There are always, behind the legends, quiet men whose daily initiatives helped shape the world in which we live.”

That quote, from the memoir of John Goerlich, the founder of the Associated Parts and Goerlich companies in 1927, which 95 years later would be known as AP Emissions Technologies, sets the stage for the evolution of a company that has stood the test of time.

Emboldened by a spirit to embrace opportunity and work hard, Goerlich, known as a pioneer of the 20th century, got his start in the business by making a deal with parts manufacturers to be their exclusive distributor. Calling on customers was his greatest joy, as noted in his memoir, forever a symbol of the integrity of the products he sold.

And, while so much has changed about the company over the years when the Proimos family entered the scene in 1990 (founding Aristo, a niche manufacturer of catalytic converter catalysts and launching converter manufacturer CATCO), and forged acquisitions up through 2017 – so much remains the same. That is, so much of the rich heritage, core values, integrity and reputation upon which the company was built under the leadership of Vange Proimos and the Proimos family. 

The turning point for AP was in 1998 when Vange, at 42 years old, purchased AP. It was a huge risk, but he felt it was an amazing opportunity. He knew if he kept his focus on doing the right things for his customers, his employees and his suppliers, AP would be successful. AP was known for good product and great people, he says.  

“In 2020, we came full circle and bought the company back again [APACE Holdings, led by Vange, reacquired AP Emissions Technologies]. History repeats itself,” says Pete Proimos, who together with his father and CEO Vange Proimos run the business.  

“Vange has many of the same people who were with him when he walked through the doors in 1998, and his relentless focus has never changed about doing what is right,” says Jayme Farina, executive vice president.

“I bought the company in 1998 because it was right for my family. I bought the company back in 2020 because it was the right thing for AP employees,” says Vange.

Enriched by its long and storied history, AP Emissions Technologies’ dedication to expertly serving the exhaust and emissions aftermarket runs far and wide, built on the three pillars of Quality, Coverage and Customer Service.

Armed with abundant inventory to process customer orders quickly and accurately, industry-leading shipping performance and fill rates, and the ability to minimize cost and maximize customer service in every process, there is a common thread that runs through every part of the business.

“It is a simple formula: Take an order, ship an order and bill an order, do what’s right for the customer, do what’s right for the employees, and it went forward from there,” says Vange, whose company continues to make its mark on the exhaust and emissions aftermarket almost a century after its inception.

“This same drive and focus that my dad leads the company with is also seen in the AP management team,” says Pete. That team is made of the three divisional presidents (Gary Nix, Dave Frearson and Chris Harris), as well as the three EVPs (Jayme Farina, Steven Nuneviller and Yusef Ewais).

“Our people are our greatest asset, from the manufacturing team, to distribution, to customer service. They are the ones who make it happen,” 
Vange says. 

Known as the “original muffler company” in 1927, AP continues to build its reputation on quality, first-to-market coverage and full-line product solutions, with a proud footnote that all of its manufacturing facilities are located in the U.S., says Farina.

So, how are Vange, Pete and their management team positioning this exhaust and emissions solutions provider for success in the years to come? Being customer-driven, armed with innovative technologies, advanced engineering and testing, and a proven formula for product development are all part of the equation. But what exactly separates AP Emissions Technologies from its competitors? A relentless focus on its valued customers.

Defining Excellence

AP Emissions Technologies’ rich heritage and reputation have built a committed team through the years, which works together creating a suite of quality-engineered products and sharpening the company’s laser focus on customers, fueling its continued success.

“We consider excellence as being able to assist the customer in delivering a better product on time to his customers and giving him the support that he needs to accomplish that. The company that has the better product, better catalog, better turnaround, better relationship with customers, is going to get the business,” affirms Vange.

Upholding the value proposition of quality, coverage and customer service takes a daily commitment to the customer at every level of AP Emissions Technologies’ business.

“Customers are so important … and we value their opinion. Customers are why we come to work every day,” expresses Farina. 

“If you can build a part faster, cheaper and better, and deliver that product in a timely manner, you will always win. Nothing else matters,” explains Pete. “Every level of our organization is very clear that the most important person to the business is the customer. Without an order, nothing else matters. Everyone from the door greeter to the CEO has an unwavering priority – and that is the customer.”

Right Products, Right Time

With an extensive product line, from catalytic converters to exhaust tailpipe and everything in-between, AP’s various departments collaborate to define coverage for each model year, and to bring the right products to the market at the right time.

“Our development teams have decades of experience, and full collaboration between sales, product management, engineering, supply chain and the catalog content is critical,” says Gary Nix, president of AP Exhaust. “Understanding the coverage gap and being able to prioritize the NPI targets really support our first-to-market position. It’s all about the data analyzation; VIO, OEM parts, cross-platform parts, carryovers, failure rates and market input from sales that result in our leadership in coverage.”

