F
inding and capitalizing on under-
served markets has long been a
blue print for aftermarket success.
Whether it be discovering an unfamiliar
niche, focusing on an underrepresented
product category or simply better serv-
ing isolated customers, the independent
aftermarket has long thrived on its
versatility.
Never has that been more valuable
than the present. With on-highway
carriers continuing to grow more spe-
cialized, advanced and demanding in
their needs, aftermarket distributors are
being forced to work even harder to fi nd
customers and market segments that
continue to value fl exibility and adapt-
ability with loyalty and partnership.
For distributors with access, one area
that remains highly profi table is the
agricultural industry.
According to data compiled by
Randall Reilly's RigDig Business Intel-
ligence, more than 40 percent of the 1.1
million active fl eets in the United States
in 2015 were private carriers operating
fewer than 10 trucks. While a signifi cant
number of those 408,702 fl eets identify
as owner-operators or small businesses,
the heartland is still ripe with commer-
cial trucks. For the farmers and ranchers
who own them, fi nding an aftermarket
partner to rely on is nearly as important
16
Cover Story
T R U C K P A R T S & S E R V I C E | A u g u s t 2 0 1 7
By Lucas Deal, Editor
lucasdeal@randallreilly.com
A bountiful
The sales potential of the
agricultural industry in the aftermarket
harvest
