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OEC, OPS to merge; no changes to products and services planned

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OEConnection, the North American auto industry’s largest technology provider for original equipment manufacturers’ (OEM) parts distribution networks, is merging with Overall Parts Solutions (OPS) and its OPSTrax parts management and delivery system, OPS announced in a letter emailed to shops Wednesday morning.

The letter, signed by Nick Bossinakis, CEO of Overall Parts Solutions, assures shops that “Both OEC and OPS products and services will continue to be offered as is, and without interruption.”

“There are no immediate changes to our respective offerings resulting from this merger. There will be future product roadmap developments as we have historically done, and we will look to our customers and partners to both participate in and inform this process,” Bossinakis wrote.

Although the letter refers to the deal as a merger, several sources reported that OEC had acquired OPS. The terms and timing of the deal were not announced.

OEC told Repairer Driven News that it would not be providing any comment at this time.

The fragmentation of the electronics parts procurement system has been a topic of discussion in the industry. The OEC/OPS tieup represents a significant consolidation – and also seems to broaden OEC’s scope, which previously focused more on technology solutions to help dealers specifically “market, manage and move original equipment parts.”

In the one-page letter, Bossinakis offered a rationale for the merger.

“OPS was founded with the vision to improve the parts supply-chain, allowing for a consistent and accurate flow of parts to help both shops and suppliers. OEC and OPS stand united in a joint mission to keep our world up and running by collaborating with industry partners to drive innovation and efficiency throughout the entire repair lifecycle,” he wrote.

“As the industry evolves and increases in complexity, the best way we can continue to serve our customers is by providing options that connect the aftersales industry through information and your choice of solutions.”

Bossinakis said customers can expect full business continuity, and that all telephone lines and primary points of contact will remain the same.

This is the third significant deal involving OEC in the past three months. The company acquired the Assured Performance Network in November, and VeriFacts Automotive in October.

“OPS’s mission has always been to provide a solution with advanced features that will help maximize employee productivity, reduce phone calls, and promote efficiency with a single, easy-to-use web interface,” Bossinakis said when OPSTrax was made free of charge in April 2020.

“The OPS solution allows the shop to spend more time on a quality repair and meet their customers’ needs. So, with OPSTrax, they have that information instantly at their fingertips,” Bossinakis said at the time.

OPSTrax is offered as a multi-faceted solution for all aspects of the parts lifecycle. The platform, offered at no cost, lets collision centers track their parts orders and receive status updates from their parts suppliers. It is the centerpiece of the OPS Technology Suite, which includes the following:

  • ValuTrax, which provides on-demand live pricing advertisements for eligible conquest parts from 13 different OE manufacturer partners.
  • DeliveryTrax, which provides notifications that shops’ deliveries are either en route or have been delivered.
  • BackTrax, which provides instant credit memos and electronic return options.

All of these solutions can be accessed directly through the OPSTrax shop platform.

OPS, founded in 1996 in Grand Prairie, Texas, has been the national category leader in automotive repair parts solutions for more than 20 years. Since its 2005 launch, OPSTrax has been adopted by the majority of MSOs and parts suppliers throughout North America.

More information

“Overall Parts Solutions Offers OPSTrax™, a Top Parts Procurement Solution, at No Cost for All Collision Centers”

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/overall-parts-solutions-offers-opstrax-a-top-parts-procurement-solution-at-no-cost-for-all-collision-centers-301045791.html

Though capability exists, CIC panel indicates parts procurement system integration to stay elusive

Images

Featured image: Overall Parts Solution headquarters.

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