Taking the No. 1 spot in our weekly recap of top industry news is the Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance, which announced that Trimon Inc. has joined the group as its newest member. Headquartered in Concord, Calif., Trimon was founded in 1965, and is one of the largest independent auto parts suppliers in Northern California. The business currently operates nine wholesale/retail locations under the names of Superior Auto Parts Warehouse and Monument Car Parts.
In other top news this week, CAWA announced that Randy Buller of The Parts Authority will be the keynote speaker at the association’s annual dinner meeting held in conjunction with Industry Week in Las Vegas. Buller will draw from his professional experience to discuss the issues distributors and their suppliers face today. The dinner will take place at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 28 at the Venetian hotel.
CAWA made the news earlier in the week as well, when it was recognized as being instrumental in getting California Gov. Jerry Brown to veto SB 750. The bill, introduced by Sen. Ed Hernandez and sponsored by BMW, sought to exempt automakers from providing electronic key code information to locksmiths, requiring motorists to contact the automaker to get a replacement key for their vehicles. CAWA worked in collaboration with industry coalition partners including AAIA, AAA, CARE, ASCCA and CalABC to fight the bill.
In other news from AAIA, the association this week announced the winners of this year’s
AAIA Head of the Class awards. The 2012 winners, designated by aftermarket category, are:
* Manufacturer (Large): The Timken Co., Canton, Ohio
* Manufacturer (Mid-Size): Gold Eagle Co., Chicago, Ill.
* Warehouse Distributor: Automotive Parts Headquarters, St. Cloud, Minn.
* Jobber (Education/Training of Employees of Company Owned Stores):
Crow-Burlingame Co., Little Rock, Ark.
* Retail: VIP-Parts, Tires & Service, Lewiston, Maine
* Repair Shop: Gustafson’s Auto Clinic, Inc./Tirecraft, Athabasca, Alberta, Canada
And, last in our look back at the week’s top news, we report that Meineke Car Care Centers is now under new leadership. Parent company Driven Brands has named Paul Clayton as the company’s new president. An accomplished franchising executive, Clayton brings more than 28 years of highly successful franchising experience to Meineke, most notably having spent eight years as CEO of Jamba Juice and building the company into a nationally recognized brand.
