Auto Plus and Pep Boys have established a presence in a key Pacific Northwest market, accelerating the company’s growth with the recent acquisition of Automotive Electric Distributors (AED), an automotive aftermarket parts warehouse distributor in Portland, Oregon.
In business since 1959, the five AED warehouses, led by president Pat Blechschmidt, distribute products to automotive parts stores and service facilities across Oregon, western and central Washington and western Idaho. Blechschmidt, and his team of 50 employees will remain on board as the locations become corporate-owned Auto Plus stores. The staff will continue to service its loyal independent store customer base out of the company’s facilities in Portland, as well as its distribution center in Auburn, Washington.
“The AED ownership group is tremendously excited about being part of the growth of Auto Plus and Pep Boys,” said Blechschmidt. “Auto Plus and Pep Boys is a well-run operation that has the ability to stock all the parts needed to operate a successful distribution business in a highly competitive market like Portland. Most importantly, they understand the value of having a strong group of experienced, professional people like ours working hard to make the company successful.”
“AED has enjoyed 57 years in business, in large part because of their focus on their employees and on exceeding their customers’ expectations, which aligns with the priorities of Auto Plus and Pep Boys as we expand our presence across the country,” said Auto Plus and Pep Boys President and CEO Brent Windom.
Windom continued, “The addition of AED is a great example of our growth strategy gaining momentum. We are focused on increasing our national footprint and strengthening our ability to compete through a steady pace of network growth in key markets. This transaction positions us for further expansion in the Pacific Northwest and beyond, enabling us to better serve our existing customers and take care of new customers wherever they need us.”
