Cars-Automobile News

UNTERPREMSTAETTEN, Austria austriamicrosystems (SIX:AMS), a leading global designer and manufacturer of high performance analog ICs for communications, industrial, medical and automotive applications expanded its low dropout regulator portfolio with the dual LDO AS1374, capable of delivering up to 200mA continuous load current at each output.

LAS VEGAS Shelby Automobiles, a wholly owned subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International Inc. (Pink Sheets:CSBI), will return in 2010 as the sponsor of the NASCAR Sprint Cup event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

LOWELL, Ark. J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: JBHT) announced today that Kirk Thompson, President and Chief Executive Officer for J.B. Hunt, will present to the investment community at the following upcoming conferences:

CLEVELAND Ferro Corporation (NYSE: FOE) announced today that it has closed on its previously announced common stock offering. The total number of shares sold was 41,112,500, including 5,362,500 shares issued in connection with the exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option to purchase additional shares.

ATLANTA & STUTTGART, Germany The Supervisory Board of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, today appointed Lutz Meschke (43) a Member of the Executive Board as the new Executive Vice President Financial Affairs, Porsche AG. The appointment takes effect immediately.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. The Hot Springs Intermediate School, located in Hot Springs, Arkansas, may appear to be an everyday, two-story school. But in taking a closer look at the aluminum, glass and brick building it is apparent that there is much more to the building than meets the eye.

PHOENIX Seatbelt airbags are making headlines: yesterday Ford Motor Co. announced it plans to introduce seatbelt airbags in the back seat of the 2011 Ford Explorer. Last week, a new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulation took effect that is prompting many airlines to install seatbelt airbags in new aircraft to meet compliance.

TOKYO Masami Iijima, CEO of Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (TOKYO:8031)(NASDAQ:MITSY)(ISIN:JP3893600001) hosted an analyst conference on Thursday November 5, 2009 to announce financial results for the six-month period ended September 30, 2009. An audio webcast of this conference is now available at: http://www.mitsui.co.jp/en/ir/meeting/account/index.html

CHICAGO FreightCar America, Inc. (NASDAQ: RAIL) today reported net income of $1.1 million, or $0.09 per diluted share, for the three months ended September 30, 2009 on revenues of $55.1 million. For the second quarter of 2009, the Company generated sales of $104.3 million and net income of $7.0 million, or $0.59 per diluted share. For the third quarter of 2008, the Company generated sales of $238 million and net income of $10.0 million, or $0.85 per diluted share.

AURORA, Ill. Chicago has more AAA Five Diamond-rated restaurants than any other city in the country. With seven Five Diamond restaurants, Chicago tops the list in the ultimate dining experience. Chicago also has nine total Five Diamond establishments, including two hotels, making Illinois fifth among the states with the most Five Diamond establishments.

OSHKOSH, Wis. Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) announced today that its management will participate in the Baird 2009 Industrial Conference being held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009.

VAN NUYS, Calif. Superior Industries International, Inc. (NYSE:SUP) today announced a reduced net loss of $12.7 million, or $0.48 per share, for the third quarter of 2009, compared with a net loss of $14.2 million, or $0.53 per share, for the third quarter of 2008.

SASKATOON, Saskatchewan Littelfuse Startco recently celebrated the grand opening of its new facility in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Among the attendees were members of the local government, more than 150 customers, representation from the world’s leading mining companies including PotashCorp, Agrium, Mosaic and BHP Billiton, as well as executives and associates of Littelfuse, Inc.

KENOSHA, Wis. The Snap-on Incorporated (NYSE: SNA) board of directors declared today a quarterly common stock dividend of $0.30 per share payable December 7, 2009 to shareholders of record on November 16, 2009. Snap-on has paid consecutive quarterly cash dividends, without interruption or reduction, since 1939.

BUFFALO, N.Y. Gibraltar Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROCK), a leading manufacturer, processor, and distributor of products for the building, industrial, and vehicular markets, today announced that it is scheduled to present at Robert W. Baird & Company’s 39^th Annual Industrial Conference in Chicago, IL.

WEST NYACK, N.Y. General Bearing Corporation (OTC: GNRL.PK) announced today that the Company has released the attached unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the thirty – nine weeks ending October 3, 2009. The aforementioned interim financial statements are also available on the Company’s website at www.generalbearing.com.

