Epicor Acquires WMS Provider JMO Business Systems
-
Similar Topics
-
By Counterman
link hidden, please login to viewannounced it acquired Carquest of Decorah from Randy and Annita Flatland, who have served the Decorah community for decades. Randy Flatland began his automotive career at the store in 1988 when it was known as Decorah Auto Supply. In 2008, he and his wife Annita purchased the independent Carquest location, building the business around strong relationships with employees and customers.
“Annita and I have always believed that taking care of our people and treating customers with honesty and respect is what made our business successful,” said Randy. “As we started thinking about the future, we wanted a partner who shared those same values. Arnold Motor Supply stood out to us because of its focus on people and long-term relationships. We’re excited to begin this next chapter and appreciate the warm welcome.”
“We’re proud to welcome Randy, Annita, and the entire Decorah team to
link hidden, please login to view,” said Eric Johnson, president and managing partner. “They’ve taken great care of their customers over the years, and with Randy staying on as manager, we’re looking forward to building on that together.” The location at 705 Montgomery Street will continue to serve customers, and the current Arnold Motor Supply Decorah store will relocate there.
Pictured (from left): Annita Flatland, Randy Flatland and Mike Molle, vice president of store operations.
The post
link hidden, please login to view appeared first on link hidden, please login to view.
link hidden, please login to view -
By Counterman
NEXUS Automotive International’s global event, the NEXUS Business Forum, took place at the SwissTech Convention Center in Lausanne, Switzerland, between March 31 and April 2. The forum gathered 300 companies and more than 700 attendees from 96 countries.
It included the fourth edition of NEXUS Climate Day, “The Future is Ours” plenary session, and more than 3,000 speed-dating meetings that created new business opportunities and strengthened relationships within the N! Community. NEXUS CEO Gaël Escribe issued the “Lausanne Appeal,” urging the N! Community to embrace greater collaboration, particularly in unpredictable times, to achieve success and contribute positively to the overall automotive aftermarket industry.
“The Future is Ours” plenary session: unprecedented discussion with aftermarket associations
During “The Future is Ours” plenary session, NEXUS Automotive International hosted a roundtable bringing together, for the first time, leaders from influential aftermarket associations such as Bill Hanvey from the Auto Care Association and Chris Gardner from MEMA, representing the United States; Frank Schlehuber from Clepa and Sylvia Gotzen from Figiefa, representing Europe; and Wilson Ni of the Chinese Automotive Intelligence Society. During the session, the leaders of these organizations shared their insights into the short- and medium-term challenges that are redefining the industry.
Beyond identifying trends, they established a framework for cross-functional collaboration designed to advance the aftermarket ecosystem, turning regional concerns into a collective drive for progress.
“The Wise Guys” session: leaders share perspectives on the market’s evolution
A major highlight was “The Wise Guys” session including Arnd Franz, CEO of Mahle; Neil Fryer, vice president and general manager, global aftermarket, for PHINIA; Todd Hertzler, regional president, MA North America, Bosch; Cedric Dackam, president and general manager, automotive aftermarket, MANN+HUMMEL; Randy Buller, co-founder and chairman, The Parts Authority; and Gaël Escribe, NEXUS Automotive International’s CEO. This platform featured key industry players who shared perspectives on the market’s evolution.
In a display of strategic transparency, these leaders examined short- and medium-term challenges redefining the ecosystem. By establishing a framework for cross-functional collaboration, they turned individual concerns into a collective drive for progress and reinforced the N! Community’s role across the industry.
NEXUS Climate Day: from competitive advantage to value creation
The fourth
link hidden, please login to view Climate Day convened more than 300 participants to develop tangible solutions and share best practices. The event brought together sustainability specialists, suppliers and members of the N! Community, representing the entire NEXUS value chain. Panel discussions and proof-of-concept (POC) projects developed by Bosch, MANN+HUMMEL, SKF and TotalEnergies provided concrete guidelines for embedding sustainability within the industry. Escribe appealed for the foundation of an alliance to structure battery repair in Europe and territories where the EV car parc will generate major maintenance soon.
While individual efforts within the industry are taking shape, forming alliances across ecosystems can create the only answer to this major challenge: a collaborative approach.
Redesigned award ceremony
The annual
link hidden, please login to view award ceremony named DRiV as Supplier of the Year and Goldwagen as Member of the Year. In the heavy-duty category, Europart & Wijlhuizen were both recognized as Members of the Year. Individual honors went to industry leaders: Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia from GSF was awarded Man of the Year, while Elodie Luce from TotalEnergies and Hasmeet Kaur from MANN+HUMMEL were both awarded Woman of the Year. North American partners Randy Buller from Parts Authority and Robert Roos from The Pronto Network were recognized with a Leadership Excellence Award and NEXUS Commitment Excellence Award.
ElringKlinger and MANN+HUMMEL shared Growth Champion in the Strategic Supplier category, while Purflux Group took the award for Preferred Supplier and ZF for Heavy-Duty. The bilstein group was named Customer Experience Champion.
NEXUS leadership on value creation and collaboration
“This Business Forum reflects the growing maturity of NEXUS and the new stage we are entering,” said Escribe. “We are becoming a group fully structured around high-value creation for our supplier partners, members, and the wider aftermarket ecosystem, in a context defined by transformation, growth, and collaboration. The 2026 NEXUS Business Forum has acted as a catalyst for building a more resilient aftermarket of tomorrow.”
