Distributor of the Year finalist: Valley Truck Parts

Valley Truck Parts succeeds because it is never satisfied.

The Michigan-based distributor is “always defining and refining our process,” says General Manager Gary Troost. “We focus on those things and then accountability. We can always be better.”

And yet, with more than six decades of aftermarket experience and 16 retail and wholesale locations, it’s clear the Michigan-based company has had its fair share of success.

A Truck Parts & Service Distributor of the Year finalist for the first time in 2015, Troost says success at Valley Truck Parts—in the parts, remanufacturing, and service markets—comes back to the company’s relentless determination to improve.

“The overall company vision is communicated with our employees,” he says. “We set yearly and quarterly company initiatives, along with personal goals to stay in alignment with the overall company vision.”

Valley Trucks Parts was founded in Grand Rapids, Mich., in the 1950s as a wrecker and salvage business. The company grew to add retail parts sales, service and remanufacturing capabilities in the decades that followed before expanding throughout Michigan with four more stores—Traverse City, Gaylord, Warren and St. Joseph—in the early 90s.

Each Michigan facility sells new, used and in-house remanufactured products. Three also have service centers offering comprehensive repairs, as well as collision and body work and truck refurbishing.

The company’s remanufacturing operation also is one of largest by an independent distributor. Valley Truck Parts is an Eaton Authorized Rebuilder, Allison Authorized Rebuilder and offers its own line of Platinum Series remanufactured components. Valley Truck Parts also backs its Platinum Series with its own parts and labor warranty.

This helps ensure a customer’s experience with Valley Truck Parts is a positive one.

“It’s our job to deliver on our successful formula of availability, quality and service to that customer and earn their trust,” Troost says.

The culture at Valley Truck Parts also seeks out other opportunities that will help the business improve. Troost says training is a priority for the company. With such a large product offering, Valley Truck Parts is regularly scheduling and seeking out the best training opportunities for its team.

Valley Truck Parts also has the unique advantage of a national wholesale network that adds to the company’s market presence. Added recently, the 11 wholesale locations serve the company’s national accounts, and distribute the company’s remanufactured product lines.

Valley’s focus on continuous improvement can be found in those locations as well, says Troost.

“Valley has a successful formula of availability, quality, service and internal cost control through defined process. Our customers rely on us for same day or next day service and have confidence the product they are selling has value,” he says.

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