Tint World Conroe TX Roars Into ‘24

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CONROE, TX (01.18.24) – Tint World Automotive Styling Centers recently continued their expansion in Texas with the opening of the state’s 23rd franchise location in Conroe one month ago.

As Tint World Conroe completed its first month owner Mykel Walker, a serial entrepreneur with 16 years of experience managing luxury car dealerships, provided a recap.

The new Tint World building in Conroe, along with the new HUMMER out front, draw the attention of consumers on the street.
The sparkling showroom, in distinctive Tint World colors, welcomes consumers.

“Our first month was very positive. Members of the community were very pleased to see our new store. As a longtime car enthusiast and automotive professional, I felt it was time to combine my passion for cars with my entrepreneurial spirit. Opening this Tint World franchise was a great choice for me. The leadership and franchise training team at Tint World were first class to get us rolling. I look forward to infusing the accuracy and attention to detail synonymous with luxury vehicles into Tint World’s world-class service offerings in this store” Walker related.

Owner Mykel Walker removing a decal cover when the showroom was coming together.
Larue is shown in the Install bay applying ceramic coating to this vehicle.

The new Tint World serves the greater Conroe area with the national franchise’s premier automotive styling products and services, including premium window tinting, paint protection films, ceramic coatings, car audio, security systems, in-vehicle connectivity, accessories, custom wheels and tires, detailing services and much more.

Robert is working carefully on this window tint installation.
The spacious install area provides ample room to protect high dollar vehicles.

“Window tinting, even in the winter, was a strong seller along with paint protection and ceramic coating activity. As we roll into spring those categories will continue to grow along with the car audio and other categories” Walker concluded.

The Tint World Conroe location utilizes a variety of social media platforms pus Google Maps to create awareness and connect with followers and consumers.

Tint World Conroe, located at 607 FM 3083 Rd W204, Conroe, TX 77301, also serves the Montgomery, New Waverly, Cold Springs, Willis, and Cleveland areas. To book an appointment, request a quote, or find out more about the store and its products and services, call (281) 812-3800 or visit https://www.tintworld.com/locations/tx/conroe-131/.

Massive Audio Introduces The EQ5XP Equalizer

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LOS ANGELES, CA (01.18.24) – Massive Audio is shipping the all-new Massive Audio EQ5XP.

John Velez, related, “This new product is our most high quality, full featured and easy to use equalizer yet! The EQ5XP is the full system solution when it comes to balancing frequencies for the entire system quickly and at the user’s fingertips. All in a simple and compact set-up.”

John Velez is pictured in the Massive Audio warehouse showcasing the new EQ5XP equalizer. The KnowledgeFest booth backdrop is shown behind Velez in this image.

Continuing “A big feature the EQ5XP has, that most in-dash EQs don’t have, is that the EQ5XP has 6 channels out. This mean the front 4 channels and the subwoofer signal are separated and individually controllable. This is an important feature as the user will have quick access to subwoofer volume… totally separate from the rest of the system.” The EQ5XP has MSRP $289.98.

The MASSIVE AUDIO Knowledgefest booth setup pictured in the company’s Los Angeles warehouse.

Massive Audio will showcase this new product plus the company’s complete 2024 line at the Las Vegas KnowledgeFest at The Paris Hotel in Booth 113 on the event floor from February 2nd through 4th. In-booth raffles for Massive Audio products will also be offered for the 3 days of the event.

Visit massiveaudio.com for more.

VIPAR Heavy Duty Family of Companies Sponsoring Northwood University Students at HDAW

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HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL (01.18.24) – The VIPAR Heavy Duty Family of Companies will sponsor two Northwood University students during Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week (HDAW), providing hands-on experience and an immersive deep-dive into the aftermarket, as part of a program that began in 2015.

“HDAW provides a near 360-degree perspective on the scale and scope of the aftermarket – including the many diverse and fulfilling career opportunities within it,” said Jeff Paul, VIPAR Heavy Duty Family of Companies’ vice president of marketing. “The program is very successful with introducing exceptionally talented students to the companies and people that make this such a great industry. We’re proud of our longstanding partnership with Northwood University and contributing to help foster future generations of aftermarket leadership.”

The Northwood University students being sponsored by the company this year are:

  • Jack Foster of Commerce, Mich., a junior majoring in Aftermarket Automotive Marketing & Management and co-founder of Limitless Productions, a content development company.
  • Alexander Mazon of New York, a senior majoring in Automotive Marketing and Management, currently serving as the general chair for the Northwood University International Auto Show.

