Responsible editor: Autodistribution International, Kortenberg, Belgium
Edition: 07/2019
news www.ad- europe.com
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At the occasion of the ADI Summit 2019 (see further in this edition) ADI President Thomas Vollmar addresses the Summit audience: “Ladies and gentlemen, colleagues and friends of ADI, on behalf of the board and all the ADI team, I would like to welcome you back to the Square Brussels Convention Center for our 2019 ADI Summ!t. I am delighted to welcome, once again, our American friends Bill Maggs, Mike Mohler, Dan Renehan, Roy Kent and Ivan Domingue. I am also pleased that ADI is working with The Group, under the 1parts umbrella, to develop a global trade network without any restrictions – a warm welcome to our dear colleagues from 1parts. Until now, 1parts has been jointly headed by Bill and Omer, with outstanding support from Mike and Nico. Within the space of a few years, they have transformed 1parts into a stable unit. But we have now reached the stage where 1parts needs a proper full-time CEO to lead it into the next global dimension. We are delighted that Alex Gelbcke has come back to the IAM, as he is a tried and tested professional, and to have him on board as CEO of 1parts. Welcome back to the fold, Alex. You will have an opportunity to share your plans with us later. I am also especially pleased to welcome two people who work so hard to protect the interests of the independent aftermarket - our FIGIEFA CEO, Sylvia Gotzen, and our FIGIEFA president Hartmut Röhl – Silvia, Hartmut, it is nice to have you here again and a big thank you for your tireless work in Brussels on behalf of the European parts trade! 2
We are pleased to welcome the Gordon trading company as an ADI Partner, with effect from 01.01.2019. As a result, we are now even better represented on the Polish market. Our new colleagues, Jacek Gordon and Jacek Gummer, are here this evening – a warm welcome to the ADI family. We are glad to have you with us. As in previous years, let us take a look at the current situation in Europe and the European Union. With economic growth at 2.4% and an inflation rate of 1.9%, growth over the last year can be described as stable – at least from these points of view. Of course, the Brexit crisis is the dominant theme and is hitting us at a time when all of Europe is facing enormous challenges. Since the USA changed its strategy, the once reliable transatlantic alliance has had us on the edge of our seats. With its hybrid expansion strategy, Russia is undermining European stability. People are understandably afraid of uncontrolled immigration caused by all the different conflicts in the Near East and poverty in Africa. This is in addition to climate change and all its noticeable implications. At the same time, China is becoming increasingly powerful in Europe and the rest of the world. And we must not forget the unstoppable influence of social media – the list of challenges is endless. And yet all of these developments ultimately present the EU with an opportunity. Never has the EU needed to be as united as it does today. Of course, we Europeans can learn our lessons from the crisis. We need stick together more when it comes to decisive issues. Of course, selfish and nationalistic tendencies continue to exist in some countries, which are susceptible to populist confidence tricksters. However, these populists can be now confronted with sound politics and rational arguments. As a result, personally, I still hope that
the EU will close ranks again in response to external pressures and influence our little-known IAM business. Of course, we must prepare remain stable so that it can weather the storms coming from the east ourselves for the new drive technologies and an explosion in the and west. range of spare parts needing to be stocked. At the same time, of course, due to changes to consumer behaviour, the average annual At the same time, of course, we are pleased that our ADI organisation mileage covered by vehicles will also decrease and, ultimately, parts reflects this big, wide world, as it closely resembles the EU - with will not wear out as quickly. Our industry partners are therefore under its 24 partners in 48 countries. It is also defined by unity, trust and pressure to innovate and optimise processes, as well as in terms of how we stand up to international attacks by mega players who just costs and earnings, which determine the strategic orientation of the want to expand. Obviously, we also wonder how we can reconcile aftermarket business but often remain in the background. For most our own interests with those of the group, resolve conflicts caused of our ADI suppliers, the IAM share is significantly below 20%, which by very normal attempts to expand in neighbouring countries and also explains many of the changes and merging of different entities. respond jointly to digitalisation, online trading, price corridors