WIX Filters Marks 70th Anniversary In 2009

Friday, 07 November 2008

WIX Filters will celebrate its 70th anniversary in 2009, marking seven decades as the brand most relied upon for filtration performance, innovation and engineering in the on- and off-highway replacement parts industry.

“The heritage of WIX Filters runs deep, and we take great pride in the engineering leadership and product innovation that has become synonymous with our brand over the past 70 years,” said Keith Wilson, president of global filtration, Affinia Group, Inc. “Since day one, our focus has been on providing better filtration solutions for our customers.”

WIX Filters was founded in Gastonia, N.C., in 1939 when John Doanne “Jack” Wicks and his business partner Paul G. Crenshaw saw a need for filter replacements that would simplify the filter changing process. Less than two decades later WIX turned the filter market upside down with the invention of a spin-on oil filter design that quickly became the industry standard.

WIX soon moved into the racing arena, and today can claim 40 years of testing and developing new filtration engineering techniques with NASCAR champions from Richard Petty to Joe Gibbs Racing. WIX has taken every bit of knowledge and experience gained at the track and applied it to their premium filtration products in order to protect engines better than ever before.

In fact, WIX consistently offers the best protection in the industry for domestic and foreign nameplate vehicles, as well as hybrids, trucks and heavy duty fleets, in oil, air, cabin interior, fuel, coolant, transmission and hydraulic filters.

“Affinia Group is committed to providing our customers with the best products in the marketplace, and we are pleased to celebrate seven decades of offering them innovative filtration solutions through WIX Filters,” said Terry McCormack, chief executive officer of Affinia Group, Inc., whose brands include WIX Filters, Raybestos® brake and chassis, and other leading on- and off-highway replacement part brands. “The success of WIX Filters through the years is a tribute to the dedication of the people who serve our customers. That pioneering spirit of service and innovation has been with our people since the beginning and will drive the company’s growth in the future.”

A specially-designed WIX Filters 70th Anniversary logo will be featured on many of WIX’s 2009 promotions and sales materials.

Since 1939, Wix® Filters has been an innovator in filtration products. WIX designs, manufactures and distributes products for automotive, diesel, agricultural, industrial and specialty filter markets. Its product line includes oil, air, cabin interior, fuel, coolant, transmission and hydraulic filters for automobiles, trucks and off-road equipment. WIX, a member of the Affinia family of brands, is the number one filter in NASCAR and an exclusive NASCAR Performance Product. Its NASCAR relationship also includes the WIX Filters Lap Leader Award, which recognizes the drivers leading the most laps in each race. For more information, visit www.wixfilters.com.

Affinia Group Inc. is a global leader in the on- and off-highway replacement products and service industries. In North America the Affinia family of brands includes WIX® filters, Raybestos®, AIMCO® and BrakePro® brake products, and McQuay-Norris® and Spicer® chassis parts. South American and European brands include Nakata®, Filtron®, Urba® and Quinton Hazell®. For more information, visit www.affiniagroup.com.

Wray Ward