Industry

Devine Concepts Shined at the Naples Motorfest

Posted on by in Industry.

NAPLES, FL (03.05.2020) – Devine Concepts put the company’s brand and products in front of thousands of enthusiasts on a sunny Sunday, March 1st, at the Mercato Shopping Center during the Naples Motorfest in Naples FL. Exotic cars, live music, a car show and exhibitors excited the crowd. The Devine Concepts tent and demo Mercedes was in the center of the action.

Devine Concepts was in the center of the action at the Naples Motorfest.

“The show on Sunday was great. During the day the Devine Concepts brand was positioned in front of an ideal audience. I personally was face-to-face with over 200 people in our booth. Our shop vehicle, a new Mercedes GLC 300, was set up to demo the onboard audio system. In addition we had a special installation that allowed us to demo live a custom stealth Radenso radar detector” Adam Devine related.

Adam Devine takes an attendee through a demo in the  shops new Mercedes.

In a Devine Concepts Instagram post Devine offered a big shout out to Jason and John from Radenso who were in the booth.

As an event sponsor, Devine Concepts was included in the Naples Motorfest promo activity.

“Our participation in the Naples Motorfest offered a very strong ROI. We were listed as a sponsor of the event in all the promotions leading up to the Naples Motorfest. Having our brand along side Porsche, Tesla and Lamborghini was special. This was our second year at the event and we look forward to next year” Devine concluded.

The Mercato Shopping Center was an ideal setting for the Naples Motorfest.

A big 12volt Hat’s Off to Adam Devine. Devine Concepts definitely had their ‘Shine On’ at the Naples Motorfest.

Visit devine-concepts.com and naplesmotorfest.com for more.

JL Audio to Sponsor Dinner with Night Training at the Mobile Solutions Master Tech / OEM Integration, March 6th Class

Posted on by in Industry and tagged , .

MIRAMAR, FL (03.05.2020) – JL Audio is collaborating with Mobile Solutions and their Master Tech OEM Integration class on Friday, March 6th. JL Audio will be sponsoring Bryan Schmitt’s class by providing a dinner for attendees. While everyone is enjoying Tacos from a local food truck, Rob Haynes, Technical Trainer with JL Audio, will be providing an educational training to support the OEM integration class Schmitt and the team at Mobile Solutions provided during the day.

Rob Haynes, JL’s Technical Trainer

JL Audio will also have several demonstration vehicles on hand; most featuring JL Audio’s premier C7 component drivers for active systems and VXi amplifiers with integrated DSP.

The evening training session and dinner is open to all local dealers to attend, so make your plans join JL Audio and Mobile Solutions for Tacos and Tunes.

This is a night you don’t want to miss.

When: Friday, March 6th starting at 6 PM

Where:
Homewood Suites by Hilton Phoenix/Tempe ASU Area (Click for info)
2104 E Rio Salado Parkway
Tempe, AZ 85281, US

What:
FREE food from a local Taco Truck and outdoor dining during Arizona’s best weather of the year. Experience a fleet of demo vehicles with JL Audio’s premier C7 and VXi products with

JL Audio’s Technical Trainer, Rob Haynes, providing an educational training.

Visit jlaudio.com for more.

AAMP Global Introduces EchoMaster Fleet Solutions

Posted on by in Industry and tagged , .

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (03.04.2020) – AAMP Global announces today the launch of their new division, EchoMaster Fleet Solutions, at the NTEA Work Truck Show 2020.

EchoMaster Fleet Solutions is a full-service provider with a passion for engineering efficient solutions for Fleet, Commercial and OES. From safety and security products, custom wiring harnesses, fleet monitoring, national installation services, and more – EchoMaster Fleet Solutions is dedicated to help deliver excellence for any upfitting need.

AAMP Global acquired Nagy FleetNet last year to join forces in the Fleet industry. Combining AAMP Global’s engineering and product development capabilities with Nagy FleetNet’s experience in fleet solutions inspired the merge of the entities into EchoMaster Fleet Solutions.

“The capabilities of our team inspired us to take a step forward and combine the two companies into EchoMaster Fleet Solutions,” said Derek Prentice, Director of Commercial Sales, “we will be the full-service solution provider for Fleet, Commercial, and OES.”

The NTEA Work Truck Show 2020 starts today at the Indianapolis Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. EchoMaster Fleet Solutions is exhibiting at booth #2001 showcasing their newest products and capabilities.

