kscarbel2

I didn't bring this up because I'm not completely sold on the concept. I do feel though we absolutely do need to investigate the viability of all possible options available with current and now maturing technologies. The concept as it stands today may not be the way to go, but as is so often the case in R&D, we may glean newfound knowledge that we can apply in the next step. http://newsroom.scania.com/en-group/2014/03/13/scania-tests-next-generation-electric-vehicles/ http://www.scania.com/media/pressreleases/N15020EN.aspx

It took three Mack brand parts people to successfully perform what is in fact a very simple parts search ??? It's a sad truth that real [Mack] parts people, quite frankly no longer appreciated since Volvo acquired Mack Trucks in 2001, are few and far between nowadays. In the provided photograph, the "5MD" part number for this air intake duct is located directly below the Mack logo.

CAT Press Release / August 18, 2015 Confidence and Commitment Forge a Dynamic Future Powerful presentations by Cat® Trucks at premier Australian truck shows in Brisbane and Perth over the past few months have dramatically highlighted the brand’s remarkable evolution since first appearing on the Australian market less than five years ago. The world’s first Cat-branded on-highway trucks were launched to Australian operators in late 2010 with just two foundation models, the CT610 and CT630, providing the initial platform. However, with bold product plans progressively implemented by a tight-knit group of dedicated engineering and marketing professionals, Cat Trucks now boasts a model range capable of roles from rigid delivery duties through to roadtrain triples. “Given the pace of development, we sometimes need to remind ourselves just how far Cat Trucks has come in a relatively short time,” says Glen Sharman, Navistar Auspac’s Director of Sales, Marketing and Business Development for Cat Trucks. Speaking at the recent Perth Truck Show where the new triples-rated Cat CT630HD model followed its stunning Brisbane debut with a tremendous response from West Australian operators, a reflective Glen Sharman said, “I’ve been extremely fortunate to be involved with Cat Trucks from the start. “Of course, there have been challenges but the end result of creating an increasingly strong presence in markets as fiercely competitive as Australia and New Zealand is a great testament to both the dedication of the people and the durability of the products.” The Cat Trucks model range today sports the spacious CT630LS, the CT630S and CT630SC which are engineered with a shortened bumper to back-of-cab dimension to ideally suit B-double applications, and the new CT630HD with a gross combination mass rating up to 130 tonnes. Meantime, the 13 litre CT610 continues to establish an enviable reputation for fuel efficiency in a wide range of applications from truck and dog trailer work to shorthaul and regional semi-trailer tasks. “We are a small team compared to most of our competitors and working alongside the Cat Trucks dealer group makes us extremely proud of how far the brand has come in just five years,” Glen Sharman continues. “It has been a great journey to this point but we are still on the road to achieving the true potential of Cat Trucks. “In sales terms, our original expectations of where we would be in five years have not been fulfilled, due largely to the simple facts that Australia and New Zealand are highly competitive markets crowded with brands from around the world. It’s a tough business. “Still, no one should doubt the commitment and confidence that exists within Cat Trucks and its dealers around the country to grow the business,” he emphasises. “We are here for the long haul and while recent events here and abroad have caused some competitors and commentators to suggest that the effort and energy behind Cat Trucks is waning, nothing could be further from the truth. “It is a suggestion that is mistaken and extremely naïve.” Glen Sharman cites the formation in 2014 of Navistar Auspac as a fully factory-backed division of giant US truck and engine builder Navistar Inc, and substantial investment in the development of models specifically for the Australian and New Zealand markets as blatant proof of the commitment behind the Cat Trucks business. Similarly, suggestions of a limited future for the supremely durable and much admired Cat C15 engine which powers the CT630 range are equally inaccurate. Recent statements by senior Caterpillar executives in the US indicate that development of a next generation 15 litre engine is well underway while the Cat CT610 model will continue to enjoy the advanced fuel efficiency and emissions compliance of the Navistar designed and built CT13 engine. “There are so many positives surrounding the future of Cat Trucks,” says Glen Sharman, “not least many customers now replacing their first Cats with new units. That’s incredibly important because it shows we’re not only delivering a truck that satisfies operational demands but Cat Trucks dealers are also satisfying customers’ expectations of service and support. “Dealer commitment is vital for the success of any brand and we are constantly encouraged by our dealers’ ongoing investment in the people and support structures for Cat Trucks. “In the truck business you simply can’t overstate the value of a national dealer group that understands and appreciates the DNA of a product as thoroughly as the Cat Trucks network. There are few who could match it.” Recent dealer reports show Cat Trucks outlets in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and New Zealand’s North Island have appointed additional personnel to sales and service functions while in Queensland and NSW, candidates are being sought for sales and management roles. “Add these events to increasing dealer investment in new tooling, workshop upgrades and parts inventories, and it’s easy to see that confidence and commitment in the future of Cat Trucks certainly aren’t lacking on the front line between dealers and customers. “It has been a dynamic five years but no one should be in any doubt, the next five years will be even more dynamic. The best is still to come,” concludes Glen Sharman. .

