Chairman's Blog: Focus on Dealership Careers
AIADA Chairman Steve Gates writes in his latest column that earlier this week, he joined a panel for Capitol Hill lawmakers and their staff highlighting the incredible contributions of America’s international nameplate workforce. You can watch a recording of the event here. Simply put: dealership jobs are GOOD jobs with tremendous opportunities for advancement. Dealers are looking for employees from all backgrounds with a diverse set of skills. We need hard workers, and if you fit that description you’re going to have a bright future in a dealership. In today’s market, attracting and hiring the best possible employees is more competitive than ever. Like a lot of dealers, they are thinking outside of the box at Gates’ stores; recruiting from veterans groups, reaching out to local high schools, and always keeping our eyes peeled for untapped talent. We can help our cause by trumpeting the facts about our industry, and reminding potential hires that auto retailing can be more than a job: it can be a career that allows you to expand your skillset, raise a family, and make positive contributions to your community. Read more here.
Lawrence Kull, President of the Burns Kull Auto Group, Dies at 70
Lawrence Kull, 70, president of the Burns Kull Auto Group, died Wednesday, July 21, at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania of leukemia and prostate cancer. A longtime resident of Medford, Mr. Kull was born in Staten Island to Richard and Edith Joan Kull. After college, Mr. Kull went to work for the Xerox Corp. for five years, ending as controller of the Tarrytown branch in 1979. From there, Mr. Kull joined his father in the automobile business, starting as fixed operations director of Burns Pontiac Honda. Like his father before him, Mr. Kull progressed through the business. He was a leader in numerous professional trade organizations, including serving as chairman of the American International Automobile Dealers Association in 2014 and its director from 2008 to 2015. In 2020, he was selected by Time Magazine as the New Jersey Car Dealer of the Year. “Larry was a mensch, guided by his principles, work ethic, and warm heart,” said his daughter, Jamie Galemba. ”Larry will be remembered fondly by all who knew him for his kind and generous spirit. He was an eternal optimist with a big, bright personality.” Read more here (Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer).
Consumer Demand, Inventory Squeeze Could Last Another Year, Toyota's Carter Says
Toyota and Lexus dealers are struggling to keep up with robust consumer demand, and began July with just 38,000 new cars and light trucks in U.S. stocks – or just a six or seven-day supply. Automotive News reports that the auto industry's tight new-vehicle supplies and strong retail demand could extend almost another year because of ongoing inventory shortages and strong economic conditions, Toyota Motor North America executives said Wednesday. A chronic shortage of microchips and other supply-chain disruptions that have forced automakers to idle assembly plants – in some cases for months – have upended the industry's steady recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. J.D. Power and LMC estimated Wednesday that dealers currently have 932,000 vehicles in stock for retail sale, compared with 3.1 million units two years ago. Read more here (Source: Automotive News).
Volkswagen Lifts Margin Outlook Again After Record Profit
Europe's largest carmaker Volkswagen raised its profit margin target on Thursday for the second time in less than three months, pointing to record earnings in the first half of 2021 that topped even pre-pandemic levels. Reuters reports that spurred by Chief Executive Herbert Diess' vision to overtake Tesla as the world's top electric vehicle (EV) player, Volkswagen has unveiled a string of targets and deals this year to meet that goal. They include a bid for Europcar on Wednesday, valuing the car rental firm at 2.9 billion euros ($3.4 billion), in a bet on mobility services which Volkswagen sees as a major source of future profits. "Yes, we did buy a car rental company, but it won't be a car rental company probably in 5 to 10 years' time. It can be a big mobility platform," Diess told journalists. The 62-year old said he hadn't finished. "Our electric offensive is picking up momentum and we will keep on increasing its pace in the months to come," he said. Read more here (Source: Reuters).
Nissan 'Cannot Be Optimistic' About the Ongoing Global Chip Shortage, CEO Says
Makoto Uchida, the CEO of Nissan, said Wednesday that the global chip shortage needs to be closely monitored as supply issues are yet to be fully resolved, reports CNBC. The Japanese car manufacturer announced in May that it expected to make half a million fewer vehicles in 2021 as a result of the chip shortage. It added that it hoped to mitigate the impact in the second half of the year. “Knowing the current situation … we cannot be optimistic,” Uchida told CNBC’s “Street Signs Europe” on Wednesday. “I think this is day-by-day still.” Uchida believes the chip shortage situation will improve but he warned there are “many complexities” surrounding semiconductor suppliers as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. “We need to carefully monitor that,” he said. “We need to anticipate because nobody knows what will happen in the coming months.” Read more here (Source: CNBC).
Around the Web
Audi to Preview Future of Luxury Performance with Sky Sphere Concept [MotorAuthority]
Sales Down 20% at Auto Auctions Last Year, But Bright Spots Remain [Auto Remarketing]
These Are Some of the Best Cheap Fast Cars on Earth [HotCars]
Tom Hanks is Selling His Airstream and Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser [Autoblog]