Pete chimes in on what makes AP Emissions Technologies a complete exhaust-solutions provider for the aftermarket and how its vertically integrated manufacturing process sets the company apart in the marketplace (see sidebar on page 14). “AP supports all facets of the customers’ needs. AP takes a roll of steel and reassembles it into finished goods. We are 95% vertically integrated and can pivot to any individual customer’s needs, quickly and effectively. Whether you have a Ford Bronco or a hospital generator, we can engineer and develop products for your needs.”

“We coat our catalyst substrates, roll our own tubing, stamp parts, bend pipe, assemble mufflers and package our parts, all supported by modern production operations,” adds Nix. “It’s all done in-house.”

Recognizing the issue of parts proliferation in the aftermarket, particularly over the past 10 years, all the while being a full-line exhaust and emissions products provider, AP says it’s able to reduce part numbers, but still maximize coverage. How so?

“On the exhaust side of the business where many parts are needed to complete the system, we always first review carryover opportunities with parts already in the line,” explains Nix. “Where the engineers determine new parts are needed, a thorough review for consolidated design configurations occurs, resulting in fewer products and 
maximum coverage.”

Being an emissions company, when laws become more stringent, the need for more tailored product must be developed. “You could have a 2018 Ford F-150 and based on fuel trims, wheelbase and emissions standards have five different qualifying parts for that truck,” says Nix. “The largest issue is dual inventory of EPA vs. CARB. As the states move more toward CARB standards, consolidation will happen organically. Today, we carry both EPA and CARB units that require separate loadings and requirements, which means dual inventory of 
part numbers.”

At the end of the day, AP Emissions Technologies’ continuous improvements work to fine-tune inventory management and boost product quality to ensure an even greater level of customer satisfaction.

“Throughout our production facilities, teams of associates are diving into all aspects of the operation and making improvements in the workforce, production inventories, manufacturing equipment, processes and quality measurements,” explains Nix. “Multi-million-dollar investments have been made in this past year in plant operations. Our teams are truly taking ownership in the mission to maximizing output, inventory management and quality.”  

Farina explains how AP has increased finished-goods inventory levels to a historic high. “With the disruption of COVID in 2020-2021, we want to make sure we bring order-fill levels back to a consistent 95%. We have done that by managing customers’ inventory and loosening restrictions on demand forecasting. Our Min/Max models have increased as well to give a cushion for increased demand.”

Company Culture

Vange and his team are proud of the fact that the company culture is such that it keeps employees engaged, committed and empowered to help achieve even greater levels of success. Recognized as a leading employer in its region and considered a quality company for which to work, AP knows that its greatest asset is its people – those who uphold the company’s values and commitment to its customers.

“Fairness is probably the only thing that matters in every aspect of the business,” says Vange. “You have to be fair to your customers, fair to your vendors, fair to your employees and fair to the company. As a total, you have to accomplish all [of] those [things]. If there is one party that feels it’s not fair, it won’t work anyway … it will fall apart, so the link will break the chain. So, you have to consistently work with everybody, understanding what their needs are, and adjust to them.” 

Consistently delivering on that promise and committing to support the customer in every aspect takes customer service to a whole new level. “Customer service is a commitment to excellence, high-quality products, what they want, when they want it,” says Vange. “True success is to understand what their needs are, [like] getting a delivery truck on a Wednesday, [or] on a Friday, getting a smaller order, a bigger order. And, once you clearly understand what they need, and come back and put it all together … we will always win.” AMN

Competitive Advantage: Vertically Integrated Manufacturing  

Process improvement never stops at AP Emissions Technologies. “That’s why we’ve established vertically integrated manufacturing that spans the entire value chain, so we can source, produce, test, validate and ship products faster than competitors. Our vertically integrated platform also allows us to quickly respond to our customers’ frequent and diverse product orders while maintaining strict quality-control standards.

“The manufacturing process used to make our parts is just as important. Our facilities employ advanced automation, robotics and computer-controlled monitoring and statistical process controls as part of our quality management system. The results are lower costs, improved inventory management, higher quality and, most importantly, customer satisfaction.” 

      — AP Emissions Technologies’ management team

Revamped Website  

AP Emissions Technologies launched a newly redesigned website in January. Sporting a modern look, while offering new features and functionality to better serve its customers, the new website shows AP’s rich history in emissions, its cutting-edge technology and strengths as a supplier partner to the aftermarket.

The website, https://apemissions.com, also showcases what AP Emissions Technologies’ customers need to succeed in exhaust sales, and highlights what differentiates the company as the innovative leader in the emissions and exhaust industry.

A new element to the refreshed website is video content, including a corporate video plus technical tips provided in a video format. 

With the goal of improving the “user experience,” highlights of the new website include:

• Improved access to content with minimal clicks.

• Bolstered content exposure, primarily AP’s capabilities and catalogs.

• Clearer “call to actions” that invoke interest 
and engagement.

• Strong focus on mobile responsiveness.

• The addition of a resourceful Blog feed.