Prime Mover Magazine / August 18, 2015 Cat Trucks has issued a statement to reconfirm its commitment to the Australian market. After presenting the brand’s growing portfolio at truck shows in both Brisbane and Perth, Navistar Auspac’s Director of Sales, Marketing and Business Development, Glen Sharman, said there were “many positives” surrounding the future of Cat Trucks. “We are here for the long haul and while recent events here and abroad have caused some competitors and commentators to suggest that the effort and energy behind Cat Trucks is waning, nothing could be further from the truth,” he said. Sharman pointed out that the world’s first Cat-branded on-highway trucks were launched to Australian operators only five years ago, with the CT610 and CT630 models providing the initial platform. Today, Cat Trucks boasts a model range capable of roles from rigid delivery duties through to road-train triples. “Given the pace of development, we sometimes need to remind ourselves just how far Cat Trucks has come in a relatively short time,” he explained. “Of course there have been challenges, but the end result of creating an increasingly strong presence in markets as fiercely competitive as Australia and New Zealand is a great testament to both the dedication of the people and the durability of the products.” Glen Sharman added the formation of Navistar Auspac in 2014 as a fully factory-backed division of giant US truck and engine builder Navistar Inc, as well as “substantial investments” in the development of models specifically for the Australian and New Zealand markets were “blatant proof” of the commitment behind the Cat Trucks business. “It has been a dynamic five years but no one should be in any doubt, the next five years will be even more dynamic. The best is still to come.”

Prime Mover Magazine / August 19, 2015 Multiple Dakar Rally champion, Team Hino Sugawara, has begun preparations for next year's Dakar Rally with mechanical upgrades and a shakedown period that includes competing in Rally Mongolia. Initial shakedown testing of the Hino 500 Series Car 2 took place at one of Hino Motors' multiple test courses in Japan, and then Car 2 was shipped to Mongolia, where the team is continuing its extended shakedown. During the shakedown period, the Hino team upgraded the vehicle's taper leaf springs and coil-over shock absorbers – components that were fitted on all four wheels for the first time at Dakar Rally 2015. This year's set-up uses only two leaves per side for the front suspension and one for the rear suspension to reduce friction and minimise resistance between the leaf springs, providing smooth and predictable suspension strokes. Coil springs are now fitted to paired shock absorbers supporting each wheel that reportedly compensate for the lower spring rates of the new leaf spring setup. According to Hino, the team will now carry different rate coil springs so they can alter suspension settings to suit the different track conditions encountered during the Dakar Rally. The team will be perfecting its suspension settings, which involve complex interplay between leaf springs, coil springs and shock absorbers, during Rally Mongolia 2015. Related reading - http://www.hino-global.com/dakar/latest_news/PD16-04.html Related videos - http://www.hino-global.com/dakar/gallery/video_index.html

Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / August 18, 2015 The first Kenworth Icon 900 limited edition tractor was recently delivered to long-time Kenworth customer Keim TS. “We’re celebrating our 60th anniversary this year,” said Stan Keim, president and owner of Keim TS, which hauls more than 50,000 flatbed and dry van cargo loads per year throughout the lower 48 states. “When I saw the Icon 900, I thought it would be a great way to celebrate who we are and how Kenworth trucks and MHC Kenworth, our dealer, have helped get Keim TS to where we are today.” Stan Keim’s parents, Glen and DeAnn Keim, started the company in 1955, and Stan purchased the company in 1997. Today, the fleet operates 210 Kenworths in its 220-truck fleet and operates terminals in Fort Dodge, Iowa; Jasper, Tenn.; Medicine Lodge, Kan.; and Braymer, Mo. Keim said he plans to keep the new Kenworth Icon 900 at Keim headquarters in Sabetha, Kan., as part of the company’s driver recruitment and retention efforts. Keim TS also purchased an additional Icon 900 through MHC Kenworth – Kansas City and is using it as a driver reward truck. Myron Wiebe, a Keim TS driver for 21 years, was chosen to be the driver of that Kenworth Icon 900. .

