All successful businesses evolve. Few are as good at it as LASCO Heavy Duty. The company now known as one of Kentucky’s most comprehensive aftermarket truck parts and service providers didn’t start in the trucking business. It wasn’t known as LASCO Heavy Duty either.
Founded in 1927, the business that would eventually spawn LASCO Heavy Duty has its roots in the automotive spring business. But the company’s past also includes decades in automotive distribution, a longtime partnership with Moog and a strategic growth decision that enabled the company to separate its operations and fortify its position in the automotive and heavy-duty sectors for years to come.
A finalist for the TPS Distributor of the Year for the first time, LASCO Heavy Duty is a prime example of how customer centricity and an entrepreneurial spirit can lead to longstanding success in the independent aftermarket.
“We’ve always been a company that listens to our customers and tries to help them with whatever problem they may have. That’s how my dad was and that’s how I’ve tried to lead,” says President and Owner David Washbish. “Just yesterday we did something to a truck [in our service shop] we had never done before. It wasn’t something we intended to do, but a customer came to us in need and asked for help.”
“We can’t do everything all the time,” Washbish adds, “but we’re always willing to give something a shot because we know if we can do it — if we can help the customer — they will trust us and come back to us again.”