that It will only become clear in a few years whether all the spectacular continue to be very wide, ever-increasing re-import business and takeovers will produce the desired results in the future. And an entire globalisation. But, over the last few years, one question has become sector is worried about whether small and medium-sized suppliers more important than any other for all of us here in this room - how can still keep up with requirements under the Industry 4.0 banner or can automotive suppliers, in other words our esteemed ADI suppliers, whether selling up would be the better option. But the situation is adapt to rapid technological changes on the OEM side and the equally becoming increasingly precarious and the medium-sized parts trade rapid concentration of trade on the IAM side? These changes appear to is suffering an alarming margin loss. It is becoming clear that our threaten the existence of many companies and anyone that takes the industry partners have already suffered as a result of volume pressure wrong direction, makes the wrong acquisitions or simply acts too late from the biggest mega dealers and smaller sales representatives can can ruin a long-standing company within a few years. Of course, this no longer remain competitive. On the one hand, this is convenient, may be a well-known fact, but it can rapidly lead to paralysis or the understandable and strategic, but it is also fatal and anything but usual calls for external consultations, which very often produce results forward-looking. Due to the traditional sales representative structure that you will have already anticipated. And I am not only talking bleeding out, the few major trading units are becoming increasingly about changes caused by CASE (Connected, Autonomous, Shared and dependent, which leads to further margin losses for manufacturers Electric), which have almost been flogged to death – we are tired in the medium term. But, as long as sales managers are rewarded of hearing about it and all of us know that the automobile world is for their annual sales figures and earnings, instead of for protecting about to change dramatically. I am speaking more about changes, business in the long-term, the screw will also continue to tighten until which are not covered extensively in every specialist magazine, but it eventually snaps. In most cases, other people will have to face the
IN THIS NEWSLETTER 6
NGK SPARK PLUG takes the crown
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FILTRON and WIX Filters - the new ADI suppliers
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Damien Germès named Aftermarket Professional of the year 2019
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PHE (Autodistribution) continues to expand in the Benelux
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AD Tunisie opens new headquarters
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COMET & PROGRESS opens new logistics center in Israel
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ADI Summ!t in a nutshell
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AD Russia launches garage concept
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ADI’s Marketing Optimization Days
latest news from the AD Group
Responsible editor: ADI cvba (Autodistribution International), Kortenberg, Belgium This magazine is distributed to all business relations and distributor members of the ADI group. To subscribe or unsubscribe contact us at ADI cvba, Leuvensesteenweg 272, 3070 Kortenberg, Belgium, (T) +32 2 759 29 95 or (E) news@adi.be. 3
consequences. But please do not take this as a criticism, but as a sober assessment of a situation, which is not easy to resolve. At the same time, these questions are now subtly flowing into assessments concerning the quality of our partnership and come into the picture when we elect our “Supplier of the Year 2018”. For this reason, we are excited to see which industry partner will win today’s prize for best performance during 2018. But it is not only about how the parts industry performs – here at ADI, we ask ourselves how we can help our industry partners more effectively to keep the IAM business attractive and profitable. We are aware of our responsibility as a major distributor of their products. We must enable the garages to cope with all the new technology and offer the best quality in terms of parts and service. And we also consider ourselves responsible for reacting to the digital service and repair control measures used by vehicle manufacturers with intelligent mobility platforms. Individual ADI colleagues have already invested several million Euros in this development, which, as I understand it, is even better focused and should be driven forward as a real industry solution. In our sector, there are still many decision-makers who think they can use their own solutions, in order to stand out from the competition. But this point of view shows very clearly that no