Over The Counter: March 2004

Jobber Training Tour Receives Positive Reviews

The Jobber News Partners In Training Tour has received positive reviews from attendees, with attendance exceeding expectations for the first three dates.

Eastern Canada dates brought out a total of nearly 90 jobbers and other personnel, while Western Canada dates were still to come at press time.

The six-date business training tour garnered strong support from the industry, with sponsorship from Blue Streak-Hygrade Motor Products, Dana Automotive Aftermarket Group, Federal-Mogul Canada, Gates Canada, Mark IV Industries (Dayco), NGK Spark Plugs Canada, Specialty Sales & Marketing, and Tenneco Automotive.

Also, the Northern Alberta Division of the Automotive Industries of Canada stepped up by offering members an incentive to head to the Partners In Training business course in Calgary. “For the first 10 members who register and wish to take a second employee, we will pay the second registration fee of $249,” says Casey Wnuk, chairman of the division, in advance of the program. “You will learn how to take action that will make a real difference in your business and your customers’,” says Wnuk.

The Jobber News Magazine Partners In Training Tour has received positive reviews from attendees.

“Very good input toward clients’ unknown knowledge of their own needs and wants,” says John Warnick, Barton Auto Parts, Hamilton, Ont.

“Concise and to the point. Very powerful information for all of us in the jobbing business,” confirmed Steve Wowk, Campbellford Automotive Supplies, Campbellford, Ont.

“Every employee in our company should take this course,” reported Barry Ramsey, Maslack Supply, Sudbury, Ont.

“I would like to see this presented to all jobbers and WDs,” says Ian Creaser of Lunenburg Auto & Sporting Supply Co. Ltd., Lunenberg, N.S. “I think that our buying group managers should be enlightened on the end users of our industry.”

“Very good, but very intense,” reported John Stewart of A.P.M. Limited in Saint John, N.B.

Jobber News publisher and editor Andrew Ross says that he was encouraged by the enthusiasm shown by attending jobbers. “It is clear that these jobbers are taking their business seriously. I am sure that Bob Greenwood has inspired many of them to look at their business and their customers in a new way. And, considering the number of inquiries I have had about other locations, I am sure that this will not be the last P.I.T. Tour.”

Ross also thanked the sponsors, whose funding made it possible to keep the cost of the one-day course at $249.

“It really encompassed the best qualities of an industry initiative. The sponsors helped make it accessible, Bob Greenwood developed the course, the staff at Jobber News Magazine created and administered the tour, and the jobbers themselves made it a success. It is, without doubt, one of the most rewarding results of my career in the aftermarket.”

The course led jobbers through an understanding of the financial picture of the service provider and how it affects their business. It also covered issues that jobbers can address to improve their relationship with their trade customers and the potential impact on their own financial picture, as well as other issues.

Shad’s Tool Time Draw Raises $10,000 for MD Research

Shad’s R&R Tool Time Draw has raised some $10,000 in funds for muscular dystrophy research, bringing the aftermarket charity’s total fundraising closer to its $3 million milestone.

The charity fundraiser holds its key event, a golf tournament, each June, but has supplemented this effort with prize raffles.

Prize winners of this year’s draw are:

Grand Prize winner Sandy Robbins of Markham, Ont., who collected a large assortment of tools valued at over $5,000; Jeff Holm of Edmonton, Alta., who won a Westward Racing Tool Chest; Dave Schneider, Kitchener, Ont., who won a NAPA Ultra Pro Tool Chest; Ellen Meyer of Delta, B.C. who won a Karcher Pressure Washer; and Lou Menecola of Mississauga, Ont., who collected a Coleman tent and sleeping bag.

The next initiative for Shad’s is the “Pick Your Prize” promotion that will be drawn at the annual Shad’s Golf Tournament on June 10th.

Auto Value Signs Up New Stores

The Auto Value distribution group, through its Base Automotive Warehousing members, has signed up two new auto parts stores.

The stores, both located in Ontario, join a network of more than 150 Auto Value associate stores across Canada.

