07-08-07

Thurlow Nunn expands its parts business into All-Makes

Parts capability creates a profitable new income stream

Thurlow Nunn, one of East Anglia’s largest dealer groups, has expanded the parts operation at its Kings Lynn dealership to include an All-Makes capability under the growing XPart scheme. The programme gives Thurlow Nunn access to a comprehensive range of more than 33,000 products, allowing it to expand its service business into profitable new areas by establishing a factoring operation with local independent garages.

“As we already deliver OEM parts around the region to independent garages, it made complete sense to bolt on the XPart All-Makes programme to our offering,” says Gary Osborn, aftersales director for Thurlow Nunn. “This addition to our parts portfolio means that our customers can make just one phone call to us and receive parts for all makes of vehicle within the hour. As very little investment was required to set up the operation, we believe that this will quickly become a profitable new income stream for the business.”

Thurlow Nunn runs 11 franchised dealerships throughout East Anglia covering four manufacturer brands. Having successfully supported the Vauxhall Trade Club programme from its Kings Lynn dealership for the last five years, the company has established an active network of more than 300 independent garage customers who it will offer its all-makes products to. Garages within a 20 mile radius of Kings Lynn will be offered a one-hour delivery service, whilst those on the outer fringes of Norfolk, who normally receive an infrequent service by existing factors, will be able to take advantage of a twice-daily delivery service.

XPart has selected a portfolio of leading brands to be included within its All-Makes programme, ensuring that customers have access to quality products which are technically excellent and fitted with ease. The market leading position of the brands also ensures excellent coverage of the vehicle parc. Some of the brands included in the portfolio are TRW brakes, Lucas rotating electrics, Crosland filters, Bosal exhausts and Dayco belts. These are supported by similar market leading brands for clutch, steering and suspension, transmissions, wiper blades, batteries, shock absorbers, oils and workshop consumables.

In addition to the extensive product line-up offered under the scheme, Thurlow Nunn will be supported by XPart through a number of initiatives such as an online parts look up facility. “The level of support offered by XPart was one of the main reason we selected its scheme,” explains Osborn. “We evaluated several other schemes and we wanted to work with a partner who could offer a complete package and showed excellent levels of professionalism. The added value items of the XPart programme, such as the parts look up system, means that life will be made easier not only for ourselves, but also for our customers who we will roll this out to.”

Other dealer groups looking to take advantage of this revenue generation opportunity should contact Ed Pedder, franchise manager for XPart on 01455 821674 or 07788 424237.

XPart is a wholly owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Logistics Services UK Limited, one of the automotive industry’s leading supply chain management companies. It has established a network of more than 220 XPart AutoService centres across the UK, providing franchise-quality repair at aftermarket rates. Its product range contains more than 33,000 parts for all makes of vehicles and since 2001, it has been responsible for the supply of all genuine MG Rover part.

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