ELGIN, Ill. -- SKF recently entered a partnership with Pacific Marketing/Advantage Sales Group, an agency with more than a century of sales experience in the automotive aftermarket. Pacific Marketing/Advantage Sales Group will represent SKF automotive products in California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, Alaska and a portion of Nevada.

"SKF is pleased to partner with Pacific Marketing's energetic and hard working sales force," said Tom O'Brien, vice president automotive sales, VSM. "This partnership not only allows us to increase our automotive sales presence on the west coast, but also our level of customer service to partners in that area. We look forward to building and maintaining customer relationships with Pacific Marketing, as we move forward with our sales initiatives in 2009."

As a group of only 22 employees, Pacific Marketing/Advantage Sales Group is dedicated to providing specialized service to each and every customer. Pacific Marketing has four fully staffed offices located in Southern California; Phoenix, Ariz.; the Pacific Northwest; and Springfield, Mo., that provide sales and marketing assistance within 14 states.

"The entire Pacific Marketing team is excited to join the SKF team and family," said Gary Swarberg of Pacific Marketing. "In the months ahead, our staff will work diligently to communicate with SKF customers about the transition in representation, while building and maintaining lasting customer relationships."