Little Rock, Arkansas-based Replacement Parts, Inc., which goes to market as Parts Warehouse, Inc. (PWI) and Crow-Burlingame, recently announced plans to merge this fall with Distributors Warehouse, Inc. (DWI), headquartered in Paducah, Kentucky. Upon completion of the merger, DWI will join the quickly-growing Parts Warehouse family.
“Our family has continually assessed our business as a whole, and it has become clear that doing business like we always have is no longer the best strategy. It also became clear that the best solution for ensuring our locations continue to thrive in their markets is a strategic partnership with a likeminded company,” said Steve Korte, president of DWI. “After 15 months of dialogue, we are confident we have found the right partner to help us move to the next level.”
DWI serves customers in Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. Parts Warehouse currently operates in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas, and will soon grow to include Florida and Georgia as well. When the deal is finalized, the two companies will serve a total of 12 states.
In addition to an impressive combined footprint, the companies also have nearly two centuries of collective experience. Distributors Warehouse turns 86 this year, and PWI celebrated its centennial in 2019.
“Our companies share traditional values, focused goals and a mutual mission to be always about the customer,” said Fletcher Lord III, PWI president. “We are honored to have this longstanding company become part of our growing team.”
PWI and DWI are members of the Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance, Inc., and both fly the Bumper to Bumper flag. The two companies remain committed to preserving employee success and excellent customer service throughout the transition.
