Jacobs Electronics Shifts Locations, Business Model

High-performance parts supplier Jacobs Electronics is closing its Midland, Tex., to move to North Carolina, and is also shifting its business model to focus solely on sales to the trade.
The company is consolidating all operations with its parent company, Rostra Precision Controls, according to David H. Mosier, Jr., Jacobs’ president and chief operating officer. The relocation to Rostra headquarters in Laurinburg, N.C., should be complete by the first quarter of 2002, Mosier said.
The move signifies a significant shift in Jacobs’ business model, he added.
"We’re not only moving back to North Carolina, we’re moving forward with a planned emphasis on the wholesale market," Mosier stated. "When the transition is complete, Jacobs Electronics will sell to the trade only. We’re ceasing operation of our direct-to-consumer business."
The consolidation has other benefits, he stresses. Rostra will manufacture all Jacobs’ products at its QS 9000 ISO 9001 Certified facility. Jacobs’ research and development program will also be combined with its parent.
Rostra supplies OEM components to some of the world’s largest auto manufacturers and is America’s single largest supplier of cruise controls and transmission products to the automotive aftermarket. The company is a Tier 1 Supplier to General Motors and has earned Q1 Status with Ford Motor Company.
Jacobs Electronics has been manufacturing high-performance automotive products for more than 25 years.