To find out more about EchoMaster Fleet Solutions, visit us at booth #2001 during the NTEA Work Truck Show or visit echomasterfleetsolutions.com.

SEMA Student UTV Build Tours Off-Road Events

Posted on by in Industry and tagged .

DIAMOND BAR, CA (03.04.2020) – The UTV Student Build Pilot Program, a program launched by the SEMA Young Executives Network (YEN) to connect young aftermarket professionals with aspiring automotive students, will showcase the completed 2019 Honda Talon in a multi-city tour before being auctioned off at the world’s largest collector car auction, the Mecum Auction, in November. One hundred percent of the proceeds will go towards benefiting the SEMA Scholarship Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity.

Sponsored by YEN, the customized Talon was completed by students from the Alex Xydias Center for Automotive Arts (AXC), who throughout the course of the semester worked alongside industry mentors to produce a one-of-a-kind UTV using products donated from 16 SEMA member companies. Skills learned include project management, 3-D scanning, CAD, manufacturing, installation, fabrication, suspension, body styling, wiring, and testing.

The SEMA Young Executives Network (YEN) UTV Student Build Pilot Program will showcase the completed 2019 Honda Talon in several cities before being auctioned off at the Mecum Auction to benefit the SEMA Scholarship Fund.

“The purpose of the build was to inspire youth to become automotive hobbyists and to encourage career paths into the automotive aftermarket,” said Kirstin Stone, Chairman of the SEMA Young Executives Network. “This UTV build allowed YEN members to introduce the greater scope of the opportunities available in the aftermarket while encouraging trade skills.”

After weeks of mentorship and instruction from YEN members, the students’ labor culminated in a unique build that was displayed at the 2019 SEMA Show. The UTV will now tour at various off-road events throughout 2020, which includes The Mint 400 in Las Vegas, L.A. County Fair in Los Angeles, and the Off-Road Expo in Pomona, CA.

“SEMA is invested in the future of the automotive industry and is proud to support a program that has offered students a wide variety of professional development and training opportunities,” said Zane Clark, SEMA Director of Education. “With the proceeds being invested into the SEMA Scholarship Program, we can continue to help automotive students pay for their college tuition and SEMA members pay off their student loans.”

For more information on the UTV Student Build, visit sema.org/utv-build. To donate to the SEMA Scholarship Fund, visit bit.ly/394xSUf.

Velocity Distributing Hosted a Heise LED Lighting Systems Training

Posted on by in Industry and tagged , .

HOUSTON, TX (03.03.2020) – The LED lighting category is becoming a profit center for many 12volt retailers. Houston-based Velocity Distributing hosted a Heise LED Lighting Systems Training at the company’s facility on Monday evening, February 24th.

George Cantor in the Velocity showroom with the Heise LED Lighting display.

Metra’s Jon Brothers conducted the training session that covered in detail many of the new Heise products that were introduced at CES 2020.

Velocity used this graphic in social media posts to let dealers know about the Heise Training session.

Velocity’s George Cantor offered “Jon made a super presentation that dealers related to very well. We had 14 dealers in the training room and several picked up new Heise products for their stores after the meeting was over.”

Prior to the training session dealers enjoyed a catered Italian meal. Brothers also had Heise caps sunglass holders for dealers attending. Raffle prizes awarded included Heise LED headlight bulbs and 2 Axxess ASWC-1 steering wheel control interfaces.

Visit velocitydistributing.com and heiseled.com for more.

KENWOOD Promotes John Lucas to Director of National Accounts

Posted on by in Industry and tagged .

LONG BEACH, CA (03.03.2020) – KENWOOD USA announced it has promoted John Lucas to the position of Director of National Accounts. In this new position, he will be responsible for spearheading KENWOOD’s efforts to ensure world class leadership for several of their largest accounts.

Lucas brings 32 years of consumer electronics industry experience with him, of which his first 16 were spent working in various aspects of sales, sales management, and then as a buyer for several key retail businesses, including Audio King, Best Buy, and more. In 2004, he joined KENWOOD as their Manager of National Accounts, and was then promoted to Senior Manager of National Accounts in 2010.

Now serving as their Director of National Accounts, he will leverage his extensive experience to lead the national accounts team to continue the level of leadership and guidance of which their national accounts have come to expect.

Visit kenwood.com/usa for more.

