Michelin to buy telematics provider NexTraq

Global tire maker Michelin has agreed to acquire NexTraq, a U.S. provider of commercial fleet telematics services, from its parent company, FLEETCOR Technologies, Inc., in an all-cash transaction.

“Telematics and fleet management services are a rapidly growing category worldwide and an important area of Michelin Group's overall business plans,” said Ralph Dimenna, COO for Michelin Americas Truck Tires, the heavy truck unit of Michelin North America, in a statement.

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New aftermarket collision avoidance system unveiled

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Michelin to launch new regional drive tire

MONTREAL, QUE. Michelin is getting ready to launch a new regional drive tire on July 1 that it expects will trump its previous regional drive tires and be more in line with what fleets want.

Ralph Dimenna, COO of Michelin Americas, truck tires, told Fleet Owner during Michelin's Movin On mobile sustainability event in Montreal that the new regional drive tire is an effort to reclaim some share in a part of the market where it hasn't quite delivered the optimal product for fleets.

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Michelin Taking Long View of Sustainable Transportation

Michelin CEO Jean-Dominique Senard (right) welcomes attendees to Movin' On conference as Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre looks on. Photo: Michelin

MONTREAL. As Ralph Dimenna, chief operating officer of Michelin Americas Truck Tires, sees it, the Movin' On sustainability conference that the global tire maker is hosting here this week aims “to promote free thinking” to help address the various issues now impacting transport mobility across the globe.

“Whether it's a group of people baking a cake [which was happening just around the corner from where Dimenna spoke with HDT at the event] or people taking part in a human-centered workshop here, the goal is getting a variety of people thinking and talking about new solutions.”

Indeed, in his opening address to the conference, Michelin CEO Jean-Dominque Senard said that far from being a slogan, “'Movin' On' is instead a call to action-- collective, optimistic, technologically demanding action in phase with the 21st century and with the challenges that we must meet.”

Senard also said that Michelin is “open to the collaborative world, without borders. A more connected world that invites people to work together more closely. We believe in a range of highly efficient mobility solutions that are adapted to everyone's needs. Movin'On and our active participation show that we are not content to talk about sustainable mobility. Rather, we are building it.”

Dimenna pointed out that Michelin is “taking a very long view of sustainable mobility” and therefore it intends “not to get caught up in the short-term political environment,” which has seen the U.S. under the Trump administration pull back from its commitment to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases that are contributing to global warming.

Rather, he framed the issue as much as anything through the lens of business acumen, stating that “making transportation more efficient is our goal. And we need to ...Read the rest of this story

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Boeing to restructure defense, space unit

Boeing Co said on Tuesday it would restructure its defense, space and security (BDS) division into smaller units and cut about 50 executive positions, as the world's largest plane maker seeks to make its business more responsive to customers. All will report to BDS Chief Executive Leanne Caret. The executives to be cut represent a layer of middle management in between senior officials and each individual business unit.

ROUSH CleanTech Offers Propane Autogas Medium-Duty Truck

Photo courtesy of ROUSH CleanTech.

ROUSH CleanTech will begin offering medium-duty trucks powered by a propane autogas powertrain that's 75% cleaner than the current emissions standard and has been approved for use by regulators, according to the company.

The Livonia, Mich.-based vehicle modifier will also make the system available for Blue Bird buses. The engines have been certified by the Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board and emit a nitrogen oxide (NOx) level of 0.05 grams per brake horsepower per hour.

"ROUSH CleanTech's low NOx engine is a great step forward for the propane industry," said Tucker Perkins, president of the Propane Education & Research Council. "Propane autogas is well established as an economical, clean-burning and domestically produced alternative fuel ideal for fleets."

The vehicle is powered by the 6.8-liter V-10 3V engine used in Ford vehicles. The engine is converted to run on propane autogas.

Related: Food and Beverage Fleets Choose Propane Autogas

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