Truck Parts and Service | Heavy Duty Trucking, Aftermarket, Service Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/620607
2 Q uestion for the veteran distrib- utors out there. Who started your business? Who founded the operation you run today? Was it you? Maybe a parent or close family member? Did you take over after a former boss retired? How did the busi- ness you lead come to be? I only ask because as I look across the independent aftermarket today, I don't see many people founding new distribu- tor businesses. As a matter of fact, I don't see any. I've been with Truck Parts & Service for fi ve years and in that time I can't think of a single new independent after- market distributor that has entered the marketplace. Sure there have been expan- sions of existing businesses, consolida- tions. New facilities have been built. But when was the last time an entirely new distributor entered this world? I'm sure it's happened. At least I hope it has. I hope somewhere out there an entre- preneur saw the opportunity this industry provides and jumped in. Because when you look at this indus- try, this impressively strong yet aging industry, I think it's clear we need more than just new employees. The wave of retirements about to hit us is naturally going to bring some consolidation. For this independent af- termarket to remain, you know, indepen- dent, we're also going to need some new businesses. "I remember when I started in this business we would hear about new loca- tions opening almost every week," says Marc Karon, president at Total Truck Parts. "Now you'll hear about an expan- sion only every few months, and it's never someone new." Trucking's shortage of drivers and technicians dominates most industry em- ployment discussions, and rightfully so. The American Trucking Associations estimates the current driver shortage at nearly 50,000 on Jan. 1, 2016, with potential to eclipse 70,000 by year end. Tech shortage estimates aren't quite as severe but ATA still shows gaps of 10,000 or more in today's service market. Those are clearly huge problems. But in looking ahead it is important for trucking, and the aftermarket in par- ticular, to ensure its recruitment efforts aren't only focused on the largest areas of need. The aftermarket needs new blood everywhere. We need to fi nd people who want to lead. People who desire the freedom and independence to run their own busi- nesses. We need people who can see an opportunity and make the most of it. I'd venture a guess some of those people are already in this industry. Look around your store. Which employees have you sized up as potential successors? Not every possible successor will run your business one day, but that doesn't mean they couldn't lead some- where else. I know that's hard to think about — seeing your best employees somewhere else — but if the independent aftermar- ket is going to survive in the decades ahead, our best and brightest will need to reach their full potential. That means doing what you, your parents or grand- parents did — opening a business and making it successful. Admittedly, we're still going to have to recruit a lot of people. Probably thou- sands to fi ll the piles of openings appear- ing in this industry each day. But every leader we build from within is one less we have to fi nd on the outside. The independent aftermarket exists today because of opportunists. People who saw an opening and potential in an underserved market and took advantage. That potential remains. Here's hoping so do the entrepreneurs. T R U C K P A R T S & S E R V I C E | J a n u a r y 2 0 1 6 The changing of the guard By Lucas Deal, Editor lucasdeal@randallreilly.com Editorial | Lucas Deal The aftermarket needs new blood everywhere. We need to fi nd people who want to lead. People who desire the freedom and independence to run their own businesses.