Our look back at the week’s top news begins with word that Bosch has reorganized several of its independent aftermarket resources in the United States. The Bosch Car Service Network, the Bosch Technical Training and Service organization, and both the Parts and Diagnostics/Wheel Service sales organizations will now all be aligned into a single structural unit in an effort to simplify sales and service in the independent aftermarket. These changes are intended to more effectively support sales of Bosch products through WDs, jobbers, retailers and repair shops, the company said.
In other top news this week, Eaton Corp.’s proposed acquisition of Cooper Industries has been approved by both Eaton’s and Cooper’s shareholders. News of the merger was first announced on May 21. The proposal to adopt the transaction agreement and approve the merger was approved by shareholders holding 77.99 percent of the outstanding Eaton shares as of the record date and 97.97 percent of the shares voted at the meeting.
Within the distribution segment this week, WORLDPAC announced that it reached a significant milestone with the opening of its 100th warehouse location. The company celebrated the opening of this new location in Ventura, Calif., with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Oct. 1. The company says this landmark branch opening commemorates WORLDPAC’s more than 40-year history of partnering with respected OE and aftermarket manufacturers to serve the needs of the most accomplished independent import repair specialists in the industry.
Some of our live reporting from the 2012 AAPEX show in Las Vegas was among the most viewed news items on AMN this week, including Counterman Editor Mark Philllips’ report from the AASA Executive Breakfast, featuring Kevin Freeland, chief operating officer of Advance Auto Parts. Freeland told a packed crowd at AASA’s Executive Breakfast Tuesday morning that brand matters and the company’s surge in commercial sales growth has been due to selling well-known name brand parts with solid reputations. After a briefing by Freeland on Advance’s operations, AASA’s Steve Handschuh sat down for a Q&A with Freeland. Click here to read more of what Freeland had to say.
It wasn’t just the sounds of AAPEX that AMN readers were interested in this week, but the sights as well. Catch a glimpse of the action from the show floor with our slideshow galleries of images here and here.