During HDAW (Jan. 22-25, in Grapevine, Texas), Foster and Mazon will assist with helping visitors at the VIPAR Heavy Duty Family of Companies’ booth (#1146) during the Product Expo, attend meeting and networking functions with distributors and supplier partners, and experience the show floor and many educational sessions.

In addition to sponsoring Foster and Mazon, the VIPAR Heavy Duty Family of Companies will sponsor the Leaders of Tomorrow program on Jan. 22. This networking event helps attendees create new and strengthen existing business relationships, as well as learn ways to advance their heavy duty careers. The company will also sponsor HDAW’s new HDAWomen reception on Jan. 23, recognizing women in the heavy duty aftermarket.

For more information on VIPAR Heavy Duty, visit www.vipar.com or email: info@vipar.com. For more information on Power Heavy Duty, visit www.powerheavyduty.net or email: info@powerheavyduty.net.

M.E.S.A Partners with ZipRecruiter to Revolutionize Member’s Hiring Practices in 12-Volt Industry

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ARVADA, CO (01.17.24) – Mobile Electronics Specialists of America (M.E.S.A) proudly announces a groundbreaking partnership with ZipRecruiter, a leading online recruitment platform renowned for its cutting-edge AI-matching technology. This collaboration signifies a transformative step forward for MESA’s Member retailers, empowering them to elevate their teams through streamlined hiring processes. 

M.E.S.A proudly announces that it’s Members, spread across diverse regions, are actively hiring to meet the growing demands of the 12-volt industry. This partnership with ZipRecruiter is a testament to M.E.S.A.’s commitment to ensuring that Member retailers have access to the best talent pool, driving success and growth throughout the independent 12-Volt retail community.

Key highlights of the M.E.S.A and ZipRecruiter partnership includes:

  • Streamlined Hiring Processes: The integration of Zip Recruiter’s advanced technology within the M.E.S.A. platform, Jobs.MESADealer.com, enables Members to streamline their hiring processes. This includes efficient applicant tracking, smart candidate matching, and seamless onboarding, ensuring a comprehensive and user-friendly experience.
  • Innovative AI Technology: ZipRecruiter’s state-of-the-art AI technology is set to transform the recruitment landscape for M.E.S.A. Members. This technology brings skilled professionals to the forefront, contributing to the growth of the 12-Volt industry.
  • Consolidating Job Opportunities: With over 300 store locations nationwide, this gives the installer or salesperson the ability to find opportunities across the nation in one place MESADealer.com/Dealer-Locator.

Ryan Gunter, Executive Director, expressed excitement about the partnership, stating, “Our mission at M.E.S.A. is to empower independent retailers in the 12-Volt industry. Our partnership with ZipRecruiter aligns with our mission by providing M.E.S.A. Members with unparalleled resources to strengthen their teams and provide the tools to attract top talent in the evolving market.”

Visit mesadealer.com for more.

KICKER Ships New-for-2024, Extremely Compact KPX Amplifiers

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STILLWATER, OK (01.17.24) – KICKER introduces extremely compact KPX Amplifiers, suited for Powersports applications but usable for any vehicle with minimal space for audio installation, including hot rods. KPX Compact Amplifiers will be available for purchase at Authorized KICKER Dealers in-store and online. Soon to be introduced to the world on the KICKER UnMASKED! Live™ streamed show, KPX Compact Amps will retail starting at $319.99 and will also be available for purchase online at www.kicker.com.

Engineered to deliver superior sound in a tiny footprint and during all kinds of weather, KPX Compact Amplifiers are ideal for space-challenged installations like custom cars, motorcycles and UTVs. This powerful, full-system solution is easily installed behind a motorcycle’s fairing or in a saddlebag, under a UTV’s seat or tucked away behind a hot rod’s kick panel, seats or dash.

The KPX500.1 Compact Subwoofer Amp is stable down to one Ohm and features standard KICKER features such as 24dB crossover, 24dB subsonic filter and selectable 6dB bass boost, while providing 500-plus watts to your favorite subwoofer. Music listeners can use the optional KICKER CXARC (sold separately) remote to conveniently control bass levels from the driver’s seat. 

Delivering up to 75 watts per channel, the KPX300.4 4-channel compact model features a 12dB crossover with defeatable fader and dual independent gain controls for utmost control. Both amplifiers can accept signals as low as 125 millivolts and as high as 40 volts, allowing these amps to easily integrate to most any factory source units without line-out converters.

Visit kicker.com for more.

