CarParts' OpenWebs(TM) e-commerce Server has been deployed by Royal Tire to enable Tire One dealers to purchase tires from its warehouse distribution operations using a business-to-business online browser application. In addition, Royal Tire has gone operational with the ability to receive electronic hot shot and stock orders from Tire One and other independent tire and service outlets in its geographic markets that are running the CarParts VAST Point-of-Sale (POS) system -- a market leading POS used in over 2000 multi-store tire and service outlets across the country.
"Applying this state-of-the-art technology will position us to take our business to an entirely new level," said Pat Duininck, president of Royal Tire. "We've already seen the benefits to our Tire One customers that have implemented VAST and are now ordering through OpenWebs directly to our warehouse over the internet."
Based in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Royal Tire is a leader in commercial and passenger/light truck tire sales and service in the Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North and South Dakota markets. Royal Tire represents major companies such as Bridgestone Firestone, Cooper, Bandag, Michelin and Toyo and delivers tires to over 750 retail outlets in the five states. Royal Tire also provides comprehensive tire services to over 500 truck fleets throughout the Midwest.
"The Mid-West has become a hot-bed of online trading between distributors like Royal Tire and their Tire One and other customers," said Paul Van Den Berg, President of CarParts Technologies. "This latest deployment with Royal Tire strengthens our presence and commitment to the region and to the systems and services we provide our customers across the tire and service aftermarket. Our VAST POS is fully enabled for online trading and when combined with our electronic e-commerce server capabilities provided by OpenWebs overcomes the limitations of "over-the-phone" customer service by providing a "do-it-yourself" option over the internet."
"This new platform addresses key business processes we identified as necessary to improve, in order to support our next five years of growth," said Duininck. "By improving our level of customer service, increasing our wholesale services efficiency, and by providing the industry leading VAST POS system for our Tire One customers, we believe we will be positioned to service our current customers better, and continue our expansion into other geographic markets."
About Auto Data Network
Auto Data Network is a group of established companies which provide software products and services to the automotive industry. The company's main customer base is the auto dealership marketplace. This marketplace consists of approximately 78,000 dealers in North America and 92,000 dealers in Europe. The company estimates that this represents a $15 billion market for Software and Services specifically for auto dealerships. The company supplies a suite of software solutions and services that enable dealerships to run their businesses more efficiently whilst achieving considerable cost savings. The majority of the company's current solutions are focused on serving the aftermarket and finance areas of dealerships. These areas are of particular importance as the aftermarket business is responsible for 48% of a dealerships profit from 12% of their overall revenue. The second most profitable area is vehicle finance and insurance this area contributes 35% of profits from 2% of revenues.
About CarParts Technologies
Established in 1997, CarParts Technologies, Inc. is the leading provider of auto service, distribution and e-commerce software systems for the automotive aftermarket. The systems are used in more than 3,000 leading aftermarket outlets including the largest tire and auto service chains, warehouse distributors and independent installers. CarParts Technologies' comprehensive and robust systems allow companies to drive sales growth, operate more cost efficiently, accelerate inventory turns and maintain stronger relationships with suppliers and trading partners. For additional information on CarParts Technologies, please visit the website at www.carpartstechnologies.com.
About Royal Tire