effort has been made to think strictly from the viewpoint of the driver who does not distinguish between OEM and IAM, national borders or garage systems. The car driver simply wants convenient, comprehensive app services and, if required, to solve problems quickly and reliably. Anyone that sees this will also realise that many of the various dongles, apps and platforms are a waste of money. Two weeks ago, the CLEPA congress was held here in Brussels. One message ran through this congress like a common thread - the IAM needs a European industry solution, which is supported by the trade and industry! Therefore, today I can only call on us all urgently to abandon our selfish and narrow-minded point of view. A fully functional platform cannot, in itself, be developed by a single company – however big and strong it might think it is. Let us work together, preferably with our associations, to build something big! Or to put it more clearly – let us protect the size and shape of the playing field, on which we compete. This playing field will, due to the efforts of vehicle manufacturers, digital newcomers and intermediate forces, become much smaller and fragmented in the future. As a result, we can all expect negative impacts. It is clear to me that completely different needs and priorities exist in this field and not only in Europe. Some of you here have very different concerns and possibly don’t know what I’m talking about. Other people think we are addressing this question far too late. But one thing is certain: within five years, digitalisation will have reached every corner of Europe, together with its implications for mobility. By then, at the latest, we should be in a position to call upon a fully developed IAM solution. At any rate, two initiatives from the industry and trade – called CARUSO and CARMUNICATION - already exist for collecting and processing vehicle data. Very soon, hopefully, we will all be able to take advantage of these options. ADI and CARAT are members of CARMUNICATION, which was set up by Walter Birner, and ADI 4
is also indirectly involved in CARUSO via CARAT. Bearing this in mind, I am very pleased that it has been possible to overcome existing competitive situations and, more recently, to set up a joint company, with equal shares for ATR and CARAT, in order to develop a digital mobility platform. This partnership follows the request put forward by many of the industry colleagues here today for an open industry solution and could mark the beginning of a European IAM solution. For this reason, this platform will also be open to all interested companies from the industry, trade, insurance, breakdown services and technology partners. This small start-up company in the digital world by the way provides us with an excellent link to our keynote speaker today, Rudy Lauwereins from IMEC, later tonight. However, before diving deep into the exciting universe of technology with Rudy Lauwereins, we’d like to give you an update on our global
organization 1Parts. Please join me in welcoming on stage the CEO of 1Parts, Mr. Alex Gelbcke!” Alex Gelbcke, CEO of 1Parts since January 1 2019, sets out his goals for a global development, followed by Rudy Lauwereins, Vice-President of IMEC, on the future of automotive technology (“From AutoDistribution to Autonomous Driving and beyond: a super-vision on automotive technology”). Thomas Vollmar concludes his address by proclaiming the Aftermarket Professional of the Year (Damien Germès, President & CEO at NGK Spark Plug Europe, Regional President EMEA and Corporate Officer at the Global Headquarters of NGK, Japan) and the Supplier of the Year 2018 (NGK/NTK), see further in this issue.
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From left to right, Regional President EMEA, President & CEO NGK SPARK PLUG EUROPE and Corporate Officer Damien Germès, Vice President Aftermarket EMEA David Loy, Commercial Director Aftermarket EMEA Igor Skornik and Business Developer Aftermarket EMEA Glaucia Fürbringer accepting ADI’s Supplier of the Year 2018 award on behalf of NGK SPARK PLUG.
NGK SPARK PLUG TAKES THE CROWN Ignition and sensor specialist named Supplier of the Year 2018 In April, we honoured NGK SPARK PLUG with our Supplier of the Year award. This is the result of a performance assessment by ADI partners in each country, which evaluated key distributor criteria such as product quality, range, delivery service, pricing, marketing, technical provision and sales support. At the same event, Damien Germès Regional President EMEA, President & CEO NGK SPARK PLUG EUROPE and Corporate Officer of the Global Headquarters in Japan, was named Aftermarket Professional of the Year 2019.
at the heart of all we do. We are therefore honoured and extremely proud to have our efforts endorsed by ADI through these two, notable awards. They are the result of the efforts of all our team members, who give their very best to our customers, every single day.”
