WIX takes its fight against the nasties to AAPEX

LAS VEGAS (Nov. 1, 2007) — Nobody likes “the nasties.”

This week during the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX), WIX is taking its fight against the nasties, the allergens, pollens and other microfibers that creep into a vehicle’s cabin, to the aftermarket. The company is showcasing its Cabin Air Filters with BioShield® 75 this week.

“(Our new campaign) is really designed to show off that we’ve got BioShield 75 that we now apply to our Cabin Air Filters that helps with mold, mildew, things that can cause smells within the vehicle,” says Jeff Blocher, WIX brand manager. “They use it in hospitals and equipment rooms to kill all sorts of staph infections, so it’s a pretty neat product.”

According to WIX, BioShield 75 traps the harmful microbes in the filter medium. BioShield 75’s invisible microbiostatic coating attaches to the filter fiber, polymerizing and standing up like spikes. There are 1,000 spikes of protection per the width of a hair.

And with the new technology, Blocher says there are new training programs – and programs focused on filters in general – to be offered. A new Cabin Air Filter technical manual will detail how to sell the product, explain BioShield 75 and guide where techs can find the cabin air filters on various vehicles. It also will suggest some models that techs might want to steer clear of because of an increased time commitment.

“It’s kind of a red light, green light, caution light kind of a thing,” he says. “Just putting those tools together for the technician makes it much more easy to sell the product. And based on the nasties campaign, which is four creatures we’ve created, it’ll give them something to talk about.”

That campaign will include new packaging and displays for technicians and distributors. “A lot of installers are a little timid about changing cabin air filters,” Blocher offers. “It’s more or less to give them the tools to talk about cabin air (filters). Because sometimes they’re a little shy about talking about it with somebody who comes in, because that person who brings their vehicle in feels like they’re trying push something else on them. So we’re going to give them the tools to talk about it, especially our product.”

In addition to the cabin air filters campaign, WIX will introduce 70 new part numbers of fuel filters that include brackets by the end of the year. Blocher says this is in reaction to technicians dealing with foreign nameplate vehicles.