Texas denying birth certificates to illegal immigrants' children CNN / August 18, 2015 Two civil rights groups are suing the state of Texas (the state with backbone), alleging authorities are denying birth certificates to children of undocumented [illegal] immigrants born in the United States in violation of the U.S. Constitution. The lawsuit was originally filed in May by the Texas Civil Rights Project and Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid. It was amended Tuesday so that the civil rights groups could represent "a large number of plaintiffs." The lawsuit originally included six families as plaintiffs. The number as of Tuesday was 17, and the civil rights groups say they're getting ready to represent many more families. At issue is the validity of a form of ID that undocumented immigrants, mainly Mexicans and Central Americans, use to obtain a birth certificate for their children born in the United States. Jim Harrington, a civil rights attorney, says Texas state authorities used to accept the matricula consular, an identification card issued by the consulates of Mexico and other countries. But Harrington, the director of the Texas Civil Rights Project, says the Texas Department of State Health Services, which issues birth certificates, recently reversed its policy and stopped accepting consular IDs. "It had never been an issue before. It was relatively easy for families of these U.S.-born children to get a birth certificate," he said in a phone interview with CNN. Not having a birth certificate leaves a child born in the United States to undocumented parents in legal limbo. The child is unable to get medical services or register for school, for example. Technically, it also makes the child deportable (Here’s a thought, why not have our government enforce our immigration laws and deport the entire family of illegal immigrants?). Harrington said he considers the action of the state of Texas "a violation of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and its Equal Protection Clause." The amendment, ratified in 1868, says in part that "All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside." But Chris Van Deusen, a spokesman with the Texas Department of State Health Services, said the policy has nothing to do with discrimination. "DSHS provides certified birth certificates without regard to the requestor's immigration status and has never accepted the matricula consular as adequate identification," he said. Van Deusen also said that the problem for the state of Texas is that the documents used to obtain consular IDs "are not verified by the issuing consulate." He added that other states and federal agencies reject consular IDs for the same reason. The state of Texas provided CNN with a list of valid documents of identification. The list includes foreign passports accompanied by a visa issued by the U.S. State Department, a Mexican voter registration card or even a foreign identification with an identifiable photo of the applicant. Harrington, the civil rights attorney, insists that while the policy's stated purpose of making the process more secure sounds fair, the effects of this policy and its application are devastating to children born in the United States. "Frankly, I think this is part of the state's anti-immigrant stance our political leaders have. They talk about making the process more secure, but that's nonsense. They're just building barriers so that people don't register their children," he said.

This isn’t news to me, but it might surprise many Americans. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Most of Buick's future U.S. cars will come from overseas Reuters / August 18, 2015 Most Buick vehicles sold in the United States after 2016 could be imported from China and Europe.according to two sources familiar with parent GM's plans. Only two of Buick's future U.S. models, replacements for the mid-size LaCrosse sedan and the large Enclave crossover, are expected to be built in North America. The increasing tendency of U.S. carmakers, including Ford, to shift more vehicle production to plants outside the United States is a hot-button topic in current contract talks with the United Auto Workers. Buick is planning to shift production of the compact Verano sedan from Michigan to China in late 2016. Production of the mid-size Regal sedan is likely to shift from Canada to either China or Europe in 2017. Buick is also planning to add two new U.S. models from overseas plants: The compact Cascada convertible, which will be imported early next year from Europe, and the Audi Q5-sized Envision crossover, which will be imported from China in late 2016. One other Buick model, the subcompact Encore crossover, is currently imported from Korea. Production is eventually expected to shift to China. Buick is planning these production shifts as GM begins contract talks in Detroit with the United Auto Workers. In Detroit, Cindy Estrada, head of the UAW's GM department, said the automaker would be "tone deaf" to import vehicles from overseas "after the sacrifices by U.S. taxpayers," as well as union concessions, to create a profitable GM after a government-funded bailout in 2009. The LaCrosse is being redesigned next spring, with production moving to Hamtramck outside Detroit. The Enclave is slated to be redesigned in early 2017. Production is expected to remain in Lansing, Michigan. China is the largest market for the Buick brand, with sales last year of 919,582 vehicles, more than four times the 228,963 vehicles that Buick sold in the United States.

I never authorized my tax money to be spent in this way. What's that old saying? "Don't engage in regime changing unless you're 100 percent sure you can succeed, accomplish it within one year and no other countries will squawk" http://edition.cnn.com/2015/08/18/middleeast/new-syria-force-fighter-abu-iskander/index.html

Abused child found in Raleigh recycle bin ABC News / August 17, 2015 Two parents are charged with child abuse after police say a woman found a 9-year-old boy in her Raleigh, North Carolina recycling bin. The woman told ABC11 the boy told her he was living in the woods in the park at the Green Road Community Center in North Raleigh with his homeless mother and stepfather. Police said he was being repeatedly beaten by the stepfather and during one of those beatings (with a belt) Friday evening, he got away, ran through the woods into an adjacent neighborhood, and jumped inside the big blue recycle bin behind a townhome. The next morning, Melissa White said she came out to put something in the recycle bin and found the boy inside, wet, dirty, injured, and hungry. "He was scared half to death. He was like, 'Please don't let them take me back,'" said White. "He said he couldn't take it no more," she said. "He said every day he was getting beat for making mistakes." She brought him in, fed him, and called 911. "It was like dried up blood all around his nose and then like over here - on the side of his head - he had lumps and a cut right here from where he was getting hit in the head," said White. Jillian Randel Davis, 29, and Leroy Blake, 25, were both charged with intentional child abuse inflicting serious physical injury. The boy is now in protective custody. Police officers allowed him to shower at their building and an officer bought him a new set of clothes before he was turned over to the NC Department of Health and Human Services. "I hope that the children are safe and I hope that he is placed in a better home and, you know, he is able to live and enjoy life like a normal 9-year old should," said White. Both Davis and Blake remained at the Wake County Detention Center on Monday under $50,000 bonds.

