23t
Carport Auto Parts, Inc. Carport launched a new freestanding store prototype,
complete with new planograms and merchandising sys-
3925 Rice Mine Road N.E. Stores: 51 tems that give the stores a more open feel. With the cre-
Tuscaloosa AL 35406 Employees: 447 ation of a new management structure for the commercial
205-345-2400 Fax: 205-345-4302 Retail: 70% Commercial: 30% sales development, expect Carport to place even more
Website: www.carportautoparts.com Sales: $54.3 million (1999 est.) emphasis on its wholesale customers. Although Carport
CEO: Jim Harrison, Jr. has had an Internet site for three years, President David
President: David Fuhrman Fuhrman said their are no plans to conduct sales online.
Program Group Affiliation: None
23t
KOI Warehouse KOI is a private company that “simply goes about its busi-
ness in a quiet methodical fashion specializing in servic-
2701 Spring Grove Avenue Stores: 51 ing the professional installer with a breadth of inventory in
Cincinnati OH 45225 Employees: More than 700 large jobber stores,” says Dave Wesselman, KOI presi-
513-357-2427 Fax: 513-723-9204 Retail: 20% Commercial: 80% dent. “The professional installer has been our focus for
Website: N/A Sales: $152 million (1999 est.) over 45 years and our programs surround an intense
President: David P. Wesselman effort to constantly strengthen that relationship and thus
Vice President: Mary N. Riesenbeck are key to our high market share.”
Program Group Affiliation: Federated
25
Hub City Warehouse Hub City CEO Jim Richardson said development is under-
way on several websites for internal and external usage.
364 South Royal Street Stores: 50 He plans to use the sites as educational tools for cus-
Jackson TN 38301 Employees: 250 tomers and employees. Hub City is structured with eight
901-424-7008 Fax: 901-422-2179 Retail: 20% Commercial: 80% separate divisions focusing on specific business seg-
Website: N/A Sales: $35 million (1999) ments. Expect the company to increase its marketshare in
CEO: Jim Richardson $50 million (2000) 2001 by increasing its same store sales and via acquisi-
tions.
Program Group Affiliation: Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance
26t
Arnold Motor Supply (The Merrill Company) The Merrill Company had a busy 2000 fitting its stores
and two warehouses with a new cataloging system. The
601 First Avenue S.W. Stores: 48 company also moved from a 32,000-sq.-ft. warehouse in
Spencer IA 51301 Employees: 463 Omaha, Neb., to a rehabbed 47,000-sq.-ft. facility.
712-262-1141 Fax: 712-262-1255 Retail: 24% Commercial: 76% Combined with the new computer system, the new site
Website: N/A Sales: $37 million (1998) should be highly efficient and allow the company to carry
General Manager: Milo Allen $42 million (2000 est.) deeper, and more, product lines. Leadership is noodling
over some acquisition possibilities within the five-states
they already service. Also expect Merrill to push an edu-
Program Group Affiliation: Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance
cational program for installers throughout 2001.
26t
Parts Plus Group CEO Joe York said his company has
The Parts Plus Group, Inc. served as a dot-com order fulfillment center for 18
20 River Road Stores: 48 months, but so far sales growth has been slow. York
Bogota NJ 07603 Employees: 1,800 would not specify which business-to-consumer online
201-525-4719 Fax: 201-487-1670 Retail: 10% Commercial: 90% company he’s partnered with. Expect 2001 to be a busy
Website: N/A Sales: $265 million (1999) year with regard to acquisitions, particularly in the states
CEO: Joseph York $300 million (2000) of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and North
Carolina.
Program Group Affiliation: Parts Plus
28
VIP Discount President Thomas J. Auger says he’s taking
VIP Discount Auto Center a wait-and-see attitude toward e-commerce because of
12 Lexington Street Stores: 46 the large number of failures in the dot-com arena. The
Lewiston ME 04240 Employees: 920 plan for 2001 is to maintain a strong niche marketing pro-
207-784-5423 Fax: 207-784-9178 Retail: 94% Commercial: 6% gram and continue with daily delivery of products from
Website: www.vipauto.com Sales: $82 million (est. through warehouse to stores.
CEO: Thomas O. Auger 8/31/00)
President: Thomas J. Auger
Program Group Affiliation: RPM
29
Brooks Auto Parts, Inc. Brooks Auto Parts had no acquisitions in 2000, but
expects to make some moves in 2001. Company
402 S. Peterson Avenue Stores: 45 President/CEO Don Brooks is excited about NAPA’s
Douglas GA 31533 Employees: 260 e-commerce plans, and views his new computer cata-
912-384-7818 Fax: 912-384-1849 Retail: 35% Commercial: 65% loging system as a major benefit for business-to-busi-
Website: N/A Sales: Won’t disclose sales figures, but ness. Brooks said one of his 2001 corporate goals is to
President/CEO: Don Brooks “goals for 2000 were not met.” better tailor inventories to suit markets. He expects this
initiative to generate higher turns and increase market
penetration.
