Autel U.S. ADAS Training Program Earns ASE, I-CAR Accreditation
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By Counterman
To be successful in aftermarket parts sales requires a very broad knowledge base. It means having the ability to address customer parts requests for dozens of different vehicle manufacturers spanning more than 75 years of production, including multiple vehicle systems. Much like our inventory mix, our employees’ knowledge needs to be “spread out” to accommodate these varied requests. Sure, we all have our strengths and specialties, but imagine the bottlenecks at the counter if Heather was the only staff member familiar with reading the paper catalogs covering vintage applications, or that Larry couldn’t catalog anything unless it was for a domestic vehicle.
While we would never hire a counterperson with such gaping blind spots concerning vehicle knowledge, when it comes to store operations, these kinds of scenarios happen every day. Cross-training staff eases the burden for everyone in the organization, from the top down. Becoming an “expert” in your own particular role doesn’t need to prevent you from being a versatile member of the team.
link hidden, please login to view For obvious reasons, not every employee will be responsible for making management-level decisions. But when it comes to daily operations, each member of your staff needs to be given not only the tools to succeed, but also the skills and authority to use those tools effectively. We’ve all worked in locations with extended business hours or short-staffing situations, and felt the pinch when a key member of the team was absent. Picking up the slack in these situations has become a harsh reality in today’s business environment, and without cross-training for the remaining employees, everyone on both sides of the counter suffers for it.
Depending on your individual role within the organization, you may have very little exposure to some of the other roles being performed around you, or you may already have experienced each role along the way to your current position. The hierarchy of roles in this industry tends to follow a natural progression, from delivery and stocking associates to counter and sales positions, and eventually to various management roles. Along the way, there is often considerable overlap in skills and responsibilities at each stage.
At any level of the hierarchy, the most destructive employee attitude is the “not my job” attitude. Traditional workforce roles generally fall into either “labor” or “management” categories. Many organizations even reinforce this idea through uniform choices. Unfortunately, this also may create a division among employees, who feel that titles are designed to separate them rather than to complement each other. Even worse than those employees who claim that something is “above their pay grade” are those members of the team who believe that performing a particular task is beneath them. Having a delivery driver who is comfortable with helping with simple customer service tasks is no less important than the keyholding manager who makes a hot-shot delivery to help maintain a commercial customer’s workflow. Cross-training works in both directions!
There may not be an “I” in “team,” but there are two of them in “idiot.” Building a team that can move effortlessly between roles requires all parties to be invested in the overall success of the business, not just their own individual interests. We need to identify those members of our team who are most capable of (and interested in) growth beyond just a narrowly defined job description. We need to encourage them to acquire new skills, and to remind employees who already possess those skills that having others trained in their role is a benefit, not a threat.
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By Counterman
WIX Filters announced that the company was honored with the 2025 Parts Warehouse Inc. (PWI) Marketing Support Award at PWI’s annual Red, White and Revved Up conference. The conference took place in April in Rogers, Arkansas, celebrating store wins, providing technical training to attendees and promoting the various vendors that contribute to PWI’s success.
Marketing Support and Annual Meetings
Honored over 40 other contenders,
link hidden, please login to viewwas recognized for its overall engagement and investment in promoting PWI. WIX Filters opened a direct line for sharing assets to support both organizations’ success in 2025. The company developed marketing campaigns that boosted sales and customer awareness and actively participated in PWI’s annual marketing meetings. “PWI is defined by their commitment to providing unparalleled service alongside high-quality auto parts,” said Carmina Lopez, brand manager at WIX Filters. “WIX Filters has been a prominent partner with PWI for over 35 years, and this award recognizes our commitment to developing and enhancing customer relationships while aligning our sales and marketing efforts with PWI.”
Light- and Heavy-Duty Filters for PWI Customers
Equipping PWI with both heavy- and light-duty products,
link hidden, please login to view supplies its customers with oil, cabin and air filters. These filters support both light-duty passenger vehicles and heavy-duty agricultural and construction machinery.
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By Counterman
Standard Motor Products, Inc. (SMP) announced an expansion of its Standard Gasoline Fuel Injection program. The company said the program includes more than 1,100 all-new, not remanufactured, Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI), Multi-Port Fuel Injection (MFI), and Throttle Body Injection (TBI) injectors, along with GDI high-pressure fuel pumps, fuel feed lines, fuel pressure dampers, fuel pressure sensors, fuel pressure regulators, service kits and more.
Fuel Injector Coverage and Testing
link hidden, please login to view noted that its gas fuel injectors are 100% new, never remanufactured, and deliver OE-matching spray patterns and flow rates to help optimize fuel mileage and performance. SMP-manufactured fuel injectors are designed and built in SMP’s IATF 16949-certified facility in Greenville, South Carolina. The company added that all Standard fuel injectors undergo extensive testing, including initial life-cycle validation and 100% end-of-line testing. The testing regimen involves more than 35 different tests and inspections, including endurance, spray pattern, thermal cycles, vibration, shock load, and dynamic and static flow. Multiple new GDI and MFI injectors have recently been released, adding coverage for millions of import vehicles, including the 2020–25 Nissan Frontier and 2021–25 Subaru Crosstrek. Additionally, MFI fuel injector multi-packs are available, covering more than 31 million vehicles.
