First off, congratulations on your new role, having been recently named President and CEO! Can you share a bit about your background at Spectra and within the industry?
Thank you. I’m honored at the opportunity to lead an amazing team here at Spectra. I am lucky to be part of a company with such an enviable legacy among automotive suppliers as well as tremendous growth potential. I joined the Spectra team last November after the company was acquired by Turnspire Capital Partners.
Over the past year, our team has developed a clear strategy to match Spectra’s unique capabilities with the needs of OE and aftermarket customers and we’re ready to execute. I started my professional career in the military, and then assumed roles of increasing responsibility in sales, product marketing and general management within automotive and consumer products companies, leading organizational change and business growth.
Are there any other changes to the Spectra team?
We are transforming the business here at Spectra. The former CEO, Denis Chabot, is retiring, but fortunately for us, he will remain closely involved with Spectra as a board member and senior advisor. That’s just the beginning, as we are stepping up our game across the business. We have promoted internal leaders in supply chain and engineering to improve our customer service and delivery while focusing our product design resources on evolving customer needs. We have also created new roles to commercialize emerging technologies in the automotive market.
And finally, we have added some seriously talented commercial leaders, each of whom brings a wealth of industry expertise and a fresh perspective to bear in support of our customers. I am very excited to announce the following additions to our team:
- Erich Schmidt – Senior Director, Aftermarket Sales
- Simon Weallans – Senior Director, OE Sales
- Jessica Hyde – Marketing Director
- Scott Nash – Category and Product Management Director
Spectra has undergone significant change in the past year or so. Tell me more about this transformational journey?
Very early in my exposure to Spectra, I knew the company had huge potential. Engineering, product and category expertise, North American manufacturing, customers relationships, all supported by an experienced and dedicated team, was a recipe for success. Despite some mistakes in the past, the pieces were in place to return the company to a market leadership position.
With a healthy balance sheet, we invested in enhanced production capability, upgraded talent, and improved service levels. We focused on delivering differentiated value in heat transfer, undercar, engine management, and metal fabrication solutions that exceeds customer expectations. But we aren’t content to rest of our heritage of ICE products. We are partnering with leading OEs to develop EV platform solutions in thermal management and complex stampings.
This transformation has not been easy, but I am truly humbled by the passion and commitment of the Spectra team and their capacity to grow.
As we look to the future, the market should expect even more from Spectra. We will be commercializing new OE programs, developing new product lines, expanding into new markets, and most importantly, increasing our distribution footprint on core products we manufacture in Canada.
What sets the company apart and makes Spectra Premium a trusted, reliable partner in the aftermarket?
What sets us apart? We offer OE-quality products from a unique North American manufacturing and distribution footprint that significantly improves supply continuity and delivery assurance for our customers. We utilize our engineering and manufacturing expertise in key processes such as metal transformation, heat transfer and vehicle electronics. With a full tool shop and design capabilities, we can take projects from an idea to delivered part, all within our four walls.
Most importantly, Spectra has over 700 dedicated employees that are the backbone of our commitment to providing best-in-class products and customer experience in the light-duty, commercial and electric vehicle markets.
The business is based in Quebec. Tell us about the company’s manufacturing footprint – how many locations and where?
Our head office and primary manufacturing facility is in Boucherville, Quebec, just outside of Montreal. We manufacture many of our radiators, oil pans, fuel tanks and of course all our OE products at this location. In addition, our engineering and tooling centers of excellence are in Boucherville. Spectra has other manufacturing facilities in Quebec City and Taiwan.
Our distribution network spans across Canada and United States. The specialized Canadian repair market is served by strategic regional hubs that allow Spectra to fulfill orders same day or next day for the entire Canadian population.
We are closely integrated with our customers in the United States. Our hub in Indianapolis is centrally located, allowing Spectra to ship via truck to 75% of all businesses in the US within one and a half days. We have strategically linked our manufacturing facility and customers through the hub delivering modern agile logistics services. This enables Spectra to serve North American Automotive Markets with premium products.
With the addition of “Mobility Solutions” to the company name, how big of a presence will EVs have in Spectra’s business going forward?
As we continue to evolve and innovate, Spectra is keeping electric vehicles top of mind. We know the industry needs new cooling solutions, adapted to the needs of EV platforms. Spectra has significant expertise in heat transfer solutions, and we are looking to be a major player here. We are already commercializing new OE programs for EV, but we are looking ahead to developing new product lines, expanding into new markets, and increasing our distribution footprint.
We are excited at Spectra about all things EV, and we want to accelerate our growth as a trusted solutions partner in the EV space.
What does the company have planned for AAPEX?
The Spectra team is very excited to be at AAPEX this year. We will be spending our time in face-to-face meetings with our valuable customers and prospects. We will also be promoting Spectra Premium’s return to the U.S. radiator market, and our unique North American manufacturing capabilities that set us apart from the competition.
So, stop by AAPEX booth A4257 to understand why we continue to be a leader in the industry when it comes to heat transfer, undercar, engine management and metal fabrication solutions. We would love to have a conversation and see how we can help grow your business.