The latest to join the group are Fastlane Auto Parts of Hamilton, Ont., owned and operated by John Dickinson, and Wolfedale Auto Parts, Mississauga, Ont., owned and operated by Mahir Ahmad. Fastlane Auto Parts is located at 1249 Stone Church Rd. East, Units 7 & 8, Hamilton, Ontario L8W 2C6, phone 905 318-2002. Wolfedale Auto Parts is located at 3095 Wolfedale Road, Mississauga, Ontario L5C 1V8, phone 905 275-3513.

Standard Finalizes Acquisition of Dana’s Canadian Engine Management Business

Standard Motor Products Inc. has acquired Dana Corp.’s Canadian engine management business.

The net sales volume of the company has been pegged at approximately $13 million.

Lawrence Sills, Standard Motor Products chairman and CEO, said, “We are pleased to finalize this acquisition. We have been supplying product to Dana’s Canadian division since the time of our July 1 acquisition of Dana’s U.S. Engine Management business. We will now be taking over sales, marketing, and distribution functions in Canada, and amalgamating these into our current [Blue Streak-Hygrade Motor Products] facility in Mississauga, Ont. This will enable us to provide improved service to Canadian accounts.”

For more on these and other stories, log on daily to autoserviceworld.com

Anniversary Celebration Planned

Friction Clutch & Drum of Thunder Bay, Ont., is planning an anniversary celebration in May. The Uni-Select member says it is planning a first-class affair and invites customers and suppliers to take part in the celebration of the company’s 25th anniversary in business.

Spartan Gains Line

Autosol has announced the appointment of Spartan Marketing Services as manufacturer’s representatives for Autosol branded products in Canada. The Autosol product range is manufactured in Germany and includes a range of award-winning appearance chemicals, the most famous of which is the Autosol metal polish which has been sold in Canada for almost 50 years. Spartan will be introducing more products in the Autosol range later this year.

Futur Cylinder Head Expands Presence

Futur Cylinder Head LR Inc. has expanded its presence in Western Canada.

The company has appointed Grand Prix Automotive Distribution Inc of Calgary as its fee warehouse. This move will allow existing customers in the three western provinces to receive next-day service at favourable rates, according to the company. Futur Cylinder Head of Mascouche, Que., remanufactures more than 30,000 heads annually at its new state-of-the art facility. The company is privately owned and just celebrated its 10th year in business.

Obituary

Agri-Cover, Inc. is pleased to announce the addition of Dustin Whitney to their sales team. Dustin will be the West Coast Territory Manager for Access and LiteRider Soft Roll-up covers as well as the SnowSport Personal Utility Plow. Whitney’s experience in sales and customer service will prove beneficial for both Agri-Cover, Inc. and its customers.

Veteran of Jobbing World Passes Away

Shelton MacArthur, who had been a part of the Canadian automotive aftermarket since 1969, passed away in February.

MacArthur was born on Prince Edward Island in 1950 and spent the early part of his life working on the family farm. While still a teenager he left P.E.I. and moved to Brampton, Ont., where he began working in the automotive industry at Brampton Auto Parts in 1969.

He left Brampton Auto Parts in 1973 when his brother Warren MacArthur started Warren’s Auto Parts. The combination of Shelton, his brother Warren, and his sister-in-law Mary helped Warren’s Auto Parts become one of the biggest UAP Associate Stores
in Canada. In 1986, Shelton began working as the UAP corporate store manager in Georgetown after Warren’s Auto Parts was sold. He stayed as the store manager in Georgetown until the early ’90s when he once again joined his brother and sister-in-law in Warren’s Supplies and Equipment. The combination of Warren, Mary, and Shelton made the new venture one of the largest McKerlie-Millen Associates in Canada. He stayed with Warren’s until 1996, when he became a corporate store manager for Carquest after Warren’s was sold. He stayed with Carquest until 2000 when he returned to NAPA, where he was employed at the Brampton store at the time of his death.

He was known throughout Brampton and Georgetown as a man who was willing to go the extra mile for his customers, often delivering parts himself on his way home. He had many customers who were very loyal to him and knew they could always count on him to find the part that no one else could.

He is survived by wife Jeri, daughters Beth and Sarah, and his son Jason, who is currently employed at the Ideal Supply store in Georgetown, Ont.