(March 20, 2009) -- The audience got its first glimpse of LightForm as Grote walked around the room, holding an illuminated sheet of paper-thin material, which he flexed, bent, twisted and rolled. As Grote moved past the rows of onlookers, he was unencumbered by any visible cord, because the LightForm product he held required so little energy that it was able to be fully illuminated by a small handheld battery pack.

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(March 20, 2009) -- The new limited lifetime air spring warranty states the company's Ride-Rite Air Helper Spring Assembly will perform according to the manufacturer's specifications for as long as the vehicle on which the system was originally installed is owned by the original retail purchaser. This warranty supersedes Firestone's previous product warranty to clarify the limited lifetime clause. In addition, the company will handle warranty claims directly to improve customer service and warranty turn-around time.

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(March 19, 2009) -- Dealers across North America are scratching their heads today wondering what else can be done to prevent them from acquiring RV inventory, or selling units to consumers. Several leading lending institutions announced policy changes this week that make it nearly impossible for dealers to sell RVs from certain manufacturers, dealers across the country told RV Industry News.

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(March 19, 2009) -- Cummins unveiled the ISX15 which will provide better fuel economy, better performance and better reliability compared to today’s industry-leading ISX engine. The ISX15 features the Cummins XPI fuel system, an enhanced cooled-EGR system, a single VGT Turbocharger and the new Cummins Aftertreatment System that incorporates Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) catalyst technology together with the Cummins Particulate Filter that was introduced in 2007.

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(March 19, 2009) -- A leader of a national union urged Cummins Rocky Mount Engine Workers on Wednesday to band together to fight for their rights after 179 full-time employees were let go. Speaking to about 40 Cummins workers at the Bloomer Hill Community Center in Whitakers, union officials urged Cummins workers to stand up to the company.

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(March 18, 2009) -- EcoLogo's stringent criteria require a holding tank additive to control odors and help decrease waste materials, as well as being biologically-based and non-toxic. It must not harm humans, riparian or aquatic species, not accumulate in the environment, have limited surfactants that are biodegradable and be effective and safe to use.

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(March 18, 2009) -- CLUB-W members will receive priority service at rallies, priority email/technical support, special rebates and coupons, an exclusive CLUB-W E-Newsletter, invitations to CLUB-W events, and entry into special prize drawings.

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(March 18, 2009) -- Police believe vandals fired a high-caliber BB or pellet gun into about 10 windows, causing up to $20,000 damage, at the under-construction Cummins offices on Third Street.

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(March 15, 2009) -- “We are making surges in the van-conversion industry, party limos, and the shuttle-bus industry right now,” said Dan Maloney,vice president of sales at MITO. “The toy-hauler industry, which contains a completely different demographic than what we are used to seeing, is also very strong for us right now.”

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(March 18, 2009) -- Cummins Rocky Mount Engine Plant employees who are members of a statewide worker’s union want the plant to promise to rehire 179 employees if business picks up. But the company is not agreeing to the request, noting that the employees are not part of a plant wide union with a collective bargaining agreement with Cummins.

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(March 17, 2009) -- The promising 19-year old driver has been chosen to represent Nationwide Insurance in conjunction with NASCAR’s “Drive for Diversity” initiative, which is further diversifying the sport by providing opportunities to minority and female competitors.

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(March 17, 2009) -- The RV Resort WiFi provider will lead continuing education seminars to help RV parks increase guest referrals with WiFi, eliminate park liability for online consumer activities and use WiFi to support new park services.

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(March 17, 2009) -- “What we would like to do is use the tax abatement to bring in equipment to help support expansion in the Elkhart area in two areas — in hardware, and another one, window production,” explained Atwood president Tim Stephens. “We're having to close a factory in West Union, Iowa to accommodate this unfortunately."

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(March 17, 2009) -- Cummins Inc. announced yesterday that it has received the highest possible rating for its corporate governance practices from GovernanceMetrics International (GMI). Cummins was one of just 43, or 1 percent of the companies rated, that received GMI’s highest rating of 10.0.

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(March 17, 2009) -- Flexsteel Industries announced that it has joined force with The Evanosky Foundation and its House of Hope project. The Evanosky Foundation’s House of Hope is a home away from home for families with children with metabolic disorders who are going through the transplant process at Duke University Children's Hospital.

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(March 16, 2009) -- Effective June 1, Martin Daum will become head of Daimler Trucks North America to replace Chris Patterson. Daum is currently head of Operations at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Woerth, Germany and has been with the Daimler Group for more than 20 years.

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(March 16, 2009) -- Leveling jacks and slideouts lead the Coach-Net Top Ten RV Fixes for 2008 list, which tallies the items that generated the most phone calls in 2008 for Coach-Net assistance regarding coach- and towable-related components.

