CANTON, Ohio — The Timken Co. recently received the top award for category management from National Pronto Association. Timken supplies Pronto with a full line of automotive aftermarket products, including Timken hub unit bearings, tapered roller bearings, grease and seals.
 
"Demand Insight, the Timken category management system, is a quick and easy way for distributors to identify and stock an optimal inventory mix that corresponds with their local customers’ current and future demand,” said Tom Tecklenburg, director of commercial vehicle original equipment and the automotive aftermarket for Timken. “Our newly enhanced proprietary database identifies premium aftermarket demand for distributors based on local vehicle registrations, replacement rates, road conditions and more.”
 
Timken introduced Demand Insight three years ago as part of a broad strategy to support its distributors with valuable programs and technology designed to help them grow sales and profits. To use the system, inventory managers enter relevant criteria, such as market area and estimated percentage of market share, to see the results, with the option of exporting the data to Microsoft Excel to analyze it further.