“Oshkosh Corporation Awarded $1.06 Billion Order for 1,700 Additional M ... - The Auto Chanel” plus 4 more

Oshkosh Corporation Awarded $1.06 Billion Order for 1,700 Additional M ... - The Auto Chanel
Army ups M-ATV order with Oshkosh - United Press International
Gear up for your own great American road trip - MSNBC
Prospect Vision Expands Black Book Integration to Help Auto ... - The Auto Chanel
JLG parent gets second billion-dollar MRAP order - Public Opinion

Oshkosh Corporation Awarded $1.06 Billion Order for 1,700 Additional M ... - The Auto Chanel

Posted: 30 Jul 2009 04:53 PM PDT

OSHKOSH, Wis.--Oshkosh Corporation announced today that it has received an additional $1.06 billion delivery order from the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command (TACOM LCMC). Oshkosh Defense will deliver 1,700 additional MRAP All Terrain Vehicles (M-ATV) to the U.S. Armed Forces by February 2010. The contract also includes aftermarket parts packages to be supplied by April 2010, along with field service support. The delivery order follows an initial $1.05 billion delivery order Oshkosh Defense received for 2,244 M-ATVs on June 30.

"At Oshkosh, our main focus is to ensure that M-ATVs are waiting in theater for the Warfighters when they arrive, rather than having the Warfighter wait for the vehicle," said Robert G. Bohn, Oshkosh Corporation chairman and chief executive officer. "We are confident in our ability to ramp up production to 1,000 per month in December and this additional order will allow us to sustain that rate of production through February 2010."

Oshkosh also announced it surpassed its first delivery requirements for 45 vehicles in July, by providing 46 units. "The target was 45 but we were able to deliver an additional vehicle. It's an absolute testament to the quality and spirit of our customer, our employees and our suppliers who have come together to combine resources and work toward achieving a common mission – to serve our troops in Afghanistan," stated Bohn.

Advance production of the M-ATV began weeks before the first delivery order was awarded. With a highly skilled workforce, decades of continuous production of tactical wheeled vehicles, robust manufacturing capabilities and available capacity, Oshkosh Defense expects to meet the government's accelerated M-ATV delivery schedule while fully maintaining all other existing and proposed military vehicle programs.

The Oshkosh^{M-ATV's superior mobility, which includes a 70 percent off-road profile capability, is achieved through the incorporation of the Oshkosh TAK-4 independent suspension system. The system has undergone more than 400,000 miles of government testing and is standard equipment on the more than 10,000 Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacements (MTVR) used by the Marines and Navy Seabees, and also on the Army's next-generation Palletized Load System (PLS) and the Marine Corps' Logistics Vehicle System Replacement (LVSR).}

Oshkosh Defense teamed with Plasan North America to provide an advanced armor solution for the M-ATV. Plasan also developed the armor system used on more than 5,000 legacy MRAPs and thousands of Oshkosh Armored Cab MTVRs already in theater. Visit www.oshkoshdefense.com for specific product information.

About Oshkosh Corporation

Oshkosh Corporation is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of a broad range of specialty access equipment, commercial, fire & emergency and military vehicles and vehicle bodies. Oshkosh Corp. manufactures, distributes and services products under the brands of Oshkosh^{, JLG^{, Pierce^{,^{McNeilus^{, Medtec^{, Jerr-Dan^{, BAI^™, Oshkosh Specialty Vehicles, Frontline^™, SMIT^™, CON-E-CO^{, London^{and IMT^{. Oshkosh products are valued worldwide in businesses where high quality, superior performance, rugged reliability and long-term value are paramount. For more information, log on to www.oshkoshcorporation.com.}}}}}}}}}}

^{, ™ All brand names referred to in this news release are trademarks of Oshkosh Corporation or its subsidiary companies.}

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Army ups M-ATV order with Oshkosh - United Press International

Posted: 03 Aug 2009 10:36 AM PDT

OSHKOSH, Wis., Aug. 3 (UPI) -- The U.S. Army is increasing its order with Oshkosh Corp. for the delivery of additional mine-resistant, ambush-protected All Terrain Vehicles.

U.S. company Oshkosh was selected by the Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command as the prime contractor for the MRAP-All Terrain Vehicles program at the end of June. Oshkosh announced TACOM has increased its order for the company's M-ATVs.

Under the $1.06 billion order, Oshkosh will deliver an additional 1,700 M-ATVs to support the Army's operations in Afghanistan. The order follows an initial $1.05 billion contract.

"At Oshkosh, our main focus is to ensure that M-ATVs are waiting in theater for the warfighters when they arrive, rather than having the warfighter wait for the vehicle," Robert Bohn, Oshkosh chairman and chief executive officer, said in a statement.

"We are confident in our ability to ramp up production to 1,000 per month in December and this additional order will allow us to sustain that rate of production through February 2010."

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Gear up for your own great American road trip - MSNBC

Posted: 04 Aug 2009 07:43 AM PDT

What a relief.

