wall Street Journal: “Anytime I hear border adjustment, I don’t love it.” But he backtracked soon afterwards, telling the Axios news service that the report did not accurately reflect his views and that the border tax adjustment was “certainly something that is going to be discussed” in White House negotiations with congressional Republicans. Then last week, following the ensuing storm over his comments, Mr Trump revealed that Paul Ryan, the House speaker and close ally of Mr Brady, had called him to say: “Do me a favour . . . let’s not talk about the taxes publicly.” Mr Brady said: “We’re having very constructive discussions with the Trump administration. They do want to go bold on tax reform. They do want to level the playing field so our American companies and workers can compete anywhere in the world and especially here at home. “Their economic team is active on a lot of these issues right now. I’ve been incredibly impressed with how deep a dive the current team did and [how deep] the president has gone on taxes”. The border adjustment plan would be good news for US exporters because export revenues would be excluded from company tax bases, handing them an effective subsidy. For importers worried about its impact, Mr Brady said he expected the economy and currency rates to adjust in a “very efficient” way, but added: “We’re also looking at the design of [a] transition to accommodate concerns. We know we are throwing bold changes at the business community. We don’t expect those [business] models to change on a dime.” The proposal is likely to be challenged under World Trade Organisation rules, but Mr Brady said: “I’m convinced this is WTO consistent.”

The American Mack brand people in Greensboro are not "truck people". Most came from unrelated backgrounds. But they are "yes men" who don't make waves, as that is how you survive in Volvo's culture. Meanwhile, Volvo's Swedish heads in the U.S. don't understand the United States market. They'll keep beating on the square peg until it finally breaks around the edges and passes thru the round hole, as it's been ingrained in them to do.

I still firmly believe that all geographically large, high-consumption countries should dictate that medium and high volume light vehicles be produced there. One can call it protectionist, but I call it a very reasonable request. China has such a policy, rightly so, and it has worked out reasonably well for all concerned. The US is a mature market, but the sales volume is extremely high. Small countries can't reasonably demand domestic production from every participating automaker, but the U.S. certainly can.

President Trump Signs Series of Memoranda Dealing with Trade and Other Issues The White House / January 23, 2017 Soon after taking the oath of office, President Donald J. Trump signed a series of Presidential Memoranda to fulfill his promise to make America Great Again on trade and other issues. Presidential Memorandum Regarding Withdrawal of the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations and Agreement The first executive action the President took was to permanently withdraw the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a multinational trade agreement that is not in the best interest of American workers. This action ushers in a new era of U.S. trade policy in which the Trump Administration will pursue bilateral free trade opportunities with allies around the world, wherever possible, to promote American industry, protect American workers, and raise American wages. It is the policy of the Trump Administration to represent the American people and their financial well-being in all negotiations, particularly the American worker, and to create fair and economically beneficial trade deals that serve their interests. Presidential Memorandum Regarding the Hiring Freeze President Trump issued a memorandum which imposes a hiring freeze on the executive branch to counter the dramatic expansion of the federal workforce in recent years and the costs attendant to that expansion. The Federal workforce has expanded significantly during the last two Administrations, from approximately 1.8 million Federal civilian employees during the Clinton Administration to approximately 2.1 million as of 2016 (an approximately 17 percent increase). Meanwhile, Federal employee health and retirement benefits continue to be based on antiquated assumptions and require a level of generosity long since abandoned by most of the private sector. Those costs are unsustainable for the Federal government, just as they are proving to be unsustainable for state and local governments with similar health and retirement packages. Presidential Memorandum Regarding the Mexico City Policy President Trump issued a memorandum reestablishing the Mexico City Policy. Under this initiative, the United States will end the use of U.S. taxpayer dollars to fund abortions overseas, along with coercive abortion and sterilization practices. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Presidential Memorandum Regarding the Hiring Freeze MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES SUBJECT: Hiring Freeze The White House / January 23, 2017 By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order a freeze on the hiring of Federal civilian employees to be applied across the board in the executive branch. As part of this freeze, no vacant positions existing at noon on January 22, 2017, may be filled and no new positions may be created, except in limited circumstances. This order does not include or apply to military personnel. The head of any executive department or agency may exempt from the hiring freeze any positions that it deems necessary to meet national security or public safety responsibilities. In addition, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) may grant exemptions from this freeze where those exemptions are otherwise necessary. Within 90 days of the date of this memorandum, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in consultation with the Director of OPM, shall recommend a long-term plan to reduce the size of the Federal Government's workforce through attrition. This order shall expire upon implementation of the OMB plan. Contracting outside the Government to circumvent the intent of this memorandum shall not be permitted. This hiring freeze applies to all executive departments and agencies regardless of the sources of their operational and programmatic funding, excepting military personnel. In carrying out this memorandum, I ask that you seek efficient use of existing personnel and funds to improve public services and the delivery of these services. Accordingly, this memorandum does not prohibit making reallocations to meet the highest priority needs and to ensure that essential services are not interrupted and national security is not affected. This memorandum does not limit the nomination and appointment of officials to positions requiring Presidential appointment or Senate confirmation, the appointment of officials to non-career positions in the Senior Executive Service or to Schedule C positions in the Excepted Service, or the appointment of any other officials who serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority. Moreover, it does not limit the hiring of personnel where such a limit would conflict with applicable law. This memorandum does not revoke any appointment to Federal service made prior to January 22, 2017. This memorandum does not abrogate any collective bargaining agreement in effect on the date of this memorandum. DONALD J. TRUMP -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Presidential Memorandum Regarding the Mexico City Policy MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUBJECT: The Mexico City Policy The White House / January 23, 2017 I hereby revoke the Presidential Memorandum of January 23, 2009, for the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (Mexico City Policy and Assistance for Voluntary Population Planning), and reinstate the Presidential Memorandum of January 22, 2001, for the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (Restoration of the Mexico City Policy). I direct the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to the extent allowable by law, to implement a plan to extend the requirements of the reinstated Memorandum to global health assistance furnished by all departments or agencies. I further direct the Secretary of State to take all necessary actions, to the extent permitted by law, to ensure that U.S. taxpayer dollars do not fund organizations or programs that support or participate in the management of a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization. This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. The Secretary of State is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register. DONALD J. TRUMP