fromthepublisher
by Steve Gray

Meeting Future Challenges

PUB-STEVE new2The focus of this edition of GEARS magazine is about what is new in the industry. In the automotive aftermarket in general and the automatic transmission rebuilding industry, in specific, there is a great deal to cover.

We are all familiar and on a daily basis deal with ever changing sophisticated technology in the varied operating systems of today's vehicles. The industry is seeing many changes in the ways that it conducts business. There are a number of distributor and manufacturer acquisitions and consolidations that have taken place. Remanufactured units are taking a new position and importance in our field. Locating or developing qualified technicians is increasingly more challenging. The need for technical information and assistance is in greater and greater demand. The list of rapidly changing industry-wide conditions seems never ending.

ATRA's board of directors and staff have worked diligently to remain abreast of these many changing conditions and provide for the needs of its members today and in the future. One of the many ways the association has done this is through ATRA Online (www.atraonline.com). In the past several editions of GEARS, the benefits and features of ATRA Online have been detailed. If you have not recently visited ATRA Online we encourage you to log-on and see what is new. Many new features and information have been added in just the past two months. For information concerning how to sample at no charge what ATRA Online has to offer, contact ATRA's membership services department for a "free pass." Membership services representatives will be pleased to provide a free tour.

Another spot on the Internet to visit is the ATRA/GEARS homepage. It address is www.atra-gears.com. Some of its many features are information concerning:

features
  • Member listings by state or province and city.
  • ATRA Online subscribers.
  • Which shops are ATRA certified.
  • Links from member listings to shop's homepages.
  • ATRA member and industry-wide surveys.
  • The current issue of GEARS Buyer's Guide (listed alphabetically and by product category.
  • Links from GEARS advertisers' to the manufacturers' distributors' ad to their company's homepage.
  • Links from NEW Products announcements to the firm's homepage.
  • Information regarding and links to ATRA's Bankcard program.
  • Insurance program information.
  • GEARS BookStore information.
  • ATRA Technical seminar listings with map to the location.
  • TRANSMISSIONS '98 information and exhibitors listing.
  • ATRA Testing and Certification sites and dates.
  • Consumer awareness/information bulletins.
  • E-mail to ATRA.

ATRA is dedicated to meeting the challenges that the industry is facing today and in the future. The ATRA-GEARS homepage and ATRA Online are just two of the many projects the association has developed to accomplish this goal. For further information concerning these or other important programs or benefits, contact ATRA Headquarters.

ATRA International Headquarters
2400 Latigo Avenue
Oxnard, CA 93030
805.604.2000
805.604.2003 (FAX)