According to the trendwatchers at Outside magazine, the great American road trip, which they declared DOA last year, has made a miraculous recovery.

In fact, the venerable vacation for millions of Americans is doing fine, thank you very much. Gas prices are reasonable ($2.50 per gallon nationwide last week vs. $3.90 a year ago); campground reservations and sales of outdoor gear are up (Amazon.com recently launched a dedicated outdoor-recreation store), and the last of the National Park Service's fee-free weekends (August 15-16) is fast approaching.

So, break out the maps, load up the kids and camping gear and make the most of summer's waning days. The items below can help you get where you're going and ensure you enjoy your stay.

There are countless GPS units out there, but for car campers and other outdoor adventurers, it's hard to beat the Garmin nüvi 500 ($300), which comes pre-loaded with both U.S. street maps and topographic maps. (Maps of the nation's inland waters are also available for purchase.) Add custom points of interest (POIs); download geocaches from Geocaching.com, and geo-tag your photos — then show them off with the picture viewer.

Billed as the world's smallest auto/air power adapter, the mCube90 DC from Innergie ($50) is barely bigger than a bar of hotel soap and weighs less than two ounces. Plug it into your car's DC power outlet (or airplane in-seat power port), and you can simultaneously charge two devices, including most laptops, via the seven included adapter tips. Retractable USB cables are available separately.

Want mobile broadband Internet access without having to hunt for a hotspot or sign up for one of those pesky annual contracts? The Broadband2Go modem from Virgin Mobile USA ($150 at Best Buy) plugs into your laptop USB port and provides 3G wireless Internet access with no contract required. Plans start at $10 (100 MB) and can be replenished online or at Best Buy stores. One caveat: service can be spotty outside populated areas; click here for geographic coverage.

Originally designed for a Westin-United Airlines promotion, the Heavenly Travel Blanket ($60) can add a touch of comfort to car rides, too. Unfold it and it's big enough (50 x 72 inches) to cover a sleeping copilot or the kids in the backseat; fold it up and it tucks into a hidden pocket to form a pillow.

Details, details: carry the pocket-sized Driving Activity Reporter ($230) in your car, and its 16-channel GPS chip will record up to 100 hours of driving activity, including routes, places stopped and driving speeds. Afterward, plug it into your computer's USB port, and you can retrace your itinerary via digital street maps and Google Earth. Presumably, you could also use it to track others' driving habits on the sly — but that would be wrong.

You've driven all day, you've found your camp and you're ready to chill. Chances are, you're also ready for the Coleman Rechargeable Portable Blender ($60), which will make a pitcher of pina coladas or other frozen drinks in about 30 seconds. Equipped with AC and DC chargers, it'll make 20–30 pitchers per charge — although (hic!) that's not necessarily recommended.

When it's time to eat, break out the eminently portable, exceedingly stylish O-Grill from Pro-Iroda ($160 at Amazon.com). Its clever clamshell design hides a 225-square-inch grilling surface; a standard 14.1-ounce propane cylinder will last for four hours, and its foldaway legs means it stores away easily. Big enough to cook eight to 10 burgers and available in six fashion-forward colors, it'll make you the envy of the campground.

If you want to continue the party after dark, the folks at Coleman offer another innovative product: the Quad Lantern ($70), which features four detachable panels. As an integrated unit, its 24 LEDs will put out 190 lumens; pop off an individual panel, and you can use it to find your way to your tent (or the facilities) without leaving everybody else in the dark.

If you're going off the grid, go prepared with the 72 Hour Emergency Survival Kit from 4 Survival To Go ($99). This lunchbox-sized unit is jam-packed with, among other things, 2,400 calories of emergency food, 750 ml of drinking water, a poncho, bivy sack, first-aid kit, sewing kit, and flashlight/radio/siren/cell phone charger. There's even a deck of playing cards so you'll have something to do while you wait for help to arrive.

Finally, if you've got too much stuff to fit in the trunk, consider the PanAmerica travel trailer ($80,000) from Airstream. Sporting the company's distinctive, retro-rounded styling, it features 23 feet of living space, along with an 11-foot storage compartment (think mobile garage) that can fit up to 2,500 pounds of motorcycles, ATVs or other gear. Roll down the ramp, load it up and fear not: with this baby, you can definitely take it with you.

Rob Lovitt is a frequent contributor to msnbc.com. If you'd like to respond to one of his columns or suggest a story idea, drop him an e-mail.

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Prospect Vision Expands Black Book Integration to Help Auto ... - The Auto Chanel

Posted: 26 Jul 2009 04:58 PM PDT

SEE ALSO: Cash For Clunkers Consumer Guide

Gainesville, GA and Hickory, NC, July 27, 2009 –Prospect Vision, Inc., the innovator in equity-based marketing and data mining for automotive dealerships, today announced they are expanding their integration with Black Book values, the automotive industry's most trusted source for timely, independent and accurate used vehicle valuation data, to help dealerships leverage the tremendous one-time opportunity presented by the new so-called "Cash for Clunkers" legislation just signed by President Obama. The Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) will be administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which will issue credits through NHTSA registered car dealers of $3,500 or $4,500 to buyers of fuel-efficient cars who turn in older, gas-guzzling vehicles to be scrapped.

