Aftermarket Insider - January/February 2010 - (Page 24)

C O M PA N y P R O F I L E Thul AuTo PArTS, inC. A Family destined for the Aftermarket Thul Auto Parts, Inc. PRESIDENT/CEO: Frederick Thul, Jr. LOCATION : Plainfield, N.J; Bound Brook, N.J.; Bridgewater, N.J.; Lebanon, N.J. BUSINESS : Machine shop services, retail parts and accessories NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: OBJECTIVES: To provide the broadest coverage of the best branded automotive and truck replacement parts, tools, equipment, supplies and complete machine shop service to our retail and wholesale customers at the time that they need it. A Mechanic’s Destiny As a garage foreman and later as a supervisor at a car dealer shop, Nick Thul was preparing to move to Nova Scotia where he would be running a new car dealer shop. Wanting to stay active before his move, he began repairing vehicles in a neighbor’s backyard in North Plainfield, N.J. Unbeknownst to him, he would soon have so much work that he needed to hire an assistant. Needless to say, Thul never took the job in Canada and started his own business in 1913. the first known flywheel ring gear and he continued to repair vehicles in his shop in this manner until they began appearing as standard equipment. The Family That Works Together… Thul’s innovative ideas and hard work helped his business grow quickly. By 1940, his son Fred Thul was ready to join his father and make it a family business. Soon after, Fred’s brotherin-law came into the picture and the company began to grow and prosper. Together, they opened six additional stores with two under the Accurate Auto Parts name. The next generation At his shop known as North Plainfield of Thuls — Rick, Nick, Jim and Larry Garage, Nick Thul made a reputation — now work together to make up Thul for himself as a bright, quick thinker when it came to vehicle repair. In 1914, Engine & Parts Warehouse, Thul Auto Stores, Inc. and Thul Machine Works. a car dealer approached Thul for a recommendation on how to keep the Over the years, Thul has provided teeth on flywheels from breaking off machine shop services, parts and accesself starters. His solution was to make sories to the automotive aftermarket. Their machine shop services include: cylinder heads, crankshafts, complete or component rebuilding, hose creation, brake drums and rotors and press work. Their auto parts stores carry numerous product lines including AP Exhaust, Fel-Pro Gaskets, Raybestos Brake & Chassis, KYB Shocks and Exide batteries and Federal-Mogul bear- 24 | AFTERMARKET INSIDER | JANUARY • FEBRUARY 2010 http://www.thulautoparts.com/index1.html

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Aftermarket Insider - January/February 2010

Aftermarket Insider - January/February 2010
Contents
President's Message
Association News
Branching Out with our Green Message
Government Affairs
Technology Update
Market Research
Member Profile
Toolbox: Co-workers
International Focus
It's All at AAPEX
Company Profile
Market Research

Aftermarket Insider - January/February 2010