Accepting both awards, Damien Germès commented: “Close, effective business partnerships are essential as we rise to the challenges facing our industry, which is why NGK SPARK PLUG puts customer satisfaction
SPARK PLUGS: Engineered for reliability, performance, superior ignitability and a long service life, NGK spark plugs are available for all types of engines, including those for cars and motorcycles as well as marine- and power sport applications.
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GLOW PLUGS: NGK glow plugs are built to perform – and designed to last. Backed by more than 50 years of glow-plug experience, they offer rock-solid reliability on the coldest of days, fast engine start-up and a long service life.
IGNITION COILS: NGK ignition coils are precisely engineered for correct seating and superior vibration resilience as well as exceptional short circuit and moisture resistance.
IGNITION LEADS AND CAPS: Temperature resistant and designed for high-voltage ignitions, NGK ignition leads offer reliability under the most demanding conditions. NGK caps are available with different resistors in various designs and angles, including waterproof types.
Established in 1936, NGK SPARK PLUG is one of the world’s leading automotive and technical ceramics suppliers. Its NGK Ignition Parts and NTK Vehicle Electronics brands for the Aftermarket provide customers in the automotive market with a comprehensive range of spark plugs, glow plugs, ignition coils, leads and caps, oxygen sensors, EGT sensors, MAP/MAF sensors as well as engine speed and position sensors for all kinds of engines. From automotive to motorcycle, from power tools to marine, NGK SPARK PLUG offers a product range that is as exceptional as it is comprehensive. These eight product lines comprise thousands of products and 60,000 applications – all of which are thoroughly tested and designed with excellence in mind. Today, the company boasts 43 subsidiaries, 24 production plants and five Technical Centres as well as some 14,500 staff around the world. In 2017, the ignition and sensor specialist grew the company’s logistics capacities and moved into a state-of-the-art distribution centre in Duisburg, Germany. Providing fast, high-volume shipments, it now supplies Aftermarket and OEM customers in 44 European countries.
By testing its products thoroughly at the Technical Centre, NGK SPARK PLUG not only ensures that its ignition parts and sensors provide optimal engine performance but also years of reliable service no matter how harsh the operating conditions are. NGK SPARK PLUG also has racing in its DNA. Whether it’s Formula 1, MotoGP, the World Rally Championship or MXGP, maximising racing performance at national and international levels, class-leading NGK and NTK products developed at the company’s Motorsport Test Centre put competitors in pole position time and time again.
Excellence in product development Product development plays a key role at NGK SPARK PLUG. A good example of the company’s commitment to optimisation and innovation is its Technical Centre in Ratingen, Germany. Covering some 2,200 m2, this is where NGK SPARK PLUG puts prototype products through their paces in tomorrow’s engines using state-of-art analysis systems. The Centre comprises three high-tech engine testing stands and two chassis dynos, a climate chamber capable of generating temperatures from -30°C up to +30°C.
OXYGEN SENSORS: NTK oxygen sensors are precision engineered to make engines cleaner and more efficient – reducing harmful emissions and maintaining the ideal air-fuel ratio.
TEMPERATURE SENSORS: Offering an extremely wide temperature measuring range, exceptional resistance to vibration and very fast activation, NTK EGT sensors help meet increasing demands for more economical engines.
Added Value at every stage To add value to the overall experience, NGK SPARK PLUGS also offers unparalleled support and information. In addition to dedicated sales support, and extensive technical training programmes throughout the EMEA region, NGK SPARK PLUG provides a full range of interactive learning modules and technical videos via its TekniWiki online platform. In addition to providing a lot of information on its website in 13 languages, NGK SPARK PLUG also has a strong social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube) presence and keeps customers and fans constantly up to date with all the latest news, information, advice and more. Backed up by excellent marketing, technical provision and sales support, these are some of the reasons we named NGK SPARK PLUG Supplier of the Year 2018.
