From acquisitions to partnerships to new members and awards, parts distributors in the automotive aftermarket provided us with no shortage of news in 2023.

Join Maddie Winer, editor of AftermarketNews, and Josh Cable, editor of sister publication Counterman, as they count down the Top 10 automotive aftermarket distribution stories, in no particular order.

1.Four Brands Unite to Become US Auto Supply: US Auto Supply was formed this year from four automotive brands – including Collision Services, Auto Body Toolmart, I/D/E/A and Sid Savage –coming together under a unified identity as US Auto Supply. The four were formerly under parent company Whitewater Brands. The new US Auto Supply has roots as a catalog and online retailer under the four brands and unveiled a new online platform that encompasses products across automotive parts, equipment, repair tools, painting and refinishing and more.

2. Advance Looks to Spin Off Worldpac, Canadian Business: A story that shot to our Top 10 list this year is Advance Auto Parts’ announcement that it’s looking to sell Worldpac as well as its Canadian business. In an array of changes over the past year, Advance said it’s looking to sell these parts of the business to focus on what it has called its “blended box business model.”

3. Arnold Motor Supply Acquires Barron Motor Supply: Another story that was very popular on our site this year was Arnold Motor Supply’s merger with Barron Motor Supply, a multi-generational company with 12 locations in Eastern Iowa. The 12 locations add to Arnold Motor Supply’s nearly 70 stores across five states in the Midwest.

4. Factory Motor Parts Acquires Select Auto Plus Locations: Also in June, FMP acquired an undisclosed number of Auto Plus locations. Over the past 77 years in business, FMP has mainly focused on OE parts solutions and the FVP and Splash brands. But these new locations will have inventories for all makes and all models – both OE and aftermarket as a result of the Auto Plus acquisitions.

5. NPW Acquires 20 Auto Plus Locations in Florida, Rebranded Auto Value: National Parts Warehouse, or NPW in southeast Florida, acquired 20 Auto Plus locations in the state. This allowed NPW to expand up the east coast of Florida and to the west coast, bringing its total number of locations to 28.

6. XL Parts/The Parts House Acquires IEH Auto Parts: XL Parts/The Parts House acquired the assets of IEH Auto Parts, which does business as Auto Plus in the Southeast and Midwest. This includes three distribution centers located in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina.

7. 4M Parts Warehouse Acquires 10 Auto Plus Locations: Four separate stories on Auto Plus acquisitions made our Top 10 list this year. That’s because in January, Icahn Enterprises, which owned Auto Plus, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This came after the company said that various factors negatively impacted their business, including lessened demand, supply chain disruptions, an inflationary environment and, of course, the effects of COVID-19. The 10 Auto Plus locations acquired by 4M Parts Warehouse in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, area were rebranded to Bumper-to-Bumper parts stores.

8. New Advance President Outlines Guidelines for Future: Take a trip down to Raleigh, North Carolina, where Advance Auto Parts named a new President and CEO this year in Shane O’Kelly. The post that made our Top 10 distribution stories was a letter Kelly wrote to advance employees outlining the principles the company will use as guidelines for its path forward. One of those? Put the customer first.

9. Fisher Auto Parts Acquires Bagnell Auto Supply: Two stories on Fisher Auto Parts made our Top 10 list this year. In April, the business acquired Bagnell Auto Supply, based in Massachusetts. In the deal, Fisher gained seven Massachusetts locations across the state plus a central warehouse and company headquarters in Rockland. The company completed another acquisition in October of Berrodin Parts Warehouse. Headquartered in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, Berrodin Parts Warehouse employs over 400 people and has 9 warehouse locations throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania and Northern Delaware.

10. Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper Name 2023 Tech of the Year: Congratulations are in order for Harrison Keyes, who was named the Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper 2023 U.S. Technician of the Year Champion. Keyes is owner of Jerry’s Automotive Service, in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and competed against 12 other top technicians across the US through a custom ASE test and a hands-on, timed skills test. Keyes is also a customer of the Auto-Wares Group of Companies.

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