GDI High-Pressure Fuel Pumps and Kits
GDI systems rely on a constant supply of fuel at high pressure.
link hidden, please login to view said its GDI high-pressure fuel pumps are manufactured and tested to help optimize performance, even in high-heat environments. For long-term durability, Standard high-pressure fuel pumps feature stainless steel internal components and high-temperature seals. Each pump is engineered to optimize GDI performance and lab tested and validated on actual vehicles to ensure performance and longevity, the company said. More than 115 SKUs are currently available for import and domestic vehicles. Blue Streak GDI high-pressure fuel pump kits include everything needed for a high-pressure fuel pump service in one box and are available for import and domestic applications. GDI high-pressure fuel pumps have recently been released for Audi and Volkswagen vehicles like the 2020–25 Audi Q3 and the 2019–24 Volkswagen Jetta, as well as 1.2 million BMW vehicles through the 2025 model year.
“The Standard Fuel Injection Program is constantly expanding as we are regularly adding new fuel injectors, GDI high-pressure fuel pumps and other related components,” said John Herc, vice president of vehicle control marketing at SMP. “Our program is the most comprehensive in the industry, and we are working hard to keep it that way for our distribution partners and for the technicians who depend on Standard.”
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By Counterman
Standard Motor Products, Inc. (SMP) announced an expansion of its Standard Gasoline Fuel Injection program. The company said the program includes more than 1,100 all-new, not remanufactured, Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI), Multi-Port Fuel Injection (MFI), and Throttle Body Injection (TBI) injectors, along with GDI high-pressure fuel pumps, fuel feed lines, fuel pressure dampers, fuel pressure sensors, fuel pressure regulators, service kits and more.
Fuel Injector Coverage and Testing
link hidden, please login to view noted that its gas fuel injectors are 100% new, never remanufactured, and deliver OE-matching spray patterns and flow rates to help optimize fuel mileage and performance. SMP-manufactured fuel injectors are designed and built in SMP’s IATF 16949-certified facility in Greenville, South Carolina. The company added that all Standard fuel injectors undergo extensive testing, including initial life-cycle validation and 100% end-of-line testing. The testing regimen involves more than 35 different tests and inspections, including endurance, spray pattern, thermal cycles, vibration, shock load, and dynamic and static flow. Multiple new GDI and MFI injectors have recently been released, adding coverage for millions of import vehicles, including the 2020–25 Nissan Frontier and 2021–25 Subaru Crosstrek. Additionally, MFI fuel injector multi-packs are available, covering more than 31 million vehicles.
GDI High-Pressure Fuel Pumps and Kits
GDI systems rely on a constant supply of fuel at high pressure.
link hidden, please login to view said its GDI high-pressure fuel pumps are manufactured and tested to help optimize performance, even in high-heat environments. For long-term durability, Standard high-pressure fuel pumps feature stainless steel internal components and high-temperature seals. Each pump is engineered to optimize GDI performance and lab tested and validated on actual vehicles to ensure performance and longevity, the company said. More than 115 SKUs are currently available for import and domestic vehicles. Blue Streak GDI high-pressure fuel pump kits include everything needed for a high-pressure fuel pump service in one box and are available for import and domestic applications. GDI high-pressure fuel pumps have recently been released for Audi and Volkswagen vehicles like the 2020–25 Audi Q3 and the 2019–24 Volkswagen Jetta, as well as 1.2 million BMW vehicles through the 2025 model year.
“The Standard Fuel Injection Program is constantly expanding as we are regularly adding new fuel injectors, GDI high-pressure fuel pumps and other related components,” said John Herc, vice president of vehicle control marketing at SMP. “Our program is the most comprehensive in the industry, and we are working hard to keep it that way for our distribution partners and for the technicians who depend on Standard.”
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By Counterman
link hidden, please login to view was recognized by Hahn Automotive with the 2025 Outstanding Logistics Support Award at the annual Hahn Automotive National Sales Conference. Held last month in Rochester, N.Y., the conference prepares staff for the upcoming spring selling season and honors companies for their support and dedication to Hahn Automotive. WIX Filters Support for Hahn Automotive
link hidden, please login to view was honored for its service levels and order fill rates last year. The company has partnered with Hahn Automotive for nearly 30 years, providing a full line of filters. “Hahn Automotive stresses that service makes all the difference, emphasizing their commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction,” said David Barraco, trade marketing manager at WIX Filters. “WIX Filters has supported Hahn Automotive and its customers for almost three decades, and this award demonstrates our exemplary drive to provide on-time deliveries of the highest quality filters on the market.”
Hahn Automotive Warehouses and Auto Parts
Hahn Automotive owns nine full-service warehouses and 28 pickup warehouses that distribute auto parts throughout the Midwest, New England and the Mid-Atlantic states. The company operates Advantage Auto Stores, Car Parts/Motor Supply, Genuine Auto Parts, Norwood Auto Parts, Nu-Way Auto Parts and Speedway Auto Parts.
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