Parts is Parts

June 9, 2008
A visit to a parts distribution center offers an inspiring vision of the transportation industry
Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to visit a pretty remarkable place: ArvinMeritor's aftermarket parts distribution center in Florence, KY. My publisher, Larry Greenberger, and I were invited to Florence by ArvinMeritor Commercial Vehicle Systems executives to get a good look at the volume of business they do, and they way they keep all those parts flowing from factory to end-user. What took me by surprise is that the Florence distribution center is an all-brands operation. You won't just find ArvinMeritor-branded parts at this operation; what you'll find is ArvinMeritor parts mixed in with a whole lot of other manufacturer's parts, so that ArvinMeritor can deliver exactly what the customer needs, even if someone else makes it. There were so many parts, and so much activity, packed into this place that I really had hard time imagining how they manage to keep expanding, but expand they do. ArvinMeritor recently acquired Canadian remanufacturer Mascot, and has started handling Allison transmission remanufactures as well as remanufactured trailer axles, and yet the parts packers and forklift drivers seemed completely in control of the process, and proud of the fact that they can handle any job that's thrown their way. Well done, ArvinMeritor. It's inspiring to see so many hard-working Americans dedicated to the success of their company, and to the satisfaction of their many customers in the trucking industry.

About the Author

Mark O'Connell | Fleet Maintenance contributor

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