I do wish we still controlled the Panama Canal. However, knowing the history of it, I can understand President Carter’s thought process for handing over its control to Panama. Mack has a place in the history of the Panama Canal, having built 69 massive model FCSW 50-ton “Super Dumpers” for the Third Locks Project in 1941 to move over 35 million cubic yards of rock and earth. There’s so much history behind the concept of connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans via Central America. The idea of building a canal actually dates back to 1534 with the Spanish, who wanted an easier way to reach Peru. Then in 1869, President Grant established the Inter-Oceanic Canal Commission for investigating viable canal routes, stimulated by the discovery of gold in California. They surveyed Panama in 1875 and felt it would be cheaper to build a canal in Nicaragua. However, as time went on, they thought the Nicaragua plan might not be such a swift idea after all, what with a volcano just 20 miles away. In 1879, after completing a survey of Panama, the French gave Ferdinand de Lesseps the go-ahead to build a sea-level canal. Lesseps’ skills were proven, having built the Suez Canal. Elected in 1901, and as a result of the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana, President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt felt American had to have this canal in support of its national defense. As was commonly done at the time by large nations, the US interfered in the internal affairs of another sovereign country for its own gain. Columbia refused to sign a canal construction treaty with the US. The US response was to then begin promoting an independence movement over the summer of 1902, led by Columbian Senator Jose Arango, Panama Railroad employees and U.S. Army officers. Then Roosevelt told Panamanian rebels that if they revolted, the U.S. Navy would support their fight for independence. In a classic example of gunboat diplomacy, the USS Nashville (PG-7) strolled into Panama in support of the Panamanian revolution, while other ships blocked the sea lanes preventing Columbia from sending reinforcements. With the Columbian government unable to force the unwelcome foreign forces to leave, Panama claimed its independence from Colombia, and a then grateful new Panamanian government agreed to giving the Americans control of the future canal. Under the original agreement that Columbia refused, the Hay-Herran Treaty, the US would give Colombia $10 million initially plus $250,000 annually for the duration of a 100-year lease of a six-mile-wide strip of land on either side of the canal. When Colombia refused the offer. Roosevelt said "We were dealing with a government of irresponsible bandits. I was prepared to. . .at once occupy the Isthmus anyhow, and proceed to dig the canal. But I deemed it likely that there would be a revolution in Panama soon." After having orchestrated a successful rebellion, The Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty was signed in 1903 giving the US a slightly narrower five-mile-wide strip of land on either side of the canal for $10 million per year. Unlike the Hay-Herrán Treaty, this treaty did not set a time at which the agreement would end. In 1904, the US bought the assets of the French canal construction company and the Panama Railroad for $40 million (a lot of money back then), $30,000 of which was related to completed excavation work. After 10 years of work, the initial construction of the Panama Canal was finished in 1914. In 1921, the US and Columbia signed the Thomson–Urrutia Treaty in which the US agreed to pay $25 million in return for Colombia's recognition of Panama's independence.

Our government's arrogant go-it-alone stance is shameful. The entire rest of the world has adopted the Euro emissions standards. Our country, however, chooses to follow the half baked ideas of a quack (http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/40614-your-epa-people-who-made-the-new-truck-fuel-efficiency-regs-possible/?hl=gina+mccarthy). Our U.S.-unique automobile crash test requirements are another example. The rest of the world has adopted the standards of Euro NCAP (http://www.euroncap.com/en) to measure automotive safety performance (http://www.euroncap.com/en). What's considered safe on Germany's high-speed autobahns isn't sufficient for the US?

You should be able to special order a truck-spec DC16 V-8 through Scania North America (http://www.scaniausa.com/).

Bloomberg / August 13, 2015 With the U.S. economy continuing to expand, trucking companies have had to keep up with ever-growing freight demand. They've been able to do so even with a significant shortage of licensed drivers in the country. Instead of putting more trucks on the road and hiring people to drive them, the industry is opting to add more trailers to increase the capacity each individual driver can haul. About 70 percent of those surveyed plan to expand capacity by buying more trailers, the highest level since 2007. "This survey has been a good predictor of future orders" of trailers because it polls both large and small fleets as well as both public and private operators, said Karen Ubelhart, a Bloomberg Intelligence analyst. Hours of Service regulations, which came into effect on July 1, 2013, reduced the hours a trucker can drive while increasing how often he or she must take breaks. The aim was to mitigate driver fatigue and accidents, but it also meant that the amount a single driver could haul declined. There's been a trucker shortage since the middle of 2010, and the shortfall peaked at about 253,000 drivers at the beginning of 2014, according to FTR Associates. The U.S. economy still needed about 107,000 additional drivers as of the second quarter of this year, FTR's index shows. Adding more trailers improves productivity in one of two ways, Ubelhart said. In states where it's permitted, truckers "piggyback," attaching a second trailer to an existing tractor. The other way to use a tractor more intensively is by having extra trailers loaded and ready to go so drivers can drop off and pick up freight more quickly, she said. Less idle time for drivers improves productivity. Just like a restaurant owner likes to "turn over" tables frequently, fleet operators like this faster turnaround time because it allows for greater use of their tractors, Ubelhart said. In reaction to the driver shortage, trucking companies have also raised wages and given sign-on bonuses to attract drivers, Ubelhart said. Trucking company Knight Transportation Inc., boosted driver pay by 5 to 10 percent earlier this year. .

