Pontiac, Mich. — iBiquity Digital’s automotive group expanded its staff to boost support for European automakers, U.S. car dealers and expediters.
The company recently hired Sanyo Trading, a major international trader and sales representative firm, to help Japanese automakers launch HD Radio technology.
iBiquity, which developed the technology, hired Gereon Joachim as senior manager of OEM business development in Cologne, Germany, to head iBiquity’s efforts with European automakers. His day-to-day task is to support Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo and European-based automotive suppliers such as Bosch and Siemens.
In the United States, iBiquity hired Richard Zeichner as manager of dealer programs and Erin Burns as a sales engineer. Zeichner, Visteon’s former national sales manager, will help car dealers find ways to supply customers with HD Radio options, even if there are limited factory options. He will work directly with dealers, expediters and jobbers. One of his first responsibilities is to develop a dealer education program.
Burns, a veteran of Siemens VDO and Sentek, provides technical support to the U.S.-based sales/marketing staff that works with Chrysler, Hyundai, Honda, Toyota and Nissan.
iBiquity is already working with “virtually every OEM manufacturer doing business in North America,” said iBiquity president/CEO Robert Struble. “Most of these manufacturers have committed to adding HD Radio technology in several of their product lines over the next few years.’’ BMW offers HD Radio, and eight more vehicle brands will join BMW in the next eight to 36 months to bring HD Radio availability to around 49 vehicle models, he said.