ZZ-2 Is a New Company Specializing in Automotive Integrations with Rich DeSclafani at the Wheel

Posted on by in Industry and tagged .

BROOKLYN, NY (03.02.2020) – ZZ-2 is an engineering company specialized in automotive integrations, such as CarPlay and Android Auto, front and rear camera interface, video input interface and more. ZZ-2 is bringing to the 12v market a new way of business that will provide clients with a complete range of automotive solutions, with a brand new line of premium automotive integrations. Our interfaces were developed to help automotive enthusiasts improve their factory system by adding extra features as desired.

Visit zz-2.com to learn more.

Co-founder Luis Guilherme Rocha states “on this new journey, ZZ-2’s main goal is to provide a big variety of solutions to add new technology to all vehicles, regardless of the year, make and model. We have a successful history in South America and Europe, and we are proud to bring our model of business to America. I believe this will be a great addition to the market, especially for the audio shops and dealerships spread all over the country.” 

ZZ-2 is also happy to have Rich DeSclafani part of our team, awarded as Manufacturer Sales Rep of the Year by the Mobile Electronics Association in 2012. Rich has over 23 years of experience in the 12v industry, over 12 years just working directly with high end OEM integration. DeSclafani held positions in sales, technical support and product training with multiple manufactures, such as Nav-TV, K40 Electronics and most recently at Crux Interfacing.

“Our goal is to provide a product that people can trust so they can be completely satisfied with their daily driven vehicle. I am very excited to be part of this new project. The company has phenomenal potential and a large variety of OEM integration interfaces. Our most popular line is the Wireless CarPlay/Android Auto, which is one of the most frequent requests that I’ve been receiving for the last couple of years. Another big specialty is our line of vehicle specific smartphone wireless chargers, which makes a perfect combo with our CarPlay/Android solutions. We are also stocking vehicle specific front and rear cameras and other niche 12Volt products,” said DeSclafani.

To get more information about the complete line of products zz-2.com or contact the sales team at 929-220-1212 or sales@zz-2.com.

Directed Releases More T-Harnesses Including Popular Plug-n-Play Options

Posted on by in Industry and tagged .

VISTA, CA (03.02.2020) – Directed has announced the release of several new DS4 T-Harness solutions that cover a wide array of vehicle makes and models. The nine new solutions cover select Toyota, Scion, Lexus, Honda, GM and Subaru vehicles. The lineup includes three ‘completely plug-n-play’ T-Harnesses THGMN4, THHON7 and THSUN1.

“At Directed, we’re always innovating – and one place that truly shows is in our line of vehicle integration harnesses,” according to James Turner, SVP, Core Product Planning. “We’re especially proud of our ‘completely plug-n-play’ solutions like the THSUN1. These harnesses allow for installation of a remote starter with no hardwired connections to the vehicle. They’re an installation speed and simplicity game changer. We are also launching several new ‘mostly plug-n-play’ harnesses which speed and simplify installation by substantially reducing hardwire connections.”

The following ‘completely plug-n-play’ T-Harnesses are currently shipping:

  • THGMN4 is for 10-20 GM SmartKey vehicles like 19+ Silverado/Sierra, 13-20 Malibu and 15-20 Escalade. It works with GM9 firmware and is compatible with DS4 and DS4+ systems.
  • Coverage for THHON7 includes three Honda/Acura SmartKey vehicles including 19+ RDX, 16+ Civic and 17-19 CR-V. It works with HONDA9 firmware, supports the “takeover” feature and is compatible with DS4 and DS4+ systems.
  • The THSUN1 covers select 10-19 Subaru vehicles including 12-16 Impreza, 15-19 WRX and 13-15 XV Crosstrek. It works with SUBARU2 firmware and is compatible with DS4+ systems only.

The following ‘mostly plug-n-play’ T-Harnesses are now available:

