My Journey in the Automotive Industry

This is my 50th year in Automotive Industry & 40 Years in two terms with Repco now GPC Asia Pacific, time now to retire, relax and do some travelling. The Automotive Industry has been a great Industry to work in and during my time I have met some great people. I have had some great mentors in my career, and I hope I have passed on some of my knowledge to people who have worked with me.

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I started my working career with a Company called Smith Sons & Rees (owned by Repco) in Wentworth Ave Sydney CBD in 1974 with a young man call Chris Dumphy ex Repco & Tridon, after a short stint there picking orders, I moved to the New Repco NSW DC in Raglan Road Auburn where I was picking Branch orders.

In 1975 I received a call from Parramatta Branch Manager John Evans to work in Repco Parramatta one on the largest Branches in Australia where I worked on the Phones and Front Counter.

That same year I married my wife Jo-Anne who has put up with me all these years.

In 1976 new Repco Parramatta Branch Manager Bob Hutchinson offered me to the prized position of sales representative covering a large area from Wisemans Ferry, Glenorie, Dural all the way to Parramatta, I was a Rep for 3 years and this gave me experience for what lay ahead with Repco.

In 1980 I accepted a fantastic opportunity to become a Branch Manager opening the newly built Ingleburn Branch at that time a small 3-person branch servicing Ingleburn and surrounding areas. After a year I received an opportunity to manage the much larger Branch of Campbelltown which covered areas from Campbelltown to Camden, The Oaks & surrounding areas all the way to Mittagong and Bowral.

In 1982 another opportunity came my way taking over as Branch Manager at Repco Blacktown which was one of the most profitable Branches in Australia at that time and one of the first to trade on Sunday Morning. It was exciting times over the next 4 years as we were part of the top performing branches in NSW.

In 1986 another new opportunity came my way as Regional Manager taking over from Norm Hardy it included Branches from Kings Cross in CBD of Sydney all the way to the south Coast at Nowra, during this time Repco put me through a live-in marketing course at Sydney University.

There were some great mentors at Repco during my time there whom I will never forget, John Evans, Bob Hutchinson, Arthur James, Ian McDonald, Bill McCleod, Rodney Blake to name a few.

In late 1988 I received an offer from previous colleague Rodney Blake to join a product development marketing team at a Truck Spare Parts supplier in Auburn Sydney called SMS Diesel Spares where I stayed for 3 years learning all about Product Development & Marketing.

In 1993 I again received a call from Rodney Blake who had since left SMS Diesel Spares and moved to a Company called Echlin Australia, he asked if I would like to come over as Group Product Manager. Echlin had recently bought parts distributor GKN (previously Quinton Hazell), GKN was in direct competition with Repco owned Traders Auto Spares. Echlin Australia also had a share in company called Kelray Australia the owner of Fuelmiser, Kelpro & Nolathane. Echlin Australia owned by USA automotive giant Echlin a major player in the USA automotive industry owning many manufacturing facilities including major Parts Distributor Beck Arnley.

During my period at Echlin as Group Product & Marketing Manager in developing programs for Echlin to become a major force in Distribution of Automotive Parts in Australia.

We had some great exclusive brands at Echlin including Gabriel USA, Raybestos, Quinton Hazell, Echlin brand and many more.

In 1998 an approach made by a competitor Carparts to buy Echlin Australia and during this uncertain ?time I was offered a job at Tridon Australia which I took as an opportunity in expanding my portfolio, unfortunately this did not work out and after a year at Trindon I left and received an offer to join Echlin sister company Kelray Australia as Group Product Manager working ?alongside Lloyd Oldfield & Steve Broad. Kelray Australia owned leading Brands such as Nolathane, Fuelmiser & Kelpro.

In 2000 Repco Australia bought Kelray brands Fuelmiser & Kelpro, they also acquired BTR Transmissions, this new division named Motospecs managed by Trevor Garrard who also had Ashdown’s and Terry Chipman from Repco.

Motospecs over the years grew their product ranges in Fuelmiser, Kelpro and Tru-Flow and these Brands continued to be market leaders. In 2013 the Genuine Parts Company (GPC) USA acquired Repco and started trading as GPC Asia Pacific with Repco, Motospecs, Ashdown Ingram all under the one banner.

In 2019 Motospecs merged with the Repco Merchandise team under the one GPCAP Merchandise Support Group.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Automotive Aftermarket working along great people and having plenty of fun along the way.