60 Undercar Digest A bout 230 ware- house distribu- tors from throughout the country met in San Diego re- cently at the TruStar Inc. 2006 Annual Sales Conference, where de- tails of the program group’s “Box, Book and Building Concept” pro- gram were heralded. The event April 6-10 at Loew’s Coronado Bay Resort highlighted the accomplishments made in TruStar’s com- bined packaging, cata- loging and distribution-center efforts for its members. Kevin Davidson, marketing manager, noted that TruStar’s packaging program has been a major component of the program group since its founding. Now, a complete brake catalog – in paper and on a CD – dovetails with TruStar’s packaging program and its distribution center in Richmond, Va. “A year ago we completed the first-ever master catalog,” he said. “We took five manufacturers’ brake products [Auto Parts Source, Better Brake Parts, Coni Seal, Powertrain Components and Undercar Express], created our own parts-numbering system and published them in one book. This year we com- pleted the CD version of the catalog. The catalog was two years in the making, but it was well worth it.” The TruStar packaging provides a brand that only the members can use in their market, with no compe- tition, he said. “With the catalog, brake products from five differ- ent manufacturers are now in one book. It’s a com- plete brake program, and WD sales people don’t need to haul around five catalogs – only one,” Davidson said. “Now TruStar WD members can order multiple brake-product lines from one location instead of five, and they have to meet only one freight minimum.” Davidson said members showed overwhelming approval for the program, complimenting him and TruStar Executive Director Steve Upton, so much so that the phone has been ringing off the hook at TruStar headquarters in Pearland, Texas, ever since they returned from the conference. Many members have decided to order TruStar-packaged products di- rectly from the group’s distribution center in Richmond, which is managed separately by Auto Parts Source. “This year we had members at the conference who gave their own ver- sion of why they jumped on this bandwagon,” Davidson said. “It’s just opened up people’s eyes. If you want to stay indepen- dent in the future, you have to come up with something that only you have and your competition can’t touch – and this is it.” Davidson ex- plained that there will always be a place for branded products, which TruStar also offers its members. “But most warehouse distributors don’t survive TruStar Touts ‘Box, Book & Building Concept’ The TruStar National Sales Conference included exhibits of vendors for warehouse members. More and more members are ordering TruStar-packaged products from the group’s distribution system in Richmond, Va. TruStar’s brake catalog, now available in paper and on CD, includes lines from five manufacturers.
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60 Undercar Digest
About 230 ware-house distribu-tors from
throughout the countrymet in San Diego re-cently at the TruStarInc. 2006 Annual SalesConference, where de-tails of the programgroup’s “Box, Book andBuilding Concept” pro-gram were heralded.
The event April 6-10at Loew’s CoronadoBay Resort highlightedthe accomplishmentsmade in TruStar’s com-bined packaging, cata-loging and distribution-center efforts for itsmembers. Kevin Davidson, marketing manager,noted that TruStar’s packaging program has been amajor component of the program group since itsfounding. Now, a complete brake catalog – in paperand on a CD – dovetails with TruStar’s packagingprogram and its distribution center in Richmond, Va.
“A year ago we completed the first-ever mastercatalog,” he said. “We took five manufacturers’ brakeproducts [Auto Parts Source, Better Brake Parts, ConiSeal, Powertrain Components and UndercarExpress], created our own parts-numbering systemand published them in one book. This year we com-pleted the CD version of the catalog. The catalog wastwo years in the making, but it was well worth it.”
The TruStar packaging provides a brand that onlythe members can use in their market, with no compe-tition, he said.
“With the catalog, brake products from five differ-ent manufacturers are now in one book. It’s a com-plete brake program, and WD sales people don’tneed to haul around five catalogs – only one,”Davidson said. “Now TruStar WD members canorder multiple brake-product lines from one locationinstead of five, and they have to meet only onefreight minimum.”
Davidson said members showed overwhelmingapproval for the program, complimenting him andTruStar Executive Director Steve Upton, so much sothat the phone has been ringing off the hook atTruStar headquarters in Pearland, Texas, ever sincethey returned from the conference. Many membershave decided to order TruStar-packaged products di-rectly from the group’s distribution center inRichmond, which is managed separately by AutoParts Source.