MAP/MAF SENSORS: NTK Manifold/Boost Pressure (MAP) and Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensors ensure engines operate at maximum efficiency by precisely measuring the air-fuel mixture.
ENGINE SPEED & POSITION SENSORS: Precision manufactured to maximize engine performance and efficiency, NTK speed and position sensors provide the engine’s ECU with the key data it requires to run the engine.
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DAMIEN GERMÈS NAMED AFTERMARKET PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR 2019 Recently, we honoured Damien Germès, Regional President EMEA, President & CEO NGK SPARK PLUG EUROPE and Corporate Officer of the Global Headquarters in Japan, with our Aftermarket Professional of the Year 2019 award. Damien was named Aftermarket Professional of the Year 2019 in April at the annual ADI Summit meeting held in Brussels. The event was attended by 160 senior managers representing the trading group’s suppliers and partners worldwide. Chosen by industry peers for his achievements in the automotive Aftermarket, Damien is the 10th winner of this once-in-a-lifetime award. During the evening ADI President Thomas Vollmar warmly congratulated Damien for his professional achievements. Moments later NGK SPARK PLUG was also crowned Supplier of the Year 2018. The award was the result of a performance assessment by ADI partners from each of the group’s countries.
operational side, he significantly increased the company’s logistics capacity by building a complete new distribution centre. With the creation of the EMEA region, NGK SPARK PLUG is able to serve local markets better and more quickly. By bringing the European, Middle East and South African region under one roof, the company has become more responsive to market needs. Damien, who has been in the Aftermarket business for 25 years, is known for his authentic style of leadership. He says, “staying true to himself and being as authentic in his words and actions as he can, helps create trust and instils confidence in others. If you do that”, he adds, “others will notice and feel empowered to act accordingly — something that goes for colleagues as well as customers”. His approach goes hand in hand with the company’s philosophy and core values. He was honoured with the award in recognition for his personal attitude and achievements in the Aftermarket business.
NGK SPARK PLUG is one of the world’s leading automotive and technical ceramics suppliers, with its corporate headquarters in Nagoya, Japan and sales organisations and production facilities all over the world. Founded in 1936, with the development of top-quality, highperformance spark plugs at its core, the company has continuously grown and adapted to changing markets over the years. Damien Germes played a key role in the last seven years in successfully growing the company’s Aftermarket business and developing operations to meet increasing customer demand. Damien’s plans include focusing on the sensor segment by including additional products such as MAP/MAF or Engine Speed and Position Sensors to create further opportunities for growth. On the 8
Finland: The delegation was hosted by Eero Broman
AD Hessumobiili in Klaukkala
AD Tunisie opens his new headquarters AD Tunisie, ADI partner since 2012, opened his new headquarters in MÊgrine, near Tunis, located only 7 km from the Tunis airport. The site involves two warehouses on a total surface of 12 000m² and includes spaces for car repair and maintenance (Bosch Car Service, Bosch Diesel Centre) as well as training facilities dedicated to all automotive repairs. The crash repair section is equipped with a paint booth. The new AD Tunisie site will serve two companies, EDT (Electro Diesel Tunisie) and USP (Ulysse Spare Parts), anticipating their merger scheduled for 2020. AD Tunisie is the undisputed leader for replacement parts for passenger cars and trucks, and for batteries, lubricants, garage equipment and tools. Its 60 strong sales force covers the whole Tunisian territory, serving nearly 1500 retailers and garages. Despite the extremely challenging economic conditions in Tunisia combined with a complicated political situation, AD Tunisie continues to grow at a steady pace.
The ADI S umm!t in a nutshell
The 2019 ADI Summ!t took place in the heart of Brussels @ Square Meeting Center
Alex Gelbcke, the new CEO of 1Parts, presented in short his goals for 1Parts.