  • The THHON9 covers select Honda/Acura SmartKey vehicles including 15-19 Fit, 16+ HR-V and 15+ TLX. It works with HONDA9 firmware, supports the “takeover” feature and is compatible with DS4 and DS4+ systems. It replaces THHON1.
  • THHON10 offers coverage for select older Honda/Acura SmartKey vehicles including 13-17 Accord, 14-15 Civic and 15-16 CR-V. It works with HONDA9 firmware, supports the “takeover” feature and is compatible with DS4 and DS4+ systems. It replaces THHON2.
  • The THTON7 offers coverage for Toyota and Lexus vehicles like 18+ Camry, 19+ Avalon, 19+ Rav4 and 20+ Corolla for both key and push-to-start vehicles. It works with TL8 and TL14 firmware and is compatible with DS4 and DS4+ systems.
  • The THTON8 is for select 13-20 Toyota and Scion ‘H’ and ‘G’ key vehicles like 13-18 RAV4, 16+ Tacoma and 14-19 Corolla. It works with TL10 firmware and is compatible with DS4+ systems only.
  • Coverage for THTON9 includes select 05-20 Toyota and Scion ‘H’, ‘G’ and ‘dot’ key vehicles such as 07-20 Tundra, 08-19 Sequoia and 07-17 Camry. It works with TL7, TL10 and TL11 firmware and is compatible with DS4+ systems only. It replaces THTON4, with six fewer hardwired connections at the vehicle.
  • The THTON10 offers coverage for select 04-20 Toyota, Lexus, Scion and Pontiac ‘H’, ‘G’ and ‘dot’ key vehicles like 04-19 4Runner, 11-20 Sienna and 05-16 tC. It works with TL7, TL10 and TL11 firmware and is compatible with DS4+ systems only. It replaces THTON5, with six fewer hardwired connections at the vehicle.

Directed T-harnesses utilize OEM connectors for a seamless installation, factory fit, and most importantly, many are plug-n-play to reduce installation time drastically. Directed firmware supports 95% of all 2010 to 2019 vehicle models.

Visit directed.com for more.

DS18 Partners with GoFast Solutions

Posted on by in Industry and tagged , .

MIDDLETOWN, CT (02.28.2020) – DS18 has brought another major distributor to serve their large network of dealers. GoFast Solutions has been in the business over 15 years and knows what it takes to please their customers. Gofast sells an abundance of racing parts, safety products, and mobile audio.

Dave Prinz (CEO) has worked in the car audio field on and off since the 90s. He was initially employed at The Sound Company, once a CT-based car audio chain and then moved to a computer distribution company where he gained experience as a distributor. After that, Prinz worked for MRI’s car audio division as a merchandizing manager where he eventually purchased it after MRI was sold to SnapAV.

GoFast is striving to help car audio dealers branch into racing and performance parts with plans to encourage new shops to enter the car audio market, which the company believes is underserved in the region.

Any new dealers near the North East and Eastern PA will fall under the DS18 territory for product. Any new dealers and customers can contact them for info on product, merchandise, or new dealer information to be able to join the extended DS18 family.

Visit ds18.com and gofst.com for more.

JL Audio and Nautique Launch Updated WaveFront Speaker Technology for Super Air Nautique Paragon Boats

Posted on by in Industry.

MIAMI, FL (02.28.2020) – JL Audio, a U.S.-based designer and manufacturer of high-end , marine audio products, in collaboration with Nautique boats, is proud to announce an updated version of its WaveFront speaker technology, specifically engineered for the all-new Nautique G23 and G25 Paragon boats.

Updated for 2020 with powerful JL Audio M6 coaxial drivers, WaveFront is an innovative hidden speaker system, engineered to elevate the music experience provided on board Nautique boats. Full-range drivers are located under the dashboard and connected to a specially engineered wave guide which shapes the sound waves and delivers them to passengers’ ears through specially tuned apertures located at the base of the boat’s port and starboard windshields. WaveFront lifts the sound stage delivered by the JL Audio system from seat level to ear level, significantly enhancing the listening experience.

“Engineering an audio system to deliver extreme performance and durability in an open-air boating environment is a considerable challenge by itself. But, creating a balanced audio system capable of delivering a perfectly elevated sound stage requires a significant understanding of open-air acoustics,” said Ora Freeman, Director of OEM Sales, North America at JL Audio. “Working with Nautique has empowered our engineers to rethink the possibilities of marine audio system integration and has led to the development of some very exciting technologies, like JL Audio WaveFront.”

To further enhance the audio performance of Nautique boats, all 2020 model year boats feature JL Audio’s all-new MVi amplifiers with integrated DSP. MVi amplifier allows JL Audio and Nautique to develop customized DSP tunings for each model of boat to account for each vessel’s hull acoustics, speaker configuration, frequency response range, and seating arrangement.

All 2020 model year Nautique boats offer as standard equipment the following JL Audio products: MediaMaster MM100 source units, M6 speakers, tower speakers, and subwoofers.

Visit www.jlaudio.com for more.