Movers & Shakers: Skyjacker Suspensions Announces Facilities Expansion; Ray Datt Named Marx Group Vice President

Ray Datt Joins the Marx Group Advisors as Vice President
Ray Datt has joined the Marx Group Advisors as vice president. In addition to continuing as the president of the strategic- and business-planning company R D & Associates. For the Marx Group Advisors, Datt, who also becomes a member the company's Advisory Board, will serve as a consultant for mergers and acquisitions in Canada and the United States. Datt is the former president of the Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA). Upon his retirement from AIA in 2007, Datt formed R D & Associates Inc., located in Oakville, Ontario. “Ray will bring to us extensive knowledge of our industry, particularly in the Canadian aftermarket," said Tom Marx, CEO, Marx Group Advisors. "We are pleased to have this well-respected and experienced industry leader join our team."

General Parts International Assumes Rights to Distribute to CARQUEST Stores
General Parts International Inc. (GPI) has assumed the rights to distribute to 92 independently owned CARQUEST Auto Parts stores, currently being serviced by B.W.P. Distributors Inc. (BWP). GPI now serves nearly 3,000 stores throughout the United States and Canada. Additionally, GPI will operate BWP’s former Armonk, New York, distribution center. GPI says that the transaction will enable the company to serve the independent CARQUEST Auto Parts store owners in the Northeast formerly served by BWP and expand service in that region.

Skyjacker Suspensions Announces Facilities Expansion
Skyjacker Suspensions announced that the concrete has been poured and the building is underway for the expansion of its facilities to create additional warehouse and manufacturing space. Skyjacker says that the additional 14,000 sq. ft. ensure that the company will continue to be an innovator in the suspension market offering new model applications and product lines.

Meyer Distributing Adds New Location
Meyer Distributing Inc. has added a new location in Worcester, Massachusetts. The cross-dock will have a direct feed from Meyer's East Hanover, New Jersey, distribution hub which the company says houses one of the largest inventories of automotive accessories in the nation. “The Worcester cross-dock will be a major improvement in delivery times and frequency for our 3PL customers as well as for the automotive accessory division of Meyer Distributing,” states Fred Sermersheim, Fleet Manager of Meyer Logistics. "Delivery frequency to the northeast corner of the U.S. will increase to major metropolitan centers such as Providence, Boston, Manchester, Dover, and even as far as Bangor! The new site has already been fully integrated with our distribution system and technology framework and will take service to a new level for customers in this market."

Jeff Braun, CFO of Meyer Distributing, added, “This completes our expansion plans for the Northeast. We plan to move from three deliveries per week to four in early 2013. This is a dramatic improvement as most of the customers were second-day delivery twice per week and nearly all in the Northeast will be next-day three to four times per week in just a couple months.”

Stage 8 Receives WABL Approval for Cap Screw Locking System
Stage 8 Locking Fasteners announced that it received the approval from the Association of American Railroads (AAR) Wheels, Axles, Bearings & Lubrication (WABL) Committee for Stage 8’s Cap Screw Locking System. According to Stage 8, the new cap screw locking system represents the first significant improvement in roller bearing end cap locking systems in more than 55 years.

“We are very proud of this milestone,” Robert Ahern, Stage 8 Director said. “The Stage 8 Fastener Locking System is the latest of five major new products that Stage 8 has developed and is producing specifically for the railroad freight and passenger industries in a major effort to improve fastener integrity and reliability.”