Rudy Lauwereins, Vice-President of Imec, the world-leading R&D and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies, gave its vision on automotive technology.
from l. to r.: Omer Wesemael - StĂŠphane Antiglio - Josep Bosch
10 400 meetings in one day - on one location, with fruitful results !!
A musical intermezzo by Paul Michiels and Ibernice
The Grup Eina team - Nuria Pinent and FrĂŠdĂŠric Vandenhende - was happy to give more information about the Eure!Car concept.
Networking...
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FILTRON and WIX Filters - The New ADI Suppliers Interactive online training courses for brand partners PRODUCT BRANDS OF
FILTRON and WIX Filters are strong brands of high-quality filter products. In 2016, they were acquired by the MANN+HUMMEL company, the world leader in filtration technology, and the top supplier of OE filters to major automotive manufacturers, with a workforce of over 20,000 employees in more than 80 locations worldwide. FILTRON brand products have been expertly manufactured in the plant in Gostyń (Poland) for over three decades. Its annual production output is over 90 million filters, and are a top choice for car mechanics all over Europe. The range of FILTRON branded products for all types of motor vehicle supplies 97% of the European automotive market, and also includes filters designed for heavy machinery and special equipment. “FILTRON filters are trusted by customers because of their fine quality, and many features which make mechanics’ daily work much easier. The performance of FILTRON products is a direct result of the experience and endeavours of the past and more recently drawing on the unique know-how and expertise of MANN+HUMMEL, as an OE supplier. The quality of the production materials and the durability and performance of the finished products are rigorously tested. Our state-of-the-art laboratory applies more than 60 test methods compliant with international standards”, says Tomasz Grabias, General Manager of MANN+HUMMEL FT Poland. How do FILTRON solutions make your work easier? Colour-coded packaging combined with a clear numbering system Clear colour-coded packaging and a simple numbering system are the staple elements of the FILTRON brand. Selecting the right products is effortless, with virtually no chance of mismatch. 12
available – FREE FILTRON experts share their knowledge on the products and filtration technology through the FILTRON ACADEMY interactive online training courses, to date successfully completed by over 8500 FILTRON customers. Printed installation instructions and VIDEO guides For vehicles with complex installation procedures, FILTRON supplies instructions in a printed version in the packaging. Since 2018, our customers have also been able to view video guides - on YouTube and on our website.
WIX Filters is an All-American brand. In 1954, in Gastonia, NC, WIX Filters’ engineers created and patented the revolutionary spin-on (“twist of the wrist”) oil filter, which quickly became a filtration-industry standard. The experts at WIX Filters are still regularly introducing new solutions which progressively improve filtration efficiency. These projects are being carried out in two major research-and-development centres – in the United States and Poland. What makes WIX Filters stand out from the rest?
Technology put to the ultimate test on the race track As a result of our great passion for motor sports, and the need to test our advanced technology in the most-demanding of conditions, for many years WIX Filters filters have been put to the ultimate test in racing cars. An outstanding brand driven by innovation The patented “twist of the wrist” threaded-connection filter design is a stand-out example of how WIX Filters have influenced the standards observed throughout the filtration industry. A filter for almost every engine WIX Filters products can be found in virtually any engine you will encounter -– automotive, maritime, industrial, you name it! The WIX Filters’ product range boasts over 16,000 fine product models.
Parts Holding Europe (Autodistribution ) continues to expand in the B e N e L ux After the acquisition of Doyen in 2016, followed in 2017 by Autodistribution’s renaissance in Belgium and Luxembourg with Autodistribution BELUX (1), then in 2018 the acquisition of Geevers, the leading distributor of carrosserie parts in the Benelux, Autodistribution continues to expand in northern Europe with the takeover of the Autodistribution and AD brands in the Netherlands.
As far as the AD Expert collections, marketing and garage concepts are concerned, the synergies with Autodistribution France will continue. The creation of a Eure!Car technical hub which provides training and support, completes the setup. It is located on the premises of Autodistribution BELUX and staffed by a multilingual team to ensure optimum relationships with the garages.
