General Parts: Providing North America their Auto Parts Needs

General Parts International has Carquest as its largest business. The latter is a chain of auto-supply stores. Some of the company’s biggest customers are Midas and American Tire Dealers, CarMax, Firestone and Goodyear. There are over 3,000 locations in North America that General Parts is maintaining. They distribute replacement parts, light and heavy trucks, offroad equipment, buses, tools and equipment for automobiles, recreational and agricultural equipment.

Other than the auto parts, Carquest also sells chemicals, paints, accessories, tools and equipment through its 35 distribution centers. In September 2004, General Parts International acquired WorldPac (World Wide Parts and Accessories Corporation). The latter caters to independent import repair specialists in North America and supplies them with their auto parts needs.

There are currently 14,700 employees of General Parts International and the business is reported to have generated an income of $3 billion for last year. They keep their headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina with O Temple Sloan III as their CEO.