Beck/Arnley Customer Spotlight: Lordco

Lordco is the largest privately held automotive parts distributor in Canada. They currently employ about 1,500 people, including 80 outside sales representatives. The delivery fleet consists of more than 400 vehicles from small parts delivery cars and trucks to five-ton vans and 18-wheel semi-trailers that are responsible for replenishing store inventory around
the province daily.

Lordco presently stocks over 360,000 part numbers, including a full line of automotive parts and supplies, a complete line of auto body supplies, high performance parts and accessories, industrial and welding supplies, and a complete line of garage equipment and professional tools.

Lordco owns and operates 80 retail/wholesale stores throughout British Columbia, along with three full service machine shops. All outlets are on-line to a sophisticated sales and inventory computer system that ensures consistent pricing at all branches, same day availability, and consistent customer satisfaction.

David Heye, Lordco's Beck/Arnley Regional Account Executive, says, "We are extremely proud that Lordco has chosen Beck/Arnley as the backbone of their import program. It has been a wonderful fit for both companies."

Lordco Parts Ltd. was incorporated in August 1974 by its two founding members, Roy Lord and Ed Coates. A simple combination of their surnames gave the company its name, and they hired one employee to help them in their modest 900 square foot store in Maple Ridge, B.C.

From the beginning, the two shareholders agreed that success would only come through a diligent, common sense approach to selling automotive parts. Knowledgeable salespeople selling quality merchandise, backed by a commitment to service wouldn't create instant success, but would give them a fighting chance to make it in the long run.

The formula would prove to be the right one. As the business gathered momentum, plans for the first expansion were developed. In 1976, a large site was purchased in Maple Ridge, and new, larger facilities were built. Today, it still houses the Corporate Head Office and Fleet Maintenance complex. To support its commitment to service, Lordco also purchased a local machine shop in order to offer more complete automotive solutions to its customers.

In the early 1980's when the economy took a turn for the worse Ed Coates bought out his partner. As the economy recovered, Lordco parts were in high demand. Expansion was no longer a possibility, but a requirement to meet the needs of its customers.

In the 1990's, expansion continued, and accelerated. Highlights included the acquisition of its warehouse distributor, Norm Fieldgate Ltd. and institution of centralized warehousing for all Lordco stores in 1990.

Throughout the 1990's, new expansion sites were carefully located in key centres, in order to take full advantage of their proximity to existing and new clientele. Expansion also included a number of acquisitions of smaller independents.

The latter half of the 1990's was a period of unprecedented growth for Lordco. In the fall of 1998, a new era was ushered in with the unveiling of Lordco's first "superstore" in Langley, B.C.

In the years that have followed, similar large "stand-alone" stores have popped up in Kelowna, Vernon, Prince George, the Metrotown area of Burnaby, Merritt, Kamloops, Duncan, Courtenay, Campbell River, and Quesnel. Mission store has been relocated to a new 26,000 square foot building, and a 25,000 square foot store now graces S.W. Marine Drive in Vancouver. The latest jewel is a 25,000 square foot building housing Maple Ridge operations, located a stone's throw from the site it occupied since 1976.

Lordco and Beck/Arnley... a winning combination in Canada!