Tint World Ranked a Top Franchise for Entrepreneur’s 45th Annual 2024 Franchise 500

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BOCA RATON, FL (01.17.24) — Tint World Automotive Styling Centers was recognized for the 11th consecutive year as one of the top 500 franchises in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500®, the world’s first, best, and most comprehensive franchise ranking. For 45 years, the annual Entrepreneur Franchise 500® has been a highly sought-after honor in the franchise industry and recognized as an invaluable resource for potential franchisees. The 2024 Franchise 500® ranks Tint World® as #249 and number one in category for its outstanding performance in areas including unit growth, financial strength and stability, and brand power.

“Every brand on the Franchise 500 has its own unique story, but they all collectively make the same statement: Franchising is strong and resilient, is full of innovation and opportunity, and provides a powerful entrepreneurial path for many people,” says Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine. “Our 45th annual ranking is full of companies with fresh ideas, exciting business models, cultural sway, and the kind of business sophistication that will define the next 45 years and beyond.”

In Entrepreneur’s continuing effort to best understand and evaluate the ever-changing franchise marketplace, the company’s ranking formula continues to evolve as well. The editorial team researches and assesses several factors, including costs and fees, size and growth, support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. Each franchise is then given a cumulative score based on an analysis of more than 150 data points, and the 500 franchises with the highest cumulative scores become the Franchise 500® in ranked order.

“For the 11th consecutive year, we proudly share a place on this prestigious list with so many incredible brands; a true testament to our team’s commitment to excellence,” said Charles J. Bonfiglio, president and CEO of Tint World®. “Achieving this ranking year after year reflects the collective dedication and work ethic of our franchisees and the entire Tint World® family. This recognition underscores our forward-thinking, nimble approach, and close alignment with our customers’ needs.”

Over its 45 years in existence, the Franchise 500® has become both a dominant competitive measure for franchisors and a primary research tool for potential franchisees. Tint World’s position on the ranking is a testament to its strength as a franchise opportunity.

To view Tint World® in the full ranking, visit http://www.entrepreneur.com/franchise500 or pick up a copy of the January/February 2024 issue of Entrepreneur on newsstands now. Visit tintworld.com for more.

Team Nutz Headed to the 63rd Annual World of Wheels in Pittsburgh

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PITTSBURGH, PA (01.16.24) – Team Nutz, a very proactive 12volt retailer in the Pittsburg area, will once again exhibit at the MAX Motive World of Wheels at the David Lawerence Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh Friday – Sunday, January 19th-21st.

Brittany Gaetano and Tatiana Munoz assembling handouts for the event.

Ed Nuttall related “Last night we loaded 24’ and 14’ trailers to drop off at the Convention Center for setup Wednesday and Thursday. The Team Nutz 70’ x 80’ booth will be filled with demo vehicles, tents, show cars, displays, live installations and importantly consumers. Scott from Wheel Pros will be with us and they represent 25 brands including wheels, tires, suspension and truck accessories. We rebuilt our bike and marine displays for the event. Also, we have a new truck we build for Eaton Electric we will show for the first time plus a new wrap for the All Ways Safe truck will be released.”

Scott Olbeter and Andres Sanchez working on gear for installations in demo vehicles.
Blake Paul working on a vinyl wrap for a demo vehicle.

Continuing “When the event wraps thousands of attendees will have seen our products, services and connected with the Team Nutz brand. This is a major investment and we have systems in place to extend the ROI following the event.”

Ben Bjerke working on an installation on another one of the big show demo trucks.

Team Nutz will literally have over 10,000 customized swag items including pens, stickers, tote bags, screw drivers and lanyards to hand out to attendees. Custom QR Codes are affixed to many handouts too. The visibility for Team Nutz from the event will lead to very active days and weeks at the store following the World of Wheels event. Booth tour videos will also be created and utilized to extend the Team Nutz ROI.

66 boxes of various giveaways for the event.
More bins of branding decals to be handed out at the event.

On Friday morning, the first day of the World Of Wheels, students from a number of area high schools will be bused to the David Lawerence Convention Center to spend time on the event floor.
“All at Team Nutz have certainly put a lot into pulling off this event. We worked for several weeks preparing for the event and will spend over 3 days to set up. Tear down will take just a few hours. We will put our company and products in front a very large number of people. Literally thousands will go home with some swag with our name on it too. We are looking forward to a successful event at the David Lawrence Convention Center this weekend” Nuttall concluded.

Visit teamnutztechnology.com for more.

King Boxes Intros Vehicle-Specific Mini Center Console Boxes

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GADSDEN, AL (01.16.24) – “We are excited to be shipping our newest models for 2024…the all new Mini Center Console boxes for specific vehicles. This model fits under the dash and features (2) 6.5” and (2) 3.5 tweeter cutouts. We started with the Chevy/GMC model and have had a very positive reaction” Jaysam Odeh stated.