"Based on the guidelines of the new legislation, only consumers whose vehicles are worth less than $4,500 can benefit from the program, thus the key for dealerships is to identify who among their existing customer base fits this criteria," stated Tom Cross, President, Black Book.

"Using the Black Book values, we have created a completely turnkey solution that determines who in a dealers database qualifies for the program and send personalized letters directly to these customers," said Robert Paszek, Prospect Vision's Founder and President. "In addition, with our proprietary technology, we use Black Book's data to determine the average cash value (ACV) of a customer's vehicle, marry it with their remaining payments—if any—to determine the customers equity in their vehicle, and then send personalized messages that show them what vehicles they can afford to purchase, often keeping their payment the same or lower. We also target the messages depending upon the current factory incentives and the dealership's specific needs at the time, such as overstock or aged inventory. Historically, our average dealership is able to generate 15-30 incremental sales per month, and we expect that number could grow while this legislation is in effect."

"We will certainly do our best to help the nation's struggling new car dealerships make the most of this opportunity," Mr. Cross continued. "Prospect Vision has integrated Black Book values since 2001 and we're proud to help power their efforts to assist dealers significantly increase their new vehicle sales."

About Black Book, Inc.

Best known in the Automotive Industry for providing timely, independent, and accurate vehicle pricing data, the Black Book family of vehicle appraisal guides (www.BlackBookUSA.com) is published by National Auto Research, a division of Hearst Business Media. New and used car dealers, lenders, manufacturers, fleet remarketers, and government agencies have relied on Black Book since 1955. Black Book provides values for both new and used vehicles, including cars and light trucks produced since 1946, motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles, personal watercraft, and heavy duty commercial trucks and trailers. Black Book data is published daily in multiple electronic formats including data feeds, Internet-based applications, hand held PDAs, web enabled cell phones, Pocket PCs, BlackBerry and Palm devices, SmartPhones, Micro Browsers, online trade appraisal services, and in a variety of other custom products. Printed versions are also available on a weekly basis. Whether you're buying, selling, or lending, Black Book's mission is to provide the Automotive Industry with timely, independent, and accurate information to help make the right decisions.

About Prospect Vision, Inc.

Headquartered in Hickory, NC, Prospect Vision was founded in 2001 by Bob Paszek and Bud Bolin, both 30-year auto industry veterans whose experience includes positions as General Managers and dealer principals, ownership of a leasing company, and positions with GMAC and World Omni Financial. Prospect Vision helps dealerships mine their valuable customer databases by using Black Book vehicle valuation data to pinpoint previous customers who are in a favorable equity position. This enables Prospect Vision to craft personalized letters with the customer's current vehicle and monthly payment, and most often offer them the opportunity to buy a new or newer vehicle with no money down and a lower payment. The result of this VIP treatment is qualified showroom traffic that converts with well above average closing ratios and grosses. The company has evolved from a software provider to a completely turnkey service provider with in-house creative, variable image printing and fulfillment services. For more information, please visit www.prospectvision.com or call 1-800-252-0868.

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JLG parent gets second billion-dollar MRAP order - Public Opinion

Posted: 03 Aug 2009 07:45 AM PDT

OSHKOSH, Wis., Monday, Aug. 3 -- The parent company of JLG Industries has received another order from the U.S. military for 1,700 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles.

Oshkosh Corp is to deliver the $1.06 billion order in February. It follows an initial order of $1.05 billion for 2,244 MRAPs to be delivered through December.

JLG was expected to call back about 600 workers for the first part of the contract. Workers were also recalled to Oshkosh's four Defense plants to work on the project in Wisconsin. The company did not mention the impact on employment in its announcement Friday of the second contract.

The most recent contract also includes aftermarket parts packages for the all-terrain MRAPs to be supplied by April 2010, along with field service support.

"At Oshkosh, our main focus is to ensure that M-ATVs are waiting in theater for the warfighters when they arrive, rather than having the warfighter wait for the vehicle," said Robert G. Bohn, Oshkosh Corp chairman and chief executive officer. "We are confident in our ability to ramp up production to 1,000 per month in December and this additional order will allow us to sustain that rate of production through February 2010."

Oshkosh also announced it surpassed its first delivery requirements for 45 vehicles in July.

"The target was 45 but we were able to deliver an additional vehicle," Bohn said. "It's an absolute testament to the quality and spirit of our customer, our employees and our suppliers who

have come together to combine resources and work toward achieving a common mission - to serve our troops in Afghanistan."

The contracts are with the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command.

The Oshkosh M-ATV has a patented independent suspension system for a 70 percent off-road profile capability.