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(March 16, 2009) -- RV dealers and campgrounds that require a listing software to list their inventory on their own website, can now use UtradeRV’s technology for free. UtradeRV will integrate its software at no cost into any dealer’s or campground’s website.

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(March 16, 2009) -- In accordance with the NYSE's continued listing criteria, TriMas intends to submit a plan to the NYSE within the required 45-day period demonstrating how it plans to comply with the NYSE's continued listing standards.

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(March 16, 2009) -- It's been a tough year for many companies, and NTP Distribution is no exception as the RV market continues to contract. However, the wholesale distribution company is doing well relative to its competition, said Mark Jenson, vice president of marketing.

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(March 16, 2009) -- But the impact of the near collapse of the RV industry in Lane County hasn’t been the same for all of the companies that previously grew along with the RV makers. Some of them say they’ve diversified enough that they’ve not been hurt too badly by the erosion of RV manufacturing. Others say they have had to lay off workers and scramble to find new business.

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(March 13, 2009) -- Bob Carnahan served as publisher of the magazine since December 2007. Darci Reich had been with the publication since May 2006. Both Carnahan and Reich left their positions earlier this week. The reasons for the departures haven't been revealed.

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(March 13, 2009) -- “We get requests all the time from customers asking for help transitioning to menu selling, so we knew this would be a great place to begin”, says Mike Martin, Quantech Software general manager. “We have a lot of menu selling expertise both from attending training sessions all over the country and from working with hundreds of dealerships using our QMenus software.”

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(March 13, 2009) -- SBA Associate Administrator for Capital Access Eric Zarnikow will help small business owners get answers to their questions about what the Recovery Act means for the nation's small businesses. The Recovery Act is a national effort to grow the U.S. economy by stimulating job creation, freeing credit markets, and investing in small business.

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(March 13, 2009) -- Ricon Corp., a manufacturer of wheelchair lifts and ramps for commercial, paratransit, motorcoach and passenger rail vehicles, is expanding its local distribution facility to include assembly. Currently the lifts are built at Ricon's main plant in California and then shipped to the Elkhart facility. While the distribution side of the business will continue in Elkhart, the assembly as well as the testing and packaging segments will begin.

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(March 13, 2009) -- The company laid off 180 full-time employees and 210 temporary employees due to sagging engine sales as a result of the recession, said Mark Land, a spokesman for Cummins Inc. After the layoffs, the company still employs 1,100 workers.

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(March 12, 2009) -- At the conglomerate's troubled GE Capital unit, the rating was dropped to A from A+. The financial arm is facing write downs from its consumer and commercial loan businesses, as well as from its real estate assets.

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(March 12, 2009) -- Parents use the Spot Me ID waterproof permanent marker to write their cell phone number and name on these easy-to-recognize safety products. The cartoonish bracelets and lanyards feature an animated dog named Spot, who winks, wags his tail, and waves. The temporary tattoos depict a Spot the dog with an area to write in a cell phone number and parent’s name. They are non-toxic, FDA approved, and will last days even when wet.

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(March 11, 2009) -- EFEC is a voluntary environmental program for furniture manufacturers, which serves as a platform for continuous environmental improvement through the enhanced management of resources such as raw materials and energy conservation while reducing a company's environmental impact.

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(March 11, 2009) -- The three-day Financial Career Development “Back to Basics” seminar takes place April 7-9 in Portland, Ore. Those people who cannot be away from the dealership for three days may take advantage of Kelly's April 13 web seminar specials.

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(March 11, 2009) -- "How to Dominate the RV Internet: An Interactive Guide for RV Dealers to Increase Website Traffic, Leads and Sales" went on sale yesterday, Morgan said. Buying the book also gives readers access to a "members only" website where they can watch video tutorials and tap into web optimization tools. Buying the book ensures that readers receive Morgan's regular newsletter to help them stay informed about new trends in web marketing and sales.

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(March 11, 2009) -- An RV Clip is an animated slide show accompanied by spoken text and music. Each clip features photographs of the RV for sale, panned over for a video-like effect. A voice-over describes the RV’s features, its location and selling price, all set to upbeat background music.

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(March 10, 2009) -- In a new "Bottom Rung" list, credit ratings agency Moody's names 283 American companies that it says may file for insolvency in the medium term.

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(March 10, 2009) -- Though time is running out, Country Coach isn’t giving up yet, CEO Jay Howard said Friday. “We have a compelling business plan going through reorganization,” he said. “The optimum solution for the company and these employees and unsecured creditors and the bank and the current investment group is to reach an agreement that provides financing for the company to go forward.”