The upcoming all-new Scania heavy truck range will see the legendary (Mack) Scania V-8's top power rating increased to 780 horsepower. The engine variant, designated DC16-106, delivers 3,600 N.m (2,655 lb/ft) of torque, and conforms with Euro-6 (EPA2010) emissions regulations. The legend continues............stay tuned.

Owner/Driver / August 17, 2015 Political opponents join forces to demand better payment terms for Australian trucking operators. Big businesses may be dragged before a federal Senate inquiry or face calls to comply with new regulations if they don’t stop screwing over trucking operators on payment terms. Nationals Senator John Williams and Labor Senator Glenn Sterle – both former truck drivers – have put aside their political differences to demand faster payment terms for operators. Both are currently looking at ways to ensure payments to operators are made within 30 days of work being completed, similar to requirements the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal (RSRT) introduced for sub-contractors and owner-drivers. In a joint statement, Williams and Sterle say options including an inquiry are being "actively considered". Williams says he was shown a memo a company sent a transport operator saying payment would be made 90 days after the month in which the invoice was generated. Williams says the payment terms mean work carried out on August 15 will not compensated until December 15. "This is outrageous. The transport company has to pay its drivers and staff in seven days, it has to pay its fuel bill in 30 days, plus parts suppliers and finance payments at the end of each month," Williams says. "But they are being asked to extend credit to much bigger businesses for up to 120 days." Sterle says lengthy payment terms are having a terrible impact on transport operators and their workers. "If one of these companies fails and cannot pay their suppliers, the transport company can be hundreds of thousands of dollars out of pocket. This can only lead to dangerous cost cutting and a lowering of industry safety standards," Sterle says. "The intent of the Road Safety and Remuneration Tribunal’s first order is for transport companies to be paid in a timely manner, but this is obviously being ignored." Earlier this year, FBT Transwest boss Cameron Dunn told a road safety conference that 120-day payment terms were becoming more common.