A new subsidiary, Autodistribution NEDERLAND (3), has been created with its headquarters in ’s-Hertogenbosch, near Amsterdam. Like Autodistribution BELUX, Autodistribution NEDERLAND has state-ofthe-art logistics at its disposal in the form of the logistics platforms in Seneffe (2), with 100,000 references, and Waalwijk (4) and Zwolle (5), which each have 40,000 references for mechanical parts, and Geevers (6) with its 70,000 references for carrosserie parts. The platforms ensure twice-daily delivery to Autodistribution’s distributors.
The semi-automated preparation chain at Seneffe - € 2M was invested in the new boxing machines in 2018 13
COMET & PROGRESS opens new logistics center in ISRAEL Comet & Progress has opened a new logistics center located at the City of Shoham, 22 KM east of Tel Aviv, for the storage and management of vehicle spare parts. This center improves the logistics processes of Comet & Progress and ensures economical management and optimal and efficient supply of the goods to the company’s 1,400 customers. The Shoham Industrial Park is ideally located in the heart of Israel, 5 KM east to the Ben Gurion International airport, and adjacent to Israel’s two major highways: Highway 6, running for the south of the country to the north, and highway 1, connecting the country’s two major cities, Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem, from west to east. The modern logistics center, is situated on a 9,000 square meter property and has a floor space of 6,000 square meters. The warehouse itself is 14 meters high with a footprint of 4,000 square meters, with a capacity to store 6,000 pallets along with several thousand picking locations. The facility includes a 250 square meter training center equipped to accommodate theoretical and practical sessions and a spacious office gallery into which Comet and Progress has relocated its head offices. Together with the relocation to this new warehouse, Comet & Progress has implemented a new state-of-the-art computerized warehouse management system, establishing an end-to-end computerized process for ordering and issuing goods in an efficient paperless manner.
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Comet & Progress has joined the AD group in 2017, and is a prominent player in the Israeli automotive aftermarket arena since 1956.
“We have taken a decisive step in centralizing our logistics into our new logistics center. It replaces our previous three separate locations and significantly shortens order flows and transport routes. With the new logistics center, we can organize our processes in the company even more efficiently and we also have lower overhead and labor costs than we had previously. This means that we also increase our competitive advantage. The new logistic center also represents the commitment of our shareholders to the growth plan we have initiated when joining ADI, providing the infrastructure required in order to launch the new brands that we have added to our portfolio since joining AD ” says Ronny Arazi, CEO of Comet & Progress.
AD Russia launches Garage Concept On April 30th 2019, AD Russia has inaugurated in North Moscow City, its first Concept Garage under the brand name “Vernum Auto”. Based on the long experience of its Siberian Partner, the Omsk based company Megaros, who is successfully running a network of “state of the art” Auto-centers in its Region, AD Russia has developed the “Vernum Auto” concept of which the first pilot has opened its doors now. The plan foresees the opening of three pilots in Moscow City and St Petersburg in 2019, followed by a 5 years intensive development plan under a franchise format aiming at creating a network of 250 outlets in the European side of Russian Federation. Modern, clean, highly technological know-how with all ad-hoc diagnostic equipment, excellent value for money, car-park coverage (all car brands and models) and transparency are the core values that will be promoted.
from l. to r. : Gennady Korolkov - Olga Chukreeva
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Peralada Wine Spa & Golf (near Figueres) was a superb setting for ADI’s first Marketing Optimization Days on June 5 – 6. Nearly 100 expert marketeers from the trade (ADI Partners) and automotive parts industry (ADI contract suppliers) attended the presentation of ADI’s marketing and communication program and a detailed exposé on Eure!Car, ADI’s program for technical support to professional repairers, followed by a visit to ADI’s Tech Partner Grup Eina Digital.
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