Wix News.....

[Pete C.]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Mark Trinske
Director of Investor, Public and Government Relations
Affinia Group Inc.
(734) 827-5412


AFFINIA GROUP TO CLOSE CAMBRIDGE, ONTARIO FACILITY

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, September 20, 2006 – Affinia Group Inc. announced that it will close its Wix Filtration manufacturing facility in Cambridge, Ontario. Production will be consolidated into other global manufacturing locations by the end of the first half of 2007. The move will be coordinated to have no impact on the company’s customers.

“Our decision to close the Cambridge facility was made after comprehensive analysis of our business structure,” said Keith Wilson, Vice President and General Manager of Affinia’s Under Hood Group. “To stay competitive in a rapidly changing business environment, we must streamline our operational processes. This move will optimize the efficiency of Wix Filtration’s manufacturing and distribution base. While we are saddened by this move, it is a necessity for future growth and success of Wix Filtration.”

The Cambridge facility employs approximately 150 people and produces automotive filtration products. Affinia Group will provide assistance where possible with future employment opportunities for the Cambridge facility employees.

Affinia Group Inc. is a global supplier of top quality automotive components for under hood and under vehicle applications. In North America the Affinia family of brands includes WIX and Kralinator Filters, Raybestos® brand brakes and Aimco brake products, and McQuay-Norris and Spicer® Chassis parts. South American and European brands include Nakata, Urba and Quinton Hazell. Affinia has operations in 19 countries and more than 11,000 people dedicated to keeping the world’s wheels turning. For more information, visit www.affiniagroup.com.

 

[labman]

Does Fram have Canadian production facilities? I wasn't aware WIX did. Could the poor selection of oil filters in Canada be due to protectionism? Perhaps a non tariff regulatory scheme?

 

[Audioquest]

Fram (Honeywell) has a plant in Stratford, Ontario.

 

[Patman]

Honeywell also has a plant in Mississauga, within walking distance of Wearcheck's lab actually, but I'm not sure if they make any automotive stuff there or not.

I bought a Wix oil filter for my Corvette just last night on my way home from work too. Figures, just as soon as I decide to switch from K&N to Wix, this happens.

I'm sure there will still be a ton of "made in Canada" Wix filters in the parts stores for quite a while, and even once those disappear I'm sure the quality will be identical once production shifts to the other plants. I just hope it doesn't raise our prices up here, I paid $11 for the Wix filter for my car! I know the same one in the US would only be about $4 probably. Parts stores up here always charge a lot more for stuff like oil filters, they can't sell them for $5 like Walmart or Canadian Tire does (although they sell mostly Fram only unfortunately)

 

[Gary Allan]

It's a shame, but given the total lack of distribution on a consumer level in Canada, I can see why. There's no excuse for a Wix filter to be that expensive there. They're more expensive here too, normally, but no more then Fram. They must have had no reasonable retail outlet for the product (obviously, @ $11CAN each) and relied on quicklubes and smaller parts stores/fleet/industrial type sales to sustain the production. I guess they don't have a NAPA/CarQuest like setup there.

 

[Patman]

That's the big problem, Wix filters aren't sold in a common store like Walmart or Canadian Tire up here, they are only found in little out of the way parts stores which mostly cater to small repair shops anyhow. So the average do it yourselfer up here probably hasn't even heard of Wix.

We've got a lot of NAPA and Carquest outlets up here, but once again, they are in out of the way areas like industrial parks, close to repair shops but not in visible sight of the average motorist.

We desperately need a place like Pepboys or Autozone up here. We have to rely on Canadian Tire or Walmart for oil products, and the selection of oil filters there is very limited, it's mostly Fram.

The one thing which probably helped Wix a lot up here was the fact that Mr.Lube, our biggest fastlube joint, uses Kralinator oil filters, which are built by Wix to identical specs to the Wix, Napa Gold and Carquest premium. So I wonder if Mr.Lube will continue to use Kralinator now?

[ September 21, 2006, 11:41 AM: Message edited by: Patman ]

 

[Mike_dup1]

The Wix filters for CTS (57090) say made in Poland on them. The AC Delco's say Made in Mexico.

 

[Greaser]

Toyota is adding 1700 jobs in Cambridge and Wix is pulling out...oh well.So far my Wix filters from NAPA say made in the USA at the Gastonia plant if they go to some third world country I'll eyeball them very carefully.

 

[JTK]

WIX/affinia oil filters are hard to source in my area as well. Locally, they can only be had at NAPA or Carquest. It's a shame, but if Affinia needs to compete in the wally world, $2 oil filter segment, there's no way they can make them here.

Same old-same old.

 

[Nebraskan]

Wix aren't sold in stores like Wal-Mart or the like down here either. Our local auto parts store has them, but not the Auto Zone. If you want a WIX (excellent filters too, BTW) you have to catch the local Auto Value store open 8-5 and he's not open on weekends. Auto Zone on the other hand, is open late into the evening hours and if you want/need a filter, then you can get there after work or even after supper.

I wonder if selling WIX filters on ebay would be a profitable venture? You could always get one then.

 

[Tornado Red]

I bought ten Wix oil filters from www.rockauto.com about 18 months ago. And still have a few left. But maybe I should stock up before I run out?

 

[FleetFilter.com]

Try us for WIX NG filters. We have really good prices on them.
Bryan

 

[Papa Bear]

Bryan, do you sell Napa Silver also ??

 

[Tornado Red]

Quote:

---

Try us for WIX NG filters. We have really good prices on them.
Bryan

---

I thought about that after I posted, and I was going to go back and edit my message... but I haven't figured out how to do that yet with the new software.

Since you are a site sponsor, it's not really fair to put up links to your competition.

 

[Tornado Red]

Actually it was a good thing I posted a link to rockauto... because now I know that your prices are a lot lower!

(still haven't figured out how to edit)

 

[va3ux]

Quote:

---

Honeywell also has a plant in Mississauga, within walking distance of Wearcheck's lab actually, but I'm not sure if they make any automotive stuff there or not.

---

That plant makes aviation electronics.

 

[FleetFilter.com]

We only carry Gold. It is ok to compare us. We are all free to do what ever we want to do.
Bryan

 

[B0000rt]

Funny, we changed their Air Handling Units a year or so ago.

 

[easystrt]

production moving to venezuela, poland and some us plants and dont forget china.

 

[Pete C.]

And just how do you know this?