Yet another example of American companies being acquired by overseas aggressors. Once upon a time, America led the world in innovation and industrial might. But as a result of government casting a blind eye to the fast declining state of American industry, a significant portion of U.S. industry is now under foreign ownership. In order for a major country like the United States to regain its position as a world leader, we must have a solid economy, which inherently requires a solid industrial foundation. Today, we no longer have that. Much has been allowed to go abroad, while the meager remnants remaining is being sold to foreign companies. - Germany’s Mann+Hummel buys Affinia Group, producer of Wix, Napa and other brand filters - Germany's ZF has acquired TRW - Italy's Fiat owns Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep - China's Wanxiang has acquired over 20 U.S. businesses including U.S. government-funded battery maker A123, Dana’s coupled-products business, Neapco and D&R Technology. - Germany's Daimler acquired Freightliner, Western Star, Detroit Diesel and Thomas Built Buses - Sweden's Volvo acquired White, Autocar, GMC heavy truck and Mack Trucks - Germany’s Knorr-Bremse owns Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems - Sweden’s Haldex acquired Anchorlok and the Neway suspension control valve business - Germany’s SAF acquired Neway air suspensions, and 5th wheel makers Holland and Simplex - Prestolite Electric, which includes the Leece-Neville brand, was acquired by Zhongshan, China-based Broad Ocean Motor Company and Beijing-based Ophoenix Capital. - Nexteer Automotive aka GM Global Steering Holdings LLC (formerly Delphi Steering and GM’s Saginaw Steering Division) was acquired by Chinese government-owned Pacific Century Motors - Germany’s Mahle acquired Delphi’s automotive air conditioning division, Delphi Thermal - Korea's Doosan owns Bobcat - Aircraft and industrial engine maker Teledyne Continental Motors was acquired by Chinese government aircraft maker AVIC - Canada's Bombardier acquired Learjet Corporation - Mexico's KUO Group acquired Borg-Warner and Spicer transmissions - Italy's Fiat thru subsidiary CNH Global owns Case-IH and New Holland - Sweden's Volvo acquired the road construction equipment division of Ingersoll Rand - Japan's Bridgestone owns Firestone - France's Michelin owns Uniroyal and BF Goodrich - China’s Beijing West Industries acquired Delphi’s brake and suspension divisions - Netherlands-based Mittal Steel acquired (asset holder of Bethlehem Steel, LTV, Weirton Steel, Georgetown Steel and US Steel) - Mexico's Metalsa S.A. acquired 10 Dana plants that produce structural components for chassis and body structures in light and commercial vehicles - Germany's Siemens acquired Houston-based Dresser-Rand - China's Shuanghui owns Smithfield Foods - Belgium's InBev owns Anheuser-Busch - South African Breweries (SAB) acquired Miller Brewing - Germany's Merck KGaA acquired St. Louis-based Sigma-Aldrich - Switzerland's Nestle owns Gerber baby foods and Purina - Sweden's Electrolux owns the Frigidaire, Kenmore and Tappan brands - South Korea's LG owns Zenith - Netherlands-based Philips acquired Magnavox, Philco and Sylvania - China's Lenovo acquired IBM's personal computing division - Japan's Seven & I Holdings owns 7-Eleven - The UK's InterContinental Hotels Groups owns the Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza hotel chains, and Candlewood Suites - China's Wanda Group owns the AMC cinema chain - The Venezuelan government owns Citgo - Mexico's Bimbo Group acquired Sara Lee's bakery business and the following brands: Arnold, Ball Park, Boboli, Brownberry, Cinnabon Bread, EarthGrains, Entenmann’s, Francisco, Freihofer’s, Marinela, Milton’s Bread, Mrs Bairds, Oroweat, Roman Meal, Sara Lee, Stroehmann, Sun-Maid Bread, Thomas’ and Tia Rosa. - The British-Dutch conglomerate Unilever owns Ben & Jerrys, Vaseline, Hellmann’s, Best Foods, Ponds, Good Humor and Breyers - Germany's Henkel owns Dial soap, Loctite, Orbseal and Bergquist - Germany's Bayer acquired Miles Laboratories and Cutter Laboratories (including Cutter insect repellent, Alka-Seltzer, One-A-Day, Flintstones vitamins and Bactine), and the consumer care business of Merck & Co. which included the brands Claritin (allergy), Coppertone (sun care), MiraLAX (gastrointestinals), Afrin (cold) and Dr. Scholl’s. - Bayer CropScience acquired biological company AgraQuest - Thailand’s Thai Union Frozen Products owns Chicken of the Sea and Orion Seafood International - South Korea’s Dongwon owns StarKist - The UK’s Lion Capital owns Bumble Bee Foods - Giant Carlisle (Martin's Food Markets, Ukrops), Stop & Shop and Giant-Landover supermarkets are owned by Dutch retailer Koninklijke Ahold N.V. - Food Lion and Hannaford supermarkets are owned by Belgium-based Delhaize Group - Colombia's Cementos Argos has acquired the cement and ready mix producing assets of Vulcan Materials and LaFarge - UK-based Tarmac PLC acquired the cement and ready mix producing assets of Stamford, Conn.-based Lone Star Industries (for many years the largest U.S. cement maker) - Two-wheeled electric people mover Segway has been acquired by China’s Ninebot The list, sadly, goes on and on.

Reuters / August 17, 2015 German industrial filter maker Mann + Hummel is buying U.S. peer Affinia Group to boost its annual sales by $1 billion - or by more than a third - and gain access to the American market for heavy-duty and hydraulic filters. Privately-held Mann + Hummel said it would not disclose the terms, but a regulatory filing by Affinia showed the purchase price was $513.1 million. The German firm will also take on debt from Affinia, which stood at $822 million at the end of June. Automotive-parts suppliers have stepped up consolidation efforts over the past two years as many of them have cash in hand and are seeking greater size and global reach to give them more pricing power when negotiating with car and truck makers. This is the third deal within a year in which a U.S. auto supplier has been bought by a German counterpart, following ZF's takeover of TRW and Mahle's acquisition of Delphi's air-conditioning unit. The private equity owners of Affinia will get the proceeds from the sale of its Latin American operations, which were excluded from the acquisition. Affinia makes oil, air, fuel, cabin air, transmission, hydraulic, and coolant filters for vehicles and machinery ranging from race cars to excavators and wind mills under the WIX, NAPA and other brand names. Related reading - http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/39995-filters/?hl=affinia#entry291618