Program Group Affiliation: NAPA
30 Aftermarket Business January 2001
Auto Chain Report Top 50
30
Autopart International Company CEO Roger Patkin expects 2001 to be a year in
which significant technology improvements are made to
1205 U.S. Route 1 Stores: 42 aid commercial customers as they conduct business with
Sharon MA 02067 Employees: 650 Autopart International. New computer software is being
781-784-1111 Fax: 781-784-4600 Retail: 10% Commercial: 90% implemented. Patkin does not expect to use the Internet
Website: www.autopartintl.com Sales: $52 million (1999) as a parts-selling tool for retail customers. He views
CEO: Roger Patkin $60 million (2000 est.) strong parts personnel at all levels and shotgun delivery
President: Todd G. Patkin as the company’s greatest assets.
Program Group Affiliation: None
31
Auto-Wares Inc. (dba Auto Parts Center) Auto-Wares Inc. was the savior for Packerland Automotive
last year, pumping plenty of cash into the Wisconsin-
440 Kirtland Street Stores: 41 based company and giving it a broader selection of avail-
Grand Rapids MI 49507 Employees: 250 (store portion only) able parts. Otherwise, it was pretty much business as
616-243-2125 Fax: 616-243-2159 Retail: 30% Commercial: 70% usual for Auto-Wares Inc. No major changes to its opera-
Website: N/A *Sales: $38 million (2000) tion and only routine maintenance for its internal operat-
President/CEO: Fred Bunting ing systems. The company did join up with others in the
*Sales figures are for stores segment only. launch of Internet Autoparts Inc., according to CFO Greg
Hinkle.
Program Group Affiliation: Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance
32
Jobbers Warehouse Service Inc. Jobbers Warehouse services approximately 100 indepen-
dents along with its corporate locations. The company
3470 Roger B Chaffee Drive S.E. Stores: 40 plans to focus on improving order fill and accuracy, and
Grand Rapids MI 49548 Employees: 250 cutting costs “without cutting service” in 2001. The com-
616-248-9000 Fax: 616-248-9004 Retail: 45% Commercial: 55% pany is taking a wait-and-see approach to e-commerce,
Website: www.jobbers.com (under construc- Sales: $50 million (1999) and is investigating extranet options for its stores and car
tion) $55 million (2000) care centers. For more on Jobbers Warehouse, see page
CEO: Bruce Cheadle 10 of our May 2000 issue.
President: David Van Solkema
Program Group Affiliation: Parts Plus
33
U.S. Parts Corporation (formerly Rankin Automotive) To say 2000 was a roller-coaster ride for the folks at
Rankin Automotive would be an understatement. Early in
3100 Pawnee Stores: 38 the year, earnings reports had Wall Street jumping on-
Houston TX 77054 Employees: 520 board, but by the end of 2000 Rankin had sold off many of
281-618-4000 Fax: 281-618-4040 Retail: 5% Commercial: 95% its assets in an effort to refocus its business on installer
Website: www.rankinautomotive.com Sales: $125 million (1999) customers. Companies like Crow Burlingame, O’Reilly
CEO: Randall B. Rankin $85 million (2000 est.) Automotive and Star Automotive got to pickup most of the
pieces. And note the name change.
Program Group Affiliation: Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance
34
Parts Depot President Willi Alexander expected his busi-
Parts Depot Co. ness to grow through acquisitions last year, and it did. In
2177 Dale Avenue Stores: 36 September the company closed a deal with Auto Parts
Roanoke VA 24013 Employees: 700 Express for a warehouse in the Carolinas and six stores.
540-345-1001 Fax: 540-983-7924 Retail: 10% Commercial: 90% The company has joined with several others in the cre-
Website: N/A Sales: $104 million (1999) ation of Internet Autoparts, and Alexander feels good
CEO: Rollie Olson $110 million (2000) about Parts Depot’s e-commerce strategy. Forty percent
President: Willi Alexander of the jobber base is tied to the company via e-commerce,
he said.
Program Group Affiliation: Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance
35
SAE Warehouse is in the process of merging with another
Sturdevant’s/SAE Warehouse company, also called Sturdevants, which has seven stores
P.O. Box 91210 Stores: 35 and a warehouse based out of Fargo, N.D. Three of the
Sioux Falls SD 57109 Employees: 264 stores have already been brought into SAE’s operation and
605-362-6970 Fax: 605-362-6971 Retail: 20% Commercial: 80% President Jack Sturdevant expects the remaining stores to
Website: www.saewh.com Sales: $42.4 million (1999) be in the fold by summer. SAE will continue its ongoing
President/CEO: Jack Sturdevant $42.5 million (2000) project to modernize its stores through re-merchandising
CFO: Tim Sturdevant and new signage.
Program Group Affiliation: Pronto
36
Benny’s Benny’s was founded in 1924. It has stores in
Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Its average
340 Waterman Avenue Stores: 32 store has four check-out counters. In addition to carrying
Esmond RI 02917 Employees: Unavailable automotive parts, it carries hand tools, marine equipment,
401-231-1000 Fax: 401-231-1080 Retail: 100% Commercial: 0% RV equipment, tires and van and truck accessories.
Website: N/A Sales: $41 million (1999 est.)
CEO: Malcolm C. Bromberg
Program Group Affiliation: None
January 2001 Aftermarket Business 31