The post
link hidden, please login to view appeared first on link hidden, please login to view.
link hidden, please login to view -
By Counterman
NEXUS Automotive International announced the appointment of Palle Willumsen as senior vice president of business development, effective March 16, 2026. Willumsen will lead business development efforts to support NEXUS’ market position and strengthen partnerships with major industry stakeholders. He will be responsible for executing NEXUS’ strategic objectives and ensuring continued growth.
Industry experience
Willumsen has more than 25 years of experience in the automotive aftermarket, holding senior positions across sales, marketing and general management. He began his career as a sales manager and later advanced to senior leadership roles including vice president of sales and marketing and general manager.
His extensive experience reflects his knowledge of the automotive sector and leadership capabilities. His commercial and strategic track record supports his new role at NEXUS Automotive International.
Executive comments
“We’re thrilled to welcome Palle to lead our business development. His deep understanding of
link hidden, please login to view and his extensive experience will reinforce our status as a global leader and will further align NEXUS with the expectations of our suppliers,” said Gaël Escribe, CEO of NEXUS. “Palle’s remarkable career within the industry will play a key role in shaping the future of the NEXUS group.” “I am very excited to join
link hidden, please login to view and to work with such a dynamic and forward-thinking community,” said Willumsen. “Having spent many years in the automotive aftermarket, I truly value the power of strong partnerships and collaboration. I look forward to working closely with the NEXUS team, members and suppliers to drive growth and create new opportunities.” The post
link hidden, please login to view appeared first on link hidden, please login to view.
link hidden, please login to view -
By Counterman
Arnold Motor Supply has purchased the Carquest store in McCook, Nebraska, continuing its growth in the southwest Nebraska market. The company entered McCook last year with the acquisition of
link hidden, please login to view. Adding the Carquest location allows Arnold Motor Supply to bring the two operations together. That will expand inventory, increase delivery coverage and strengthen support for local repair shops, agricultural customers, fleets and DIY customers throughout the region. Jay Alberts prepares for retirement
Jay Alberts, who purchased the Carquest store in 2007, has operated the business for nearly 20 years. As he prepares for retirement,
link hidden, please login to view extended its appreciation for the relationships he has built and his longstanding commitment to the McCook community and the automotive industry. Carquest team to join Arnold Motor Supply
Customers will still see the same familiar faces behind the counter. The Carquest team will join the Arnold Motor Supply team and continue helping customers just as they always have.
“We have gotten to know Jay and his team over the past several months, and they have built something strong here,” said Eric Johnson, president and managing partner of Arnold Motor Supply. “This is about building on that foundation. By combining our operations, we can put more parts on the shelf, improve availability, and respond even faster to our customers’ needs. McCook is an important market for us, and we are committed to it.”
The post
link hidden, please login to view appeared first on link hidden, please login to view.
link hidden, please login to view -
-
By Counterman
Epicor presented its Automotive Champion Awards for 2026 during the Epicor Insights for Automotive 2026 conference, Feb. 9-11, at the Tradewinds Resort, St. Pete Beach, FL.
“Each award celebrates a customer who not only excels in their business but who consistently demonstrates what true partnership looks like: vision, innovation and a shared commitment to moving the industry forward,” explains Suellyn Sprague,
link hidden, please login to view’s VP/GM Auto. Automotive Champion Award for Vision: Prostock
Prostock’s journey with Epicor began long before 2008, when they were early adopters of the Epicor Eclipse for Auto platform. When it came time to evolve, Prostock became one of the earliest Vision customers – embracing the solution in 2008. For nearly two decades, they’ve continued to lean in, innovate and help shape what our automotive solutions can be, Epicor said.
Matt Franc accepted the award for Prostock.
From left: Rich Murr, chief customer and information officer, Matt Franc, Suellyn Sprague, Epicor VP/GM Auto. Automotive Champion Award for Eagle: Sutherland
Sutherland went live with Epicor’s Eagle for the Aftermarket in 2011, quickly embracing the system and proving themselves true innovators from day one. They were among the earliest adopters of Vision Pricing from MSC, helping validate and refine pricing methodologies that now benefit customers across the industry. Their strong integration with Uni‑Select and use of connected price updating exemplifies how to fully leverage the power of the
link hidden, please login to view ecosystem, the company said. Accepting the award for Sutherland were Brett Cozens, Brandon Knogler and Ryan Knogler.
“Insights is renowned for its comprehensive training sessions, hands-on experiences and opportunities for networking and learning from industry peers,” explains Sprague. “Attendees receive numerous opportunities to learn how business trends are driving transformation and gain inspiration to work smarter, engage better and decide faster.”
• Training Benefits: The conference offers a diverse range of training sessions tailored to various skill levels and job roles. Attendees can enhance their proficiency in Epicor solutions and gain insights into best practices for maximizing efficiency and productivity in shop workflows.
• Hands-on Experience: One of the most valuable aspects of the conference is the hands-on workshops and demonstrations. These interactive sessions provide attendees with practical experience in applying the latest tools, techniques and features of Epicor software. Such experiential learning opportunities can significantly accelerate a team’s ability to leverage the full potential of the platform, according to Epicor.
• Learning from Peers: Insights brings together professionals from diverse industries and backgrounds, creating a rich environment for knowledge sharing and collaboration. By attending sessions, engaging in discussions and networking with fellow attendees, attendees gain valuable insights, learn from real-world use cases and discover innovative solutions to common challenges.
Featured image (from left): Rich Murr, chief customer and information officer, Brett Cozens, Brandon Knogler, Ryan Knogler, Suellyn Sprague.
The post
link hidden, please login to view appeared first on link hidden, please login to view.
link hidden, please login to view
-
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.