STAUNTON, Va. – Federated Auto Parts has said the majority of its suppliers have become supporters of the new OptiCat Global Data Alliance, which was first announced at the annual Federated Auto Parts members meeting in Tampa, Fla., and has since gained significant support from distributors and suppliers around the globe. Included in this group are: Affinia, AP Exhaust, ATP, CARDONE Industries, Dayco, Delphi, Denso, Dorman, East Penn, Gates, Hastings, Federal Mogul, KYB, NGK, Remy, SMP, Tenneco and USA Industries.
Brad Duncan, CEO of OptiCat, recognized the importance of Federated’s involvement in his company’s venture. “Federated Auto Parts has led the charge for a supplier-centric electronic parts catalog alliance for several years. By supporting the efforts of their vendors to organize a do-it-once data cooperative, Federated is not only helping its members sell more parts, but is serving as an aftermarket model of how data should be flowing between channel partners. We applaud their efforts.”
OptiCat was formed to accelerate and broaden product information distribution that is used in distributor electronic catalog databases. In what Duncan describes as a “data cooperative,” aftermarket manufacturers are working together through OptiCat to deliver a consolidated data feed for reseller electronic parts catalog requirements. OptiCat acts as a data bank that allows resellers to use a single source for timely and critical product information necessary for selling aftermarket parts.
According to Jeff Alexander, director, commerce data management for Affinia, “Affinia realizes that it has the responsibility to provide our channel partners with accurate and timely data that enables them to sell our products. This is true of any manufacturer. Centralizing this data in a single repository for easy access by authorized partners is a logical and effective thing to do."
Ed Rammel, vice president for Dayco Corp., added, “A single-source for product information is no doubt a logical and effective solution that helps our resellers’ sales and profits, and of course ours. Chasing and managing product data for hundreds of product lines and brands shouldn’t be a burden placed on distributors. As OptiCat supporters, we recognize the importance of centralizing the data efforts at the supplier level to eliminate all market redundancies related to electronic parts catalogs.”
Rusty Bishop, AWDA chairman, CEO of Federated Auto Parts Distributors and a long-time supporter and visionary of supplier-centric data stated: “As resellers, our responsibility is to provide adequate warehouse space for our supplier’s products and effective sales and distribution resources to our customers. We are pleased to see our vendors cooperate in helping us do our jobs better by streamlining the electronic parts catalog processes and reducing the burden on us to accumulate product information. The bottom line is that OptiCat will help all distributors sell more auto parts.”
