Knapheide Customer Story: J.F. Electric

Since 1848, we have been a family-owned company led by six generations of the Knapheide family. We are proud to say that some of our best customers are multi-generational as well, like J.F. Electric in Edwardsville, Ill. Check out their story!

GM to Put Baby Duramax in Full-Size Vans

GM, maker of the oldest commercial vans on the market, will put the new, torque-biased four-cylinder Duramax diesel engine into both the E-Series Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana for the 2017 model year.

According to Automotive News, the lightly modified global diesel engine currently used in the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize pickup trucks will be offered as an option in the long- and short-wheelbase 2500 and 3500 2017 full-size GM vans.

Some might argue this was not a difficult decision for GM because the midsize pickups and large work vans are built at the same Missouri plant near St. Louis. Ordering more diesel engines for the same location should be simple, assuming that demand for the diesel engines doesn't outpace production capabilities given that it offers as much as 31 mpg highway when optioned in the midsize pickup. The diesel is likely to be paired with GM's new eight-speed transmission used in Chevy and GMC half-ton V-8 pickups.

The Express and Savana are the oldest commercial vans sold in the U.S. They haven't been significantly redesigned in almost 20 years, yet they sell in strong numbers: more than 100,000 in 2014 and 85,000 in 2015. Despite the proliferation of new, Euro-styled vans such as the full-size Ram ProMaster and Ford Transit, and smaller Ford Transit Connect, Nissan NV200 and Mercedes-Benz Metro, GM is finding unique ways to keep its old-school vans alive and generate customer interest.

GM's high-tech 2.8-liter turbo-diesel uses a cast-iron block and aluminum cylinder heads along with a dual overhead cam 16-valve setup that produces 181 horsepower at 3,400 rpm and 369 pounds-feet of torque at 2,000 rpms in the midsize pickups. It's possible, for the sake of greater longevity, that GM could decide to "de-rate" the engine since it will be put into a vehicle with a heavier curb weight, higher gross vehicle weight rating, and more payload and towing capacity.

Given the EPA fuel-economy numbers for the midsize pickup with the small diesel — 22/31/25 mpg city/highway/combined — and that GM's most-popular engine for full-size vans is the 6.0-liter V-8 (11/16/13 mpg), it's possible that ownership cost savings based on fuel consumption alone could mean the higher price of the little Duramax could be one of those rare instances where the vehicle could pay for the engine upgrade in the first year of operation.

Model-year 2017 vans will be available for ordering through select dealerships later this fall.

Source:  http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2016/03/gm-to-put-baby-duramax-in-full-size-vans.html#more

Organize your GMC and Chevrolet Full Size Van with Equipment and Accessories from Adrian Steel.

If you use a GMC or Chevrolet commercial vehicle for work, you know how tough their vans, trucks, and utility vehicles are.  These vehicles make excellent choices for busy professionals.

Adrian Steel is proud to offer a full line of upfit equipment and accessories for GMC and Chevrolet vans and trucks.  We’ll even assist you in choosing the correct equipment and accessories for your vehicle.

Find out how at:  http://www.adriansteel.com/item/cargo-vans/gm_van/

GMNA Manufacturing Works Smarter with Multi-Site Plant Manager Meetings

Using strategically-located plants and various collaboration tools, GMNA manufacturing and labor relations leaders were able to connect with their plant managers and union counterparts for meetings this week.

Kelley Blue Book Names GMC ‘Most Refined Brand’

Win marks brand three-peat 

for the Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Award

DETROIT – GMC today was recognized as the Most Refined Brand in the 2016 Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Awards. It is the third consecutive year the brand has received this award.

Brand Image Award winners are based on consumer automotive perception data from Kelley Blue Book Strategic Insights’ Brand Watch study. Brand Watch is an online brand and model perception tracking study tapping into more than 12,000 in-market new-vehicle shoppers annually on Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com. The comprehensive study provides insight on how shoppers identify important factors influencing their purchase decision and captures brand/model familiarity and loyalty among new-vehicle shoppers. 

Driven by its luxury-focused Denali sub-brand, GMC received high ratings for comfort, interior layout, technology, prestige and sophistication. In previous years, Kelley Blue Book has praised Denali vehicles for offering plush features while maintaining a more rugged persona than offered by most luxury automakers.

“Premium quality and exterior styling are the top two reasons customers choose GMC vehicles,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of GMC. “Unprecedented refinement and attention to detail provide our customers with a truly Professional Grade experience.”

More than 850,000 GMC Denali vehicles have been sold since the introduction of the 1999 GMC Yukon Denali. The sub-brand accounted for 23 percent of GMC retail sales in 2015, outselling the entire product lines of several premium automakers such as Land Rover, Jaguar and Porsche.

For more information about the 2016 Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Awards, visit http://www.kbb.com/new-cars/brand-image-awards/.

GMC has manufactured trucks since 1902, with innovation and engineering excellence built into all GMC vehicles. The brand is evolving to offer more fuel-efficient trucks and crossovers, including the Terrain small SUV and Acadia crossover. GMC’s highest-volume vehicle, the Sierra pickup, is the most powerful light-duty pickup on the market, and the first full-size pickup to receive the highest-possible five-star Overall Vehicle Score for safety since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration changed its New Car Assessment Program for the 2011 model year. Details on all GMC models are available at http://www.gmc.com/, on Twitter at @thisisgmc or at http://www.facebook.com/gmc

GM FUEL TANKS Fuel Tanks for your GM Truck

70 Gallon Refueling Tank and Tool Box Combination
Part No. 0800116230

Fits short bed and long bed pickups. Fits over the bed rails. Raise or lower toolbox section to fit your bed height. US DOT legal for gas, diesel, ethanol, methanol, kerosene and aviation fuel. Includes 12-volt refueling pump, 12 foot hose, nozzle, and fuel pump. 12-volt pump pumps 7 gallons per minute. Operates with dash-mounted power switch. Comes standard with diamond plate lid. Toolbox shell and fuel tank is made from 14-gauge aluminized steel. Fuel tank is baffled to reduce fuel slosh. Stainless stell locking paddle handles. Fuel fill access is located inside the locking storage compartment. Storage area ranges from 5 1/2 cubic feet to 8 1/2 cubic feet. Toolbox depth ranges from 9" deep to 13 1/2" deep. Over all dimensions: 72” L x 23” W x 23 1/2” to 27 1/2". Made in the USA

Find out more at:   http://www.transferflow.com/:  

Make more money and Save Time with VMAC VR70 UNDERHOOD air compressor

Looking for new ways to save time and make more money in tire service business? Find the secret industry leaders have known for years: the VMAC UNDERHOOD air compressor systems helps you get to more jobs every day and reduces your average job time by 10 minutes. Time is money and the VMAC VR70 UNDERHOOD air compressor system gets you more of both.