Most of the larger aftermarket retailers enjoyed steady growth in 2012 from 2011, according to the Aftermarket Business World Top 40 Auto Chain Report, which is based on store counts.
The most notable change among the Top 10 retailers from 2011 to 2012 involved an acquisition. No. 10 BWP Distributors Inc. and its 124 stores were acquired by Advance Auto Parts in 2012, which remained in third place in 2012 with 3,794 stores, an increase of 132 stores from 2011. Advance will operate the company-owned stores it acquired from BWP.
VIP Parts Tires & Service (VIP Inc.), which was No. 15 in the 2011 report with 57 stores, was acquired in December 2012 by O’Reilly Automotive Inc. No. 2 O’Reilly grew its store count from 3,740 in 2011 to 4,000 in 2012.
Strauss Auto, which was No. 17 with 53 stores in 2011, dropped from the 2012 list after filing for bankruptcy protection for the fourth time and closing its remaining 46 stores in June 2012. Click on Auto Chain Report to see the full report.
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