ACDelco is celebrating its 100th birthday not
only by reflecting on its deep heritage, but planning its future as the
automotive industry is being transformed again.
“No business achieves this
kind of a milestone by itself, and we’re grateful for the support of our parts
customers and employees who’ve helped make ACDelco what it is today,” said
Robert Sanford, general director, ACDelco USA. “We’re honored that so many insist
on using ACDelco parts, and we’re looking forward to another 100 years of
aftermarket leadership,” he added.
Commenting on this centennial
celebration Rajesh Nangia, Director ACDelco India, said, “To celebrate the
occasion, we are rolling out a customer engagement activation program called
‘ACDelco Full Throttle’ to honour and recognise our top 100 wholesale
distributors for their continued commitment and dedication to grow the AC Delco
brand in India. Adding to this we shall also conduct customer meets and
on-ground brand activation to reach out and thank our end customers and
retailers.”
Since its birth in Flint,
Michigan, ACDelco – the true GM Original Equipment aftermarket parts brand –
has evolved into a global force in the automotive aftermarket. Its catalog of
more than 90,000 parts across 37 lines undergoes rigorous testing and
validation cycles to ensure quality, fit, form and function.
In addition to premium parts,
ACDelco was among the first aftermarket providers to focus on the importance of
training technicians on proper installation techniques. Another earlier
iteration of ACDelco – United Motors Service – offered its first course in
automotive air conditioning repair in the 1970s, at each of its 30 GM Training
Centers across the U.S.
In India ACDelco established
itself in 1997 as a part of the General Motors India initiative in the “All
Makes All Models” aftermarket parts business. ACDelco today supplies a diverse
range of more than 2,500 parts that majorly takes in lubricants, batteries, drive-shafts,
oil, fuel and air filters, brake pads and wipers from its 9 distribution
centers. Its presence in 20 states and 105 towns of India with close to 1000
direct wholesale distributors & 20000+ retailers is understandable of
ACDelco’ s strong foothold in the Indian sub-continent.
ACDelco, how it all began
It was on May 11, 1916,
General Motors founder William C. “Billy” Durant assembled a dream team of
premium automotive brands into a new company called United Motors Corporation –
the forerunner of ACDelco – to provide a single source for service and replacement
parts to the growing number of car buyers.
The brand that flew over the
Atlantic with Charles Lindbergh becoming the first person in history to be in
New York in one day and Paris the next and Amelia Earhart as she became the
first female pilot to cross the Atlantic Ocean; on the racetrack with ace stock
car racing driver Dale Earnhardt and into outer space on Apollo moon missions
is leveraging its GM roots to understand the advanced powertrains, telematics
and technologies that will reshape the future for everyday motorists.