King Boxes exhibited at the 2023 SEMA Show for the first time and showcased the company’s growing selection of enclosures.

Jaysam Odeh displays a new vehicle-specific Mini Center Console box.

“We plan to have the full lineup of vehicle-specific mini center console enclosures by the end of February. After the great success with our regular center consoles we realized there was a need for the mini center consoles which are just like the regular center channels without the 12” subwoofer enclosure on the back side” Odeh related.

For more see king-boxes.com.

Design Engineering’s New Under Seat Heat Shield Kits Improve Comfort

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AVON LAKE, OH (01.16.24) – Staying cool doesn’t have to be a challenge. Design Engineering Inc.’s Under Seat Heat Shield Kit can be used on 2022-’23 Honda Pioneer models to reduce seat temperatures and make the interior more comfortable.

DEI’s under seat heat shield kit blocks engine heat from entering the passenger area with high-quality, custom-cut insulation pieces. The improved insulation lowers temperatures on the seat and middle plastic panel.

“Under seat heat shield kits will increase the riding comfort for you and your whole crew,” said John Gabriel, powersports manager at DEI. “Maximize the enjoyment of your next ride by adding this kit to your interior.”

The kit includes front seat and middle panel heat shields. It fits 2022-’23 Honda Pioneer 1000-5 and 1000-3 models. Installation is simple thanks to adhesive backing and will still allow your Honda Pioneer to be serviced.

For more information about DEI’s powersports line of heat and sound control products, visit www.deipowersports.com.

The KICKER AMA ArenaCross Brought The Heat To The Heartland Events Center

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GRAND ISLAND, NE (01.15.24) – The KICKER AMA ArenaCross Series, that expanded to 13 cities in 2024, rolled into the Heartland Events Center in Grand Island on Thursday, January 11th for events Friday and Saturday evenings. The Heartland Events Center is the hub of activities in the 220 acre Fonner Park Complex which was originally constructed to house the Nebraska State Fair.

In recent days extreme winter weather has blanketed much of the US and the midwest. The wind chill temperature was -25 degrees for the KICKER AMA ArenaCross Grand Island event.

“It was extremely cold outside but inside the action on the track was red hot and the enthusiastic attendees were Livin’Loud. We had a display set up in the lobby area and virtually everyone who entered the Heartlands Events Center had to pass by the KICKER setup. We had a selection of KICKER products for all to see and learn about” Lorin Morrell, who orchestrates KICKER AMA ArenaCross events, related.

Continuing “Both nights we were talking to members of the crowd about KICKER. Nebraska is truck country so the KICKER L7T under seat drew a lot of attention. There are a lot of farmers and ranchers in Nebraska and the KICKER PowerBars grabbed attention too. Marine is a growing category in the area along with life style products.”

KICKER was set in the lobby to showcase a wide selection of products when the doors opened.
The Friday night Pit Party got the action started with enthusiast walking the track and meeting riders.

Friday night got started on the track with the Pit Party. Enthusiasts really like walking the track plus talking with the riders and checking out their bikes. Soon after the Pit Party ended riders were flying high over the track mounds and navigating the tight turns through the evening from 7:30 until well after 9PM.

In addition to the action on the track T-shirt were fired into the crowd during race breaks and track maintenance periods. An air cannon fired wrapped KICKER T’s into the crowd. A special T had a certificate wrapped inside for a KICKER BullFrog to be picked up at the KICKER display in the lobby. Crowd members also participated in flag-waving sessions for a chance to win a KICKER Headphone prize.

All through the event riders were racing to cross the finish line 1st.
Lorin Morrell – MADDOG MEDIA presents a KICKER BullFrog prize to the T-shirt toss winner during a break in the action Saturday night. The winner of the Bullfrog was injured earlier in the night as he was an amateur rider on the track.

Concluding Morrell offered “The KICKER AMA ArenaCross crowd in Grand Island was lower than usual but expected due to the weather. As crowd members left for the evenings several stopped at the booth and stated their appreciation for KICKER’s participation in the AMA ArenaCross series.”

The KICKER AMA ArenaCross is Livin’Loud in 2024 and the next 2 events will be in Guthrie OK which is just 33 miles from KICKER’s world HQ in Stillwater. Previous AMA ArenaCross events in Guthrie have been standing room only in the stands. The dates are January 19/20 and 26-28.

Visit kicker.com for more.