FREDERICK, Colo. UQM TECHNOLOGIES, INC. (NYSE Amex: UQM), a developer of alternative energy technologies, announced today operating results for the quarter and six month period ended September 30, 2009.

INDIANAPOLIS FinishMaster, Inc. (Pink Sheets: FMST) today reported net income for the quarter ended September 30, 2009 of $2,996,000, or $0.38 per diluted share, compared with net income of $4,754,000, or $0.60 per diluted share, in the prior year period. For the nine months ended September 30, 2009, net income was $9,300,000, or $1.18 per diluted share, compared to net income of $16,388,000, or $2.08 per diluted share, in the prior year period. Affecting the comparability of the Company’s year-to-date financial performance and favorably impacting 2008 results by $0.40 per diluted share was the receipt of $5,224,000 in proceeds from the settlement of a lawsuit. After considering the impact of this item, comparable year-to-date net income declined from $1.68 per diluted share in 2008 to $1.18 per diluted share in 2009.

BOSTON AAA, the nation’s largest organization for motorists and leisure travelers, has implemented smartFOCUS’s full suite of marketing software to increase cross-sell and up-sell opportunities across the association’s more than 51 million members.

NEW YORK A recent Sibson Consulting survey of U.S.-based multinational companies found that nearly two-thirds of the companies surveyed are maintaining or increasing the size of their expatriate workforce while one-third are decreasing this segment of their workforce.

SEFFNER, Fla. Lazy Days’ R.V. Center, Inc. (the “Company”) today announced it has received the requisite approvals from its lenders and bondholders to move ahead with its previously announced debt restructuring plan. The restructuring plan is expected to eliminate all of the Company’s $137 million of bond debt, reducing its annual cash interest costs by approximately $16.2 million through the elimination of bond interest payments. The Company’s ongoing cash interest expense will be approximately $3 million incurred on its vehicle financing line, representing a reduction of 84% in annual cash interest expense from a total of $19.2 million prior to the restructuring.

LOWELL, Ark. J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. (NASDAQ:JBHT) announced today that it has reached an agreement with Norfolk Southern Corp. (NSC) to develop a new intermodal transportation contract to provide both parties a platform to accelerate the conversion of traditional truck traffic to cost effective, environmentally friendly intermodal transportation with service that is competitive with truckload moves. This multi-year agreement will further establish the parties as the leading providers of transcontinental and local intermodal service in the eastern half of the United States.

LAS VEGAS Soon to be available for the first time in the U.S., Coyote Systems is pleased to unveil the world’s first real-time speed and red-light camera alert systems, the mini Coyote and iCoyote for the iPhone, at SEMA 2009.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. Tenneco (NYSE: TEN) will participate in the 2009 Citi North American Credit Conference to be held in New York, on Wednesday, November 18, 2009. Tenneco’s Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer, Gregg Sherrill, will present at 9:30 a.m. ET.

CINCINNATI Datalliance, the leading independent supplier of Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) services, today announced that Gates Corporation (Gates), one of the world’s leading manufacturers of industrial and automotive products, systems and components, has selected Datalliance VMI for their Vendor Managed Inventory program. Gates has operations in 25 countries and in every major industrial and automotive market and is part of the Industrial & Automotive group of Tomkins plc, a global engineering group.

CONCORD, Ontario November 5th, 2009. Environmental Solutions Worldwide Inc. (ESW) (OTCBB: ESWW) (Frankfurt Stock Exchange FWB: EOW) through its wholly own subsidiary ESW Canada, is pleased to update shareholders of the Company’s Therma Cat™ Active Level III Plus catalyst sales in the California (CA) market.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. InsideLine.com, the most-read automotive enthusiast Web site, has kicked off its coverage of the 2009 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show, an annual trade show held in Las Vegas featuring every automotive accessory imaginable.

SAN FRANCISCO Honk, a social platform for car shoppers that gathers and shares opinions and insights from like-minded people, today launches its website at www.honk.com. Honk’s first Facebook application, “Cars I’ve Owned,” is set to launch next week. Honk’s goal is to make the process of discovering cars simple, social, and most of all, fun.

LOS ANGELES B. Riley & Co., LLC, a full service investment bank specializing in the needs of middle market, publicly traded companies and institutional investors, continues expansion with the announcement of hires in its Southern California offices, according to Tom Kelleher, Chief Executive Officer.

CHICAGO While speeding behind the wheel is a definite don’t, it’s full-speed ahead for GEICO and the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana with the DASHboard safety program.