Auto Transportation

Posts Tagged ‘flow’

Transportation and Logistics (T&L) sector is bucking the trend with mergers and acquisition activity with deal flow on the increase.

The industry is facing a perfect storm with rising fuel costs, lower demand and excess capacity cutting into margins. The answer for a large majority of the well funded industry players has been acquisitions.

Customer diversification has been a key variable fuelling some of the appetite.  For instance, T&L companies servicing the automotive sector have seen loads and shipments drop-off a cliff.  Buying companies exposed to different segments of the industry allow idle or underutilized assets to buoyant segments. ”Organic growth in this market is tough – we’re relying on acquisitive growth over the next 12-month” says one industry executive.

Another variable fuelling consolidation is the customer seeking increasing choice and flexibility in terms of the service offering.  No longer do they want to deal with one company for their import/export needs, another for their domestic transportation and yet another for their warehousing. Customers want a one-stop shop.  Acquisitions allow a T&L provider to offer complimentary services virtually overnight.

Lastly, the value proposition to build economies of scale in the T&L space are compelling. Fixed costs on technology platforms and other revenue generating assets, once covered allow for every incremental dollar of revenue to flow to the bottom-line.

Real money is made in tough times. The challenge is in uncovering the opportunities amongst the turmoil.

Mini Cooper Accessories to Enhance Performance

While the natural draw to the Mini Cooper for the enthusiast is in its obvious European styling, there are loads of aftermarket upgrades that make the car just more fun to drive through added boosts to the power load and in some cases even result in better fuel economy.

To add a noticeable punch to the acceleration of your Mini Cooper, the installation of a high quality turbo kit will satisfy your need for power in a small package. Mini Cooper short shifters are an accessory that will improve on the shifting ability of your vehicle, making your gearshifts smoother and dramatically impacting the ability to accelerate.

Without spending a lot of cash or time, the Mini Cooper owner can immediately add 35 H.P. to the engine performance. All it takes is about $200 in parts and a couple hours of your time.

To easily add an extra 10 to 12 H.P. on the Dyna Flow of your Mini Cooper, install a free flow racing filter kit. An easy install for the do it yourselfer, expect this upgrade to only take about 30 minutes to complete. This simple performance enhancing intake system accessory will lower the air flow restriction into the supercharger, resulting in more efficient air compression into the engine. End result: a noticeable kick behind the accelerator.

To pick up another potential 20 H.P. on the supercharger, adjust the pulley ratio by installing a smaller pulley to increase the RPM of the supercharger. Be sure to modify your exhaust system to compensate for the increase in back pressure and engine heat. Supersprint is known for being the leading supplier of street legal aftermarket exhaust systems that will give the deep throaty sound that the street rod enthusiasts love, while staying within noise level limits in sound emissions.

Installation of a high performance camshaft will increase horsepower and torque throughout the RPM range without requiring the disassembling of the motor.

To gain an additional 20 to 30 H.P. in the range that you drive the most often, consider cylinder head replacement to high performance stage 1 or 2 cylinder heads. The increase in airflow will max out at 20% and interport relations between intake and exhaust will be optimized for maximum power and improved combustion. If considering to implement this upgrade, larger injectors may also be required to compensate for additional power gains.

To improve on the safety as well as performance of your Mini Cooper during cornering, the installation of a precision steering amplifier is a must. A PSA will improve the suspension by reducing the characteristic roll center movement of the Mini Coopers, resulting in better handling and feedback to the driver.

To further improve on cornering, especially over uneven road surfaces, the installation of a carbon fiber strut brace will ties the two front upper strut towers together, resulting in an increase in front chassis rigidity and quicker steering response. In addition to the handling and safety performance enhancements, a carbon fiber strut brace is also an impressive looking accessory – which never hurts either!