CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill. – VIPAR Heavy Duty celebrates its 25th anniversary during 2014. In 1989, 17 like-minded independent aftermarket truck parts distributors came together to form VIPAR Heavy Duty. Through the contributions of the founding distributors, and of the many distributors since then, the organization has now grown to 125 distributors that operate more than 500 locations throughout the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico.
 
A 25th anniversary celebration will culminate at the VIPAR Heavy Duty Annual Conference, scheduled for Oct. 19-24 at the Marco Island Marriott in Marco Island, Fla. The theme for VIPAR Heavy Duty’s anniversary and the 2014 Annual Business Conference is “Embracing the Entrepreneurial Spirit.”  
 
“The growth and success of VIPAR Heavy Duty is a testament to the original vision and inspiration of these entrepreneurial founding distributors, as well as the contributions of all of our other distributors since then,” said Steve Crowley, president of VIPAR Heavy Duty. “VIPAR Heavy Duty has succeeded by helping our distributors be more competitive in their local market and by providing resources, such as technology, marketing, communications and many other value-added solutions, to make them more profitable.”
 
With the recent addition of Power Heavy Duty, the VIPAR Heavy Duty family of companies is now composed of two heavy-duty truck parts marketing/buying groups with more than 260 companies and more than 700 locations throughout North America. The organization also has grown with the addition of the VHD Equipment Network, the first buying group in the truck mounted equipment industry. The organization has also been strengthened through the addition of a technology group, two brake remanufacturing centers, two parts distribution centers and relationships with 180 plus manufacturers and parts suppliers.