Ford Motor Company Press Release / August 16, 2015

Denver man robbed and beaten in broad daylight at light rail station ABC 7NEWS / August 14, 2015 Surveillance video shows the brutal beating and robbery of a victim in broad daylight at a light rail station. Video shows the victim walking away from the Knox Station on West 12th Avenue and North Knox Court at around 2 p.m. on Aug. 6, when a man in an orange-colored t-shirt pulls something from his back pocket and starts beating the man on the head with it a couple of times before the victim falls to the ground. A shirtless man walking behind them is seen walking around as the beating is taking place. At one point, as the victim is trying to escape, the shirtless man runs to block his path. The man with the orange t-shirt is then seen beating the victim repeatedly a second time, using some sort of white stick that the victim was carrying before the beating took place. Both the robber in the orange t-shirt and the shirtless man are then seen running away from the RTD Knox Station. Denver Police say the victim was hospitalized because of the beating. Video - http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/front-range/denver/brutal-beating-at-rtd-light-rail-station-leaves-1-injured-dpd-looking-for-2-robbers

Navistar Trail Magazine

Land Line / March 14, 2015 A Pennsylvania trucking company is suing Volvo after its CNG-powered truck exploded in January, destroying a truck and loaded trailer only 3,000 miles into its lifespan. Fortunately, the driver was able to pull over and exit the truck in time to watch it explode. Kane Freight Lines is suing Volvo Group North America LLC; Cummins Westport Inc.; and Agility Fuel Systems Inc. The suit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and seeks an unspecified dollar amount. The company is suing for negligence, breach of warranty, breach of implied warranties, and spoliation of evidence after representatives of Volvo, Cummins and/or Agility recalibrated, tested, altered and/or modified sensors in the damaged CNG trucks. Plaintiff’s attorney John Campbell, of Yost and Tretta LLP in Philadelphia, said their case hinges on the belief that the equipment manufacturers have failed to honor both the express and implied warranty on the vehicle. “We think on a new truck, (the warranty) should be paid,” says Campbell. “It had 3,000 miles on it when it burnt up.” According to the lawsuit, a 2014 Volvo compressed natural gas-powered tractor owned by Kane Freight Lines caught fire while headed southbound on Interstate 81 in Harford Township, Penn. The fire started in or around the truck’s exhaust system below the truck’s passenger door, quickly spreading to the truck’s entire cab. The fire engulfed the truck cab rapidly, destroying the truck and an attached trailer full of cargo. The truck was one of seven 12-liter Cummins-Westport ISX 12 G engines powered by CNG that Kane Freight Lines received in July 2014 at the company’s Scranton, Pa., facility. The trucks reportedly can go 425 miles before refueling. Immediately following the January fire, the company refused to operate the other CNG-powered trucks in its fleet until Volvo made clear it had addressed the problem. Campbell said the suit also references a 2014 voluntary recall involving 2013-2015 model year Volvo VNL and VNM tractors equipped with Cummins ISL G and ISX12 G engines. According to documents on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website, the voluntary recall was issued after reports of ice buildup in the exhaust system increased the risk of fire or burn injury. “Now a year or so later, we have a fire in the exhaust area, which Volvo says it can’t explain,” he said. “We’re still exploring whether it’s related to the recall. Volvo says it’s not, but we’re not so sure.” The lawsuit blames “inadequate design of the exhaust sensors, exhaust insulation and/or the improper installation of insulation around the exhaust piping.” Kane Freight Lines believes Volvo, Cummins Westport and Agility Fuel Systems knew about the fire risk from the CNG engines’ high levels of heat. The suit points out defendants participated in a voluntary recall with the National Highway Safety Administration after previous fires started in and around earlier CNG truck engines. “To date, Volvo has failed to satisfactorily warrant the safety of these remaining tractors,” the lawsuit states. A representative of Volvo said the company believes the claims in the lawsuit “are without merit.” Volvo spokesman Avery Vise said neither the engine nor the fuel tanks were manufactured or installed by the company, and that they worked with both Cummins and Agility to review the incident. In addition, he says Volvo kept both Kane Freight and NHTSA “fully updated” throughout the proceedings, and provided Kane with rental units at no cost to support their operations during the investigation. “After extensive investigation, we were unable to identify any defect in the design, materials, or manufacturing in any of the components installed by Volvo,” states Vise. “Our testing found no support for the cause of the fire suggested by Kane. “Safety is a core value for Volvo, and we worked closely with our supplier partners to thoroughly examine the vehicles Kane decided to park. This investigation convinced us that the vehicles should be returned to service,” Vise said. The lawsuit also says Volvo asked Cummins technicians to examine Kane Freight Lines’ other CNG trucks after the January fire. “Subsequent to the fire, examination of the undamaged subject units revealed similar burn and heat patterns to those observed on the fire consumed tractor,” the lawsuit states. On June 1, Volvo took one of the Kane Freight Lines CNG trucks for testing at a New York facility and found the truck’s exhaust system heated “in excess of 500 degrees Fahrenheit after only one half-hour of operation,” the lawsuit states. Even with the testing, court documents allege, Volvo and Cummins didn’t honor written warranties for both the fire-ravaged truck and the other six CNG-powered trucks. The spoliation of evidence charge stems from an incident that Campbell says happened sometime this spring, when representatives of either Cummins or Agility contacted Kane and requested to look at the trucks to check the calibration of the exhaust sensors. “They concluded that (the sensors) were fine; they weren’t an issue,” he said. “But we’ve asked for information as to what they did with those units, whether they touched them, recalibrated them, and we haven’t gotten any information. So at this point, to the extent that we may or may not be able to determine how those were originally calibrated and whether they were similar to the recalled vehicles, we put that allegation in there.” Campbell stated the charge isn’t necessarily the same thing as tampering with evidence, however. “There are various levels with that,” he said. “There are times when people actually intentionally tamper with evidence. There are times when people try to work on something, and in doing so, change the evidence – not intentionally, not to conceal anything – but it’s lost permanently, whether it’s intentional or not.” Because of the extensive nature of the fire damage, Campbell says there’s no way for Volvo or the other defendants to determine whether or not the sensors in the destroyed vehicle were operating normally. “That’s another reason why we think if you can’t disprove that this was not that same problem, you should pay (the warranty claim),” he said.

