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Mercedes to sell Sprinter through its own stores, jettisons Dodge dealers

Diana T. Kurylko
and Bradford Wernle
Automotive News
September 1, 2009 – 3:09 pm ET
UPDATED: 9/1/09 4:04 p.m. ET

MONTVALE, N.J. — Mercedes-Benz USA is getting back into the commercial van business Jan. 1 and will appoint up to 120 dealers to sell Sprinter vehicles.

That means Mercedes will yank the Sprinter from nearly 350 Dodge dealers who now carry the van.

The vans will be sold by the newly created Daimler Vans USA, which is sharing headquarters with the car division here.

Contracts will be terminated by Jan. 1 with the nearly 350 Dodge dealers who sell most of Daimler’s Sprinter vans in the United States. The Dodge version of the Sprinter will be discontinued, said Ernst Lieb, CEO of MB USA.

Dodge has been selling the Sprinter since 2003.

About 45 Freightliner dealers who have the Sprinter franchise will continue to sell the Sprinter as a Freightliner, Lieb said. Beginning 2010, Sprinters sold by Mercedes-Benz dealers in the United States and Canada will be branded as Mercedes vehicles.

In January, the Sprinter will be launched with a 3.0-liter, V-6 common rail diesel that currently is used in the Mercedes-Benz M and GL SUVs and sold in all 50-states.

Freightliner or Dodge

When Daimler launched the Sprinter in the United States in 2001, it was branded either a Freightliner or a Dodge because U.S. buyers didn’t know the vehicle, said Lieb.

“It has now established itself,” he said.

Claus Tritt has been appointed general manager of the new van unit. He previously worked at the van division for the now-defunct DaimlerChrysler in Auburn Hills.

The Sprinter is assembled at a semi-knockdown factory in Ladsen, S. C., which has a capacity of 32,000 units a year, said Tritt.

Freightliner dealers who also handle Daimler’s commercial vehicles in the United States have a separate Sprinter franchise. They account for about 30 percent of Sprinter sales.

That means U.S. Mercedes dealers could sell about 18,000 Sprinters annually.

Lieb said Mercedes-Benz will approach dealers about taking the Sprinter franchise “based on their potential in the market.”

Said Lieb: “We are dealing with a product that has been sold for nine years here, so we know where it sells best and in what market we can pinpoint where we need a dealer.”

Pelican Remote Area Lighting Systems (RALS)

9450B_fullview
94609430

Canyonwest RALS

Canyonwest Cases “Rolls Out” Emergency Lighting

Fountain Hills, Arizona, September 22, 2009 — Get all the light you need – when and where you need it – with Pelican™ Products new Remote Area Lighting System (RALS). And Canyonwest Cases (http://www.CanyonwestCases.com) is making them available to Police and Fire departments, the military and anyone needing dependable, long-lasting light.

These efficient and powerful Remote Area Lighting Systems (with and without wheels) provide convenient and ecologically responsible alternatives to wasteful generator powered lights, and are available in four models:

· 9430: The 9430 RALS is a completely portable, high-performance light that can be trusted to illuminate work or rescue areas in all weather conditions. Weigh is only 22 pounds, its 360-degree swivel mast telescopes to nearly three feet, throwing the light’s 2,000 lumens over a wide area. The maintenance-free LED array is powered by a 15-hour rechargeable battery. Available from Canyonwest Cases immediately for $546.00, MSRP is $800.00.

Pro-gard Products acquires AOI Electrical

 

Pro-gard Products acquires AOI Electrical

Broadens Portfolio of Vehicle Safety Equipment with Airbag Control Switches

INDIANAPOLIS, IN., September 7, 2009 — Pro-gard Products, LLC, a leading manufacturer and supplier of law enforcement vehicle equipment, announced today that it has completed its acquisition of AOI Electrical, Inc., the leading manufacturer and supplier of air-bag control (on/off) switches. The acquisition brings together two trusted and leading companies in the law enforcement industry to better serve their customers in an evolving market. AOI Electrical will operate as a subsidiary of Pro-gard Products.
Mike Navarro, General Manager at Pro-gard, states “The acquisition of AOI allows Pro-gard to offer multiple airbag solutions and ensures that it will continue to meet the demands of law enforcement agencies around the country. With the evolution of airbags, especially side curtain airbags, compatibility with aftermarket vehicle prisoner partitions has been a major concern for agencies. Combining AOI’s airbag control switches with Pro-gard’s vehicle partitions will provide law enforcement agencies complete protection from the equipment they need to do their job.”
AOI Electrical is the leading manufacturer and supplier of airbag control switches and products for all makes and models of domestic and import vehicles. Since 1998, AOI has provided airbag control switches to the law enforcement, mobility and general public markets. AOI has been an innovator, and its patented switch and plug-and-play designs have allowed the company to keep current with airbag technology and become the industry standard for airbag control switches. For more information about AOI and its products, please visit www.aoielectrical.com or call 1-800-480-6680.
Founded in 1968 and based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Pro-gard is a leading manufacturer and supplier of innovative and dependable law enforcement vehicle equipment, including vehicle prisoner partitions, gun racks, ballistic door panels, ABS seats, cargo cabinets, push bumpers, window armor, organizers, ballistic ticket boards, and skid plates. Its employees take pride in the craftsmanship and quality that goes into making Pro-gard’s products the safest and most reliable in the industry. Pro-gard offers its products throughout the United States and overseas.  Pro-gard is capable of providing everything its customers need to protect themselves and their vehicle from the uncertainties that happen each and every day. For more information about Pro-gard, and why more and more law enforcement agencies are turning to the Company each year for protection equipment, please visit www.pro-gard.com or call 1-800-480-6680.

Contact:
Mike Navarro, General Manager
Pro-gard Products, LLC
800-480-6680
mike@pro-gard.com
www.pro-gard.com