NEWS AND INFORMATION

April 16, 2007

Rochester firm gives auto mechanics the information they need

By Jeff Kiger Post-Bulletin business columnist

They may work at computers in an office, but their minds are in the garage under a hood.

Surrounded by a stack of just-arrived manuals from car manufacturers and with technical illustrations of timing belts on his computer screen, Todd Nelson explains the basics of what his team of self-described "gearheads" does.

"We're condensing 20 pages of information down to two pages that a repair technician can fold out flat while working," said the editorial manager for Autodata. "It's all about how to get it (the needed technical information) fast, to get the job done and save time."

Nelson, a former service manager at a Rochester car dealership, works for Autodata, an England-based publisher of technical manuals and electronic media. The company's U.S. headquarters is in Rochester in Suite 403 at 6301 Bandel Road N.W.

Being the "U.S. headquarters" for the long European-focused company was not a major deal when the office open in 2005.

Vice president and General Manager Richard Gunderson opened the doors with three people on staff and a warehouse full of manuals for European and Asian vehicles.

Two years later, he has 15 people on staff, with plans to hire three or four more this year. Much of his warehouse is being renovated to be used for 11 workstations for writers near a new technical library with thousands of resources.

"In last two years, we have developed five new products for domestic markets," Gunderson said. Seven members of his team helped with a $1 million project to create a new three-DVD product that will be launched in May.

Don't look for their work in a do-it-yourselfer's home garage. It is created for professionals that repair vehicles.

"We offer clear, concise instructions, so they can do the job faster in the most reliable way," Gunderson said. "Convenience is our forte." Even some manufacturers contract with them to create installation instructions to be packaged with their products.

And the form those instructions take is changing, too.

"For the first time this year, we received more profit from electronic products than those in print," Gunderson said. "The market is maturing."

Electronic formats offer more flexibility, such as technicians being able to see the instructions in English or Spanish.

Starting with three staffers and growing to a packed office full of mechanics-turned-writers - and even a dog mascot - Autodata seems to be shifting gears and picking up speed in the U.S.

"It is a fun business," Gunderson said.

 

April 14, 2007

  Autodata profile in biz section

By Jeff Kiger, Post-Bulletin business columnist

Here's some from a feature that will appear in Monday's Business section. It is a followup to a piece I wrote a couple years ago about this European-based motor vehicle repair manual business opening in Rochester. Look for the entire piece in print Monday:

They may work in front computers in an office, but their minds are in the garage under    hood.

Surrounded by a stack of just-arrived manual from car manufacturers and with technical illustrations of timing belts on his computer screen, Todd Nelson explains the basics of what his team of self-described “gearheads” does.

“We are condensing 20 pages of information down to two pages that a repair technician can be fold out flat while working,” says the editorial manager for Autodata. “ It is all about how to get it (the need technical information) fast to get the job done and save time.”

Nelson, a former service manager from a Rochester car dealership, works for Autodata, an England-based publisher of technical manuals and electronic media. The company’s U.S. headquarters is in Rochester in Suite 403 at 6301 Bandel Road N.W.

Being the “U.S. headquarters” for the long European-focused company was not a major deal when the office opened in 2005.

Vice president and General Manager Richard Gunderson opened the doors with three people on staff and a warehouse full of manuals for European and Asian vehicles.

Now two years later, he has 15 on staff with plans to hire three or four people this year. Much of his warehouse is being renovated to be used for 11 workstations for writers near a new technical library with thousands of resources.

“In last two years, we have developed five new products for domestic markets,” Gunderson says, And seven members of his team help with a $1 million project to create a new three DVD product that will be launched in May.

 

May 17, 2005

  Autodata moves to Rochester

By Jeff Kiger, Post-Bulletin business columnist

Autodata, an international company that creates auto and motorcycle repair manuals and software, has moved its U.S. headquarters to Rochester.

Some people will recognize the top local guy at Autodata – Richard Gunderson – as the son of Lester Gunderson, a different type of vehicle expert. Lester at 81 is still a top vehicle seller at Lewiston Auto. Richard describes him as a "remarkable man."

Here's a little bit of the story about Autodata and Richard Gunderson that I'll publish in our print edition soon:

                                                                                                                                           An international publishing company that focuses on nuts and bolts – Autodata  Limited has moved its U.S. headquarters to Rochester and is revving up for growth.

Autodata, which is based in England, publishes repair manuals for cars and motorcycles along with related software packages and databases. It has about 40 publications, including software titles in 14 languages.

Instead of focusing on specific models, the publisher creates manuals based on a subject like airbags and then its includes information for all vehicle model including those no longer being made. The manuals are updated annually.

Richard Gunderson, vice president and general manager for Autodata, says the U.S. office opened in Rochester on April after moving from Hudson, Mass. Autodata’s office, warehouse and distribution center is based in the 4,000-square-foot space in Suite 403 at 6301 Bandel Road N.W. He has four people on staff.

“It was a great move to a better business environment,” says Gunderson, who has lived in Rochester for 13 years and has worked for Autodata since 1999. The company has had a U.S. office since 1997.
Previously he managed the operation by phone, e-mail and trips to Massachusetts. “I spent a lot of time of planes,” he said.

Then the U.S. operation outgrew its facility in Hudson, which is just outside of Boston. Gunderson then took the opportunity to move the facility to Rochester in an effort to make things more efficient.
The timing is good as the U.S. operations gear up for growth.

Previously all of the manual writing was handled in England. That is changing and he plans to hire two people to write for two of the company’s top selling annual publications – “Timing Belts” and “Timing Chains and Gears.”

Gunderson also expects to soon add two people in sales.

 

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