“This year we hadmembers at the conferencewho gave their own ver-sion of why they jumpedon this bandwagon,”Davidson said. “It’s justopened up people’s eyes. Ifyou want to stay indepen-dent in the future, you haveto come up with somethingthat only you have andyour competitioncan’t touch – and thisis it.”
Davidson ex-plained that there willalways be a place for brandedproducts, which TruStaralso offers its members.“But most warehousedistributors don’t survive
TruStar Touts‘Box, Book & Building Concept’
The TruStar National Sales Conference included exhibits of vendors for warehouse members.
More and more members are ordering TruStar-packagedproducts from the group’s distribution system in Richmond, Va.
TruStar’s brake catalog, nowavailable in paper and on CD,includes lines from fivemanufacturers.
May 2006 61
on just one brake line; they haveat least two for brand, price orwhatever. We’re saying keep the Wagner, keep theBendix or the Raybestos, but put in TruStar for yoursecond line. Why? Because none of your competitorscan touch you.
“If every member does everything they said theywere going to do, Steve is going to be busy switchingpeople to the vendors in the distribution center andI’m going to be busy printing line cards and fliers forthe next six months,” he said.
WDs in the East and Midwest can receive ship-ments from the distribution center within two to fourdays after placing an order, and WDs on the WestCoast normally receive shipments within seven tonine days of an order. With the CD catalog now com-pleted, the five brake manufacturers announced atthe meeting that they will start another step to speeddeliveries to the West Coast warehouses. It is theirhope that another distribution center will open in theWest within the next year or so, Davidson said.
Calling it “slam-dunk,” Upton said the awardsbanquet, which took place on a three-decked yachtnamed “California Spirit,” was the highlight of theconference. The yacht circled San Diego Bay severaltimes during the dinner cruise.
U.S. Tire andExhaust,Combined Locks,Wis., was namedWarehouse of theYear. The ware-house joinedTruStar inDecember 1994and is one of thelargest members.It supports theTruStar packag-ing and also sup-ports the TruStarbrand and its distribution center.
According to Upton, U.S. Tire and Exhaust is oneof the most-important players in this marketplace, isfocused on the success of its installers and hasachieved substantial growth in the past year. RandyGroh, director of marketing for the exhaust division
of U.S. Oil, parent company ofU.S. Tire and Exhaust, accepted
the award. He also serves on TruStar’s steering com-mittee.
Guest speakers at the conference included IMCOfounder Ken Banks, who recently bought the after-market exhaust division of ArvinMeritor. In his com-ments, Banks said the newly named MaremontDivision will continue its commitment to TruStar.
Frank Fredrick, ROL Manufactuaring of America, dis-cussed his company’s marketing plans for 2006 and2007, growth of ROL over the past several years andthe possibility of using TruStar packaging sometimesoon. Tom Tecklenburg of Bendix Brakes told ware-house members that the company has enhanced itsfill rates to help those warehouses be more successfuland that a number of programs are being put in placeto continue that process.
Davidson, who has been in charge of marketing atTruStar for the past six years, informed members thatthe marketing program has grown substantially overthe past two years, with more and more membersparticipating. In addition, TruStar’s earn-back pro-
gram also in-creasedattendance at theconference.
A number ofprizes wereawarded at theconference, in-cluding the grandprize of either anall-terrain vehicleor a personal wa-tercraft. JacobJeffrey ofMichigan Tire &
Wheel, Crystal, Mich., picked the ATV. Dale Linder ofProfessional Automotive Warehouse, Great Falls,Mont., won a 42-inch plasma TV, and Ed Church ofModesto Clutch & Brake, Modesto, Calif., won a largestainless-steel outdoor grill. UD
TruStar members enjoy lunch by San Diego Bay.
The group’s awards banquet took place aboard the yacht “California Spirit.”
U.S. Tire and Exhaust’s Randy Groh (left) accepts theWarehouse of the Year award from TruStar’s Steve Upton.
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