Trailer/Body Builders / August 23, 2015 The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is considering new rules that would require underride guards on straight trucks, part of a series of new proposals aimed at commercial trucks and trailers (globally termed SUP - side underrun protection, aka. lateral protection). The agency published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) July 23 seeking comment on its plans to require conspicuity tape on straight trucks in addition to the extension of underride guards. The ANPRM is part of series of plans NHTSA has to place additional regulations on commercial trucks and trailers. The agency also said it is planning changes to existing safety standards that would set more stringent regulations for all types of guards, including those mounted on trailers. NHTSA said it will publish a separate notice of proposed rulemaking that would spell out plans for more demanding standards for “all guards, including guards now required for heavy trailers and semitrailers.“ For a copy of the July 23 proposal, click here. The agency is encouraging public comments. Comments can be sent to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov or mailed to: Docket Management Facility, M-30 U.S. Department of Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Rm. W12-140 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE. Washington, DC 20590.

Associated Press / August 16, 2015 Trump says he will push to end the constitutionally protected citizenship rights of children of any family living illegally inside the U.S. "They have to go," Trump said, adding: "What they're doing, they're having a baby. And then all of a sudden, nobody knows...the baby's here." Native-born children of immigrants — even those living illegally in the U.S. — have been automatically considered American citizens since the adoption of the 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution in 1868. The odds of repealing the amendment's citizenship clause would be steep, requiring the votes of two-thirds of both houses of Congress and support from three-fourths of the nation's state legislatures. Republicans in Congress have pushed without success to repeal that provision since 2011. "They're illegal," Trump said, describing native-born children of people living illegally in the US. "You either have a country or not." Trump's remarks came as his campaign website posted his program for "immigration reform." Among its details: Making Mexico pay for a permanent border wall. Mandatory deportation of all "criminal aliens." Tripling the force of immigration officers by eliminating tax credit payments to immigrant families residing illegally in the U.S. He said that families with U.S.-born children could return quickly if deemed worthy by the government. "We're going to try and bring them back rapidly, the good ones," he said, adding: "We will expedite it so people can come back in. The good people can come back." Trump said a tough deportation policy was needed because "there's definitely evidence" of crimes linked to immigrants living in the country illegally. Trump said he would waste little time rescinding President Barack Obama's executive actions aimed at allowing as many as 3.7 million immigrants living illegally in the U.S. to remain in the country because of their U.S.-born relatives. Obama's November 2014 actions were halted by temporary injunctions ordered by several federal courts in rulings challenging his executive powers to alter immigration policies without Congressional approval. The cases could lead to the U.S. Supreme Court. "We have to make a whole new set of standards," Trump said. "And when people come in, they have to come in legally." Trump's plan was endorsed by Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., who chairs a Senate subcommittee on immigration. "This is exactly the plan America needs," said Sessions. "Crucially, this plan includes an emphasis on lifting struggling minority communities, including our immigrant communities, out of poverty, by preventing corporations from bringing in new workers from overseas to replace them and drive down wages." On Sunday, Ohio Gov. John Kasich echoed Trump's call to finish construction of an incomplete system of barriers on the nation's southern border with Mexico. There are still gaps in the barriers, which have been under construction since 2005. Speaking on CBS' "Face the Nation," Kasich said he would "finish the wall" but would then work to legalize 12 million illegal immigrants now living in the U.S. (Another Obama-like plan to let illegals stay........No, the illegals all need to go! ) Kasich said he would "make sure we don't have anybody — any of the criminal element here." He would also revive the guest-worker programs that previously brought in temporary workers to aid in farming and other industries hobbled by labor shortages. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush supports an eventual plan to legalize the status of immigrant families. (Yet another plan to let the illegals stay........No, the illegals all need to go! ) Florida Sen. Marco Rubio worked with senators from both parties to develop a comprehensive plan in 2013 that would have legalized the status of many immigrant families. (And yet another politician who wants to let the illegals stay........No, the illegals all need to go! )