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(March 10, 2009) -- With such a large portion of their revenue in jeopardy, Shuan Davis said his company, Davis Cabinents, is getting creative and taking the cabinets on the road. He said he's logged thousands of miles since January driving from RV show to RV show from California to Florida and back again. Another portion of their profits come from people wanting to refurnish RV's they already own and Davis hopes to reach out to those customers.

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(March 10, 2009) -- Some of the larger firms in Elkhart County are owed anywhere from millions of dollars to hundreds of dollars and that doesn't include some of the smaller firms in the area — companies like Henschen Oil in Nappanee could be left high and dry.

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(March 10, 2009) -- More than 200 workers will be laid off by fall when Cequent Trailer Products moves production from its Mosiness plan to other facilities.

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(March 10, 2009) -- Sales in the RV & trailer products and recreational accessories segments declined 12.2 percent and 12.1 percent, respectively, due to lower demand as a result of reduced consumer discretionary spending and current economic uncertainty. Sales for the fourth quarter and full year decreased 30.5 percent and 12.2 percent, respectively, as growth in the Australian business was more than offset by the continued weak demand in most end markets in the United States.

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(March 9, 2009) -- The new door design is pre-cambered through a unique process that contributes to weight reduction.

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(March 9, 2009) -- FTCA, Inc., manufacturer of Coleman Camping Trailers, launched its website (www.colemantrailers.com) in late 2008, was designed and developed by The Karcher Group. The site includes innovative features like a video gallery, floor plans, dealer portal, specs and photos, and more. The two companies say they look forward to announcing more projects in the first half of 2009.

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(March 9, 2009) -- Dozens of companies supplied Monaco and Country Coach with paint, glass and other parts. Now, their futures are uncertain. The rest of the Swensons' business depends on small body shops. Monaco's bankruptcy could mean some suppliers won't get paid. But Dave Swenson says it's a drop in the bucket compared to how much their company, Automotive Paint Industrial, made from the boom.

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(March 9, 2009) -- Winegard's new Carryout Automatic Portable Satellite TV Antenna will be available at RV dealerships and retailers starting March 16. At only 15.6 iches high and 20 inches in diameter, the company said it is the most compact automatic portable satellite TV antenna on the market.

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(March 9, 2009) -- Channel Blade’s ePro Mobile helps RV dealers and OEMs capitalize on this mobile search trend. Salespeople now have the ability to immediately access inventory, review specials, compare RV models and answer buyers’ questions in seconds -– wherever the opportunity may arise.

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(March 6, 2009) -- "As a leading insurance provider to the rapidly-growing power sports and RV markets, GEICO is committed to the safety and security of our customers and their equipment," states Thomas Garner, director of GEICO's Power Sports division. "Celevoke's innovative solutions add an extra layer of peace of mind and security which is a real win-win for GEICO customers."

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(March 6, 2009) -- Northeast Marketing Associates was chosen from a tightly contested pack of talented representative groups by scoring high marks across all categories of criteria, said Stephanie Schamne, with EternaBond's sales and marketing department. "Northeast Marketing Associates provides optimum sales representation for manufacturers of commercial and residential roofing products and relating building materials," she said.

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(March 6, 2009) -- Its largest unsecured creditors are Custom Chassis Products of Elkhart, Ind., which is owed $6.8 million, and Quality Enterprises USA, a utility installation contractor in Naples, Fla., which is owed $2.68 million. Local unsecured creditors include API Inc., a distributor of automotive paint and industrial supplies in Eugene, which is owed $594,476; Industrial Finishes Inc., a Eugene supplier of paint and other finishes, which is owed $427,984; and Guaranty RV, a Junction City RV dealer, which is owed $334,028.

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(March 5, 2009) -- These new adapters feature a unique handle that makes plug extraction effortless. When not in use, the handle stores flat against the plug. A yellow cord makes the adapter more visible.

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(March 5, 2009) -- Combining the comforts of home-like styling with simple installation, Thetford Corporation offers its attractive ComfortMate Toilet. With a residential-sized seat and a compact footprint, this toilet effortlessly fits into the tightest of spaces on recreational vehicles.

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(March 5, 2009) -- Folding Porta-Botes are specifically designed for the RV boating enthusiast who enjoys fishing, hunting and sailing but lacks the space to store ordinary boats in his RV. They are extremely practical for owners of RVs since they easily stow on the side or roof of the vehicle. By eliminating the need to tow a heavy trailer, fuel costs are significantly reduced.

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(March 4, 2009) -- Qualified customers purchasing an RV at Camping World of New Hampshire in Chichester will also receive an "Ultimate Race Weekend" package. The package includes an RV parking spot at the track and two tickets for all three days of the race weekend.

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