Introduction YMF have plenty to celebrate. The business has a loyal and growing customer base, whose needs have been met with an on-going expansion programme. 2019 sees them celebrate their 50th birthday with a trading name change to YMF Car Parts. The complex back office processes allow local parts deliveries to be made inside an hour. The way the company goes about developing and retaining customer relationships with over 500 independent garages, is a world away from when husband and wife founders Bill and Mary O’Brien began trading at the end of the 1960s. The couple quite literally opened up shop in a former butchers. Within two years, they had outgrown these premises and had moved to the other side of York’s Layerthorpe Road. Although much expanded and modified since, this site remains at the heart of YMF’s operation.
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York
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The nature of the products they sold would change massively as the years passed. Initially, staff were kept busy selling renewables such as spark plug leads, distributor caps, points and condensers. These were fitted to cars with short service cycles that required frequent adjustments and rolling maintenance to keep them running properly. By the 1980s, many cars were becoming more reliable, service intervals were getting longer, but increasing technical sophistication meant that the range and complexity of the products they needed to provide had also increased. There was also a move towards non-mechanical parts such as relays and solid-state ignition components. In the past decade this process has accelerated massively. The increased sophistication of vehicle electronics and safety critical parts along with a requirement for emission reducing components has fuelled a technological revolution in vehicle manufacturing. Engines have also changed and developed hugely over the past half century. When the company began selling lubricants there were few options for oil types, with 20W-50 oil having a near monopoly. Nowadays, with mechanical parts working to extremes in terms of tolerances and temperatures, there is a burgeoning range of vehicle specific engine oils. This means YMF now stock 23 different oil specifications with more new ones to be introduced shortly.
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Scarborough
BUYING POWER In 1994, YMF were invited to join the country’s premier buying group, the IFA (Independent Motor Trade Factors Associated Ltd). This has enabled them to trade with some of the world’s biggest brands at competitive prices. Nowadays, car owners can’t live without their cars for long periods, so it is important that vehicles are serviced and repaired quickly. With this in mind, YMF keep a huge range of parts in stock for servicing and braking jobs.
EXPERTISE The company’s wider spares portfolio has also broadened beyond recognition. Stock lists are now overseen by dedicated staff members, who are not only experts at number crunching, but can drill down into component lists so that there aren’t any errors when selecting superficially similar parts. Both YMF and their suppliers, constantly monitor levels of demand, which allows data to be used to select parts that have the largest vehicle coverage. This gives YMF the confidence that their customers can be helped quickly and efficiently.
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Malton
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CONTINUITY Today, YMF remain a family business with second generation O’Briens Phil and Barry at the helm. They have retained the ethos that they are in business to assist the local independent garage sector. This means developing long and lasting relationships, having the right parts on the shelf at the right price and delivering them quickly. The company has a headcount of around 100 full & part time staff and is looking to the future of their work force. They recognise the need to give their staff the tools and training required to work effectively for their customers. To back this up, they have recently appointed a full time training manager to provide the help and support needed at each branch to make this happen. Many YMF staff have been part of the business for decades! This shows that YMF is a great place to work and to build a career.
RAPID RESPONSE Nowadays garage customers demand rapid access to components as they need to get customers cars back on the road as soon as possible. Gone are the days of garages stocking parts due to the large amount of alternatives fitted to vehicles. This means that deliveries within the hour are now the norm.This is facilitated by a modern van fleet, which was recently expanded to 40 vehicles, and driven by a dedicated team of drivers. YMF’s vehicles are a familiar sight on the roads of York, Malton, Scarborough and Selby. They also deliver further afield in some areas and these are completed on timed runs throughout the day. Even garages on the outer limits of the company’s delivery areas can expect up to six deliveries per day! Having sites in Layerthorpe, Poppleton, Selby, Malton & Scarborough means YMF has a linked distribution network stretching from Selby, all the way to the North Yorkshire coast.
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LOYALTY Although mainly a trade outlet, YMF is also a welcoming place for over the counter sales for the DIY enthusiast. They also have a range of tools and accessories and a new revamped range of car care products to keep customers busy at the weekend. For trade accounts, the company operates a 24 hour, No Quibble returns service. This means that parts ordered, which are no longer required can be returned without any hassle. The customers account will also be credited within 24 hours of YMF receiving the goods. Also available is their 48 hour No Quibble warranty service. Parts returned under warranty will be credited or replaced within 48 hours of the goods being received by YMF. YMF have recently launched an online loyalty rewards programme for their trade customers giving one point for each £1 spend as long as the garage spends over £1,000 per month. These points can be redeemed on a wide range of items including electronic gadgets, food & drink, technology products and many more! Simply head to ymf.mythanks.co.uk to sign up.
MAKING THE NEWS Although YMF are working hard on new ways to support their customers they haven’t turned their back on more traditional ways of keeping in touch, as readers of their bi-monthly magazine will know. Smart Choice Magazine is an ideal platform to inform customers of new product launches, technical updates, recent news and much more. There are also competitions with chances of winning prizes such as fully stocked tool boxes to name a recent item.
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Selby
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Poppleton
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SPECIALIST SKILLS Adapting to customer needs has been one of the secrets behind YMF’s sustained success, and a good example of this is how they stock niche products, including gas welding bottles, number plates and TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring Sensors) which since 2015, have taken on a greater importance as they are now covered by MOT test regulations. Bodyshop customers with spray booths can now benefit from two recently introduced paint mixing stations. These use paint ingredient weighing technology linked to vehicle colour code information. This means the company can produce more than 77,000 paint colour combinations. This allows them to supply paint in quantities sufficient to operate spray booths together with touch-up and smart repair kits.
THE NEXT CHAPTER As YMF looks forward to sharing a series of celebration events with their customers, the company is looking at avenues to further streamline practices, improve efficiency and find new ways to help those customers run their businesses more efficiently. Further expansion is on the cards, and YMF is preparing for the massive expected shift in vehicle technology that is probably now only a few short years away. However, one element of their business model won’t be changing: YMF will continue to be run for the benefit of local garages in North Yorkshire. YMF will shortly be launching their new VRM (Vehicle Registration Marque) driven website, www.ymfcarparts.co.uk. This will allow customers to enter a vehicle reg number and order parts for that specific car, with options of click & collect or direct delivery.
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50 Years in business backed up by our trusted partners, Thanks for your support!
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Where to find YMF Car Parts Layerthorpe 62 Layerthorpe, York YO31 7YW T 01904 628828 E sales@yorkmotorfactors.co.uk
Malton 5 Seph Way, York Road Industrial Estate, Malton YO17 6YF T 01653 602700 E sales@yorkmotorfactors.co.uk
Selby 11A Selby Business Park, Selby YO8 8LZ T 01757 403300 E sales@yorkmotorfactors.co.uk
Scarborough Unit 2 Stadium Works Barrys Lane, Scarborough YO12 4HA T 01723 413104 E sales@yorkmotorfactors.co.uk
Poppleton Unit 13, Rose Avenue Rose Centre, Nether Poppleton YO26 6RX T 01904 917280 E sales@yorkmotorfactors.co.uk