Advance Auto Parts To Consolidate, Move Some Of Its Operations

ROANOKE, Va. – Advance Auto Parts has announced plans for several corporate organizational design changes taking place as part of its ongoing integration of General Parts International.

The company says it will organize its corporate operations around two store support centers in the Southeastern United States, utilizing its Roanoke and Raleigh offices, and also will reorganize several corporate functions between those locations. Advance also announced plans to close its Minnesota office in September 2015, and consolidate its California Bay Area e-business teams to its Newark, Calif., location, which also serves as the headquarters for WORLDPAC. That change will happen this summer, the company says.

“We continue to make progress in our integration of General Parts International. Today’s announcement is the next step in those efforts as we work to enable an efficient and effective corporate team that best utilizes the strengths of both organizations and positions our company for continued profitable growth,” said CEO Darren Jackson. “These changes will provide increased support to our field, commercial and store teams; strengthen collaboration among corporate team members; facilitate more efficient decision-making and enhance our ability to serve customers.”

The Roanoke store support center will be the hub for the majority of enterprise-wide corporate functions that support the day-to-day operations of the company. The Raleigh Store Support Center will become the hub for functions that most directly impact customers. Under the new organizational structure, Jackson along with President George Sherman, and Executive Vice President and CFO Mike Norona, will be based in the Raleigh office.

Advance says the transition of corporate functions will happen gradually over the next 12 to 18 months. Following the transition, there will be approximately 1,600 team members employed in the Roanoke Valley, of which approximately 1,000 will be employed at the store support center. The Raleigh office will employ approximately 600 team members.

Federated Auto Parts Distributors announced it is entering into a collaboration with the Association of Independent Oil Distributors (AIOD) – one it said will focus on mutual benefits for the respective members.

“Federated is constantly looking at ways to improve value for all constituents and this agreement provides that,” said Sue Godschalk, president of Federated. “This collaboration provides added volume and opportunities for our suppliers, new partners for our members, and added supply points and products for shop customers. We have enjoyed working closely with several AIOD members in the past and this agreement will expand and create further opportunities for both Federated and AIOD.”