OptiCat announced that Uni-Select, a North American warehouse distributor of automotive aftermarket parts, has become an OptiCat Strategic Data Partner. Under the agreement, OptiCat will provide data directly from its Do-it-Once data repository for and on behalf of OptiCat data suppliers (manufacturers). Uni-Select joins other key North American distributors working through OptiCat to provide a single-source of auto parts information provided by a cooperative effort of manufacturers.

"Uni-Select believes a coordinated effort by manufacturers to deliver validated and complete data from a single source makes tremendous sense," said Brent Windom, vice president of North American marketing and product management for Uni-Select. "We are committed to supporting our vendors’ efforts to simplify and improve the data production and distribution process through OptiCat."

"We welcome Uni-Select to our Strategic Data Partner program," says Brad Duncan, president of OptiCat. Duncan believes the Uni-Select partnership will increase sales and profits for Uni-Select and its vendors. "Accurate, robust and timely data sells more auto parts. It’s as simple as that. We look forward to engaging all of Uni-Select vendors in the OptiCat process."

In addition to becoming a strategic data partner, Uni-Select, through Windom, will join other industry leaders as a member of the Opticat Data Receiver’s Advisory Committee.

In other OptiCat developments, more than 90 suppliers have committed to testing data with OptiCat to better prepare for testing with data receivers. OptiCat.net Beta release is scheduled for this month. To participate in testing with OptiCat, AASA supplier members should contact Bryan Thueson, [email protected], or Chris Gardner, [email protected]. OptiCat is majority-owned by AASA/MEMA and TecDoc Informations System, Gmbh.