Mark Mandl, Collision Marketing Manager for Ford Motor Company provides an update on the F-150 collision repair program, certification and repair costs. The official announcement in January 2014 by Ford Motor Company that its 2015 Ford F-150 would include an aluminum-intensive body structure was the culmination of years of planning by the vehicle manufacturer. Moving […]
FTC Terminates Review of OEConnection Sale
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission issued an early termination notice June 16 on the Hart Scott Rodino (HSR) antitrust review of the sale by General Motors and Ford Motor Company of their stakes in OEConnection LLC. OEConnection LLC announced on June 2 that Providence Equity Partners would acquire a majority equity stake in the company. […]
Providence Equity Acquires Majority Stake in OEConnection
OEConnection LLC (OEC) announced on June 2 that Providence Equity Partners will acquire a majority equity stake in the company. Providence is a global private equity firm with $45 billion in assets under management. General Motors and Ford will each maintain a 15 percent minority stake in the. “Providence has a thorough understanding of OEC’s […]
Ford Drops Price 11% on 34 New Collision Repair Parts in Truckload Program
Ford Customer Service Division (FCSD) announced it has added 34 new parts to its Collision Parts Truckload Program, reducing list prices on those parts by an average of 11 percent. The additions include parts for the popular F-series, Edge, Fusion, Escape and Explorer vehicle lines. “For nearly 20 years, the Truckload Program has played an […]
Pickups Struggle in IIHS Small Overlap Test
Ford F-150 gets lone good rating for small overlap protection. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) released crash test results today for pickup trucks. Three out of seven large pickup trucks IIHS evaluated in a new round of crash tests earn an acceptable or higher rating for occupant protection in a small overlap front […]
Ford Conducts First Snow Tests of Autonomous Vehicles
Vehicle manufacturer views tests in winter a major step toward fully-autonomous driving. Ford is conducting what it says are the industry’s first autonomous vehicle tests in snow-covered environments – a major step in the company’s plan to bring fully autonomous vehicles to millions of customers worldwide. Ford is conducting what it says are the industry’s […]
Ford to Begin Autonomous Vehicle Testing on California Roads
Fully autonomous Ford Fusion Hybrid sedans are taking to California streets next year, as Ford Research and Innovation Center Palo Alto continues growing. Ford (NYSE:F) is officially enrolled in the California Autonomous Vehicle Testing Program to test autonomous vehicles on public roads. The testing is further advancement of Ford’s 10-year autonomous vehicle development program and […]
Ford Approves Chief Fume and Dust Extractors for Aluminum F-150 Collision Repair
Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) has approved Chief’s new weld fume extractor and dust extractor for use when repairing collision damage on the aluminum-bodied F-150 pickup truck. The two shop tools are the latest additions to the list of approved Chief collision repair products available through the Ford Rotunda Dealer Equipment program. “Properly repairing collision-damaged aluminum […]
ABPA Files Lawsuit Seeking to Overturn Ford Design Patents
Seeks to have body repair part design patents ruled invalid. Alleges Ford uses patents to limit distribution and increase cost of repair parts. On November 25, the Automotive Body Parts Association (ABPA) filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas against Ford Global Technologies, LLC that seeks to […]
LKQ Makes Deal to Sell Copies of Patented Ford Crash Parts
A settlement agreement was reached Wednesday between Ford Motor Company and LKQ Corporation in the litigation filed by Ford to protect its design patents on collision parts. The settlement provides that LKQ will not challenge the validity and enforceability of Ford’s design patents during the term of the agreement. In exchange, LKQ will become the […]