NTP-STAG News Article

Keystone Hosts Auto, RV Clients at Open House

6/27/2016 12:00:00 AM
Sherman Goldenberg
RVBusiness

Exeter, PA.-based Keystone Automotive Operations Inc. (KAO) had previously announced the opening of its sprawling, 360,000-square-foot Brownstown, Mich., warehouse, which has been shipping parts and accessories orders to independent automotive retailers and RV parts and accessories clients since last fall. (To view a slideshow scroll to the right side of the RVBUSINESS.com page linked above).

But the company’s new “Great Lakes Warehouse” got a more public initiation on Saturday (June 25) when Keystone, led by several senior executives, welcomed more than 100 customers for a casual meet-and-greet session plus lunch and tours of the facility just south of metropolitan Detroit after which attendees joined the “Keystone Team” for a Detroit Tigers-Cleveland Indians baseball game.

Also in attendance were a handful of supplier exhibitors, including bed-cover maker Truck Hero Inc., Ann Arbor, Mich., and hitch manufacturer Cequent Performance Products Inc., Plymouth, Mich.

KAO’s Brownstown facility, now one of seven key warehouses positioned nationally for a company that bills itself as the world’s largest automotive parts and accessories distributor, is designed to service primary Brownstown Open House cross-dock fulfillment locations in places like Akron, Ohio, Chicago and Grand Rapids, Mich., and to speed deliveries throughout the north-central U.S. and parts of Ontario.

“I think the most important thing for us to get across is that we’ve always serviced this region as a company,” explained George Lathouris, director of U.S. automotive sales for KAO, a unit of Chicago-based LKQ Corp. “But we needed this facility and the inventory that’s inside it to do a better job here because of the growth and expansion that we’ve been experiencing as an organization. We just needed more square footage.

“So, instead of adding onto an existing facility, we put our merchandise closer to the customer, so they’re getting great order fill – quickly without a lot of transferring – coming right out of this facility directly to their stores.”

And while a clear majority of Keystone’s business is automotive — as were most of Saturday’s open house guests — KAO spokesmen indicate they’ve made a lot of progress lately in integrating the RV parts and accessories businesses added over the past two to three years with the acquisitions of North America’s three largest two-step RV distributors, including Oregon-based NTP Distribution Inc., Atlanta’s Stag-Parkway Inc. and, last August, The Coast Distribution System Inc., Morgan Hill, Calif.

In fact, Lathouris told RVBUSINESS.com that RV dealer parts and accessories deliveries are now part and parcel of KAO’s daily routine, with many delivery trucks now fitted with large “cannon tubes” for handling RV awnings and moldings. And, he noted, the overall impact has been a positive for a business built on volume deliveries across the country.

“I think it’s been great for the (overall Keystone) organization because it gives us the opportunity to offer varied products and, let’s just say, frequency of delivery because the increased volume in the organization gives us the opportunity to service all of our customers better – more cross-docks, more trucks, more inventory, more people,” said Lathouris, who’s based out of Corona, Calif. “It’s a situation where we can take care of more customers in a more effective fashion.”

Now that the integration of NTP and STAG has been completed, the main order of business on the RV side is to finish off the same process with Coast, a process that, according to John Ruch, vice president of fulfillment and logistics, should be finished in six months to a year.

“We’ve integrated or are in the process of integrating 13 of Coast’s 17 buildings,” said Ruch. “The four that are left are Fort Worth, Texas, Atlanta, Elkhart, Ind., and Visalia, Calif. And we’re going to continue through the rest of the year looking to see where we can provide better customer service by combining deliveries on our trucks and getting products more quickly out to our customers. We’re going to continue to integrate where we can, so there’s really no plan solidified yet on dates or anything. But we’ll just look to continue to provide that better customer service. By having everything consolidated, you have better inventory, better cut times and more consistent deliveries.”

Bottom line, Lathouris and Ruch agreed, RV parts and accessories are now part and parcel of what KAO does on a regular basis at all seven of its main warehouses.

“Our true value proposition is we take many different products, put them on one delivery truck and for one fee we drop off — one item or 20 items – a small part of the truck or the entire truck – for one fee — and the merchandise can come from any one of our seven locations direct to the customer,” said Lathouris. “The fact that it may be large and bulky and we can get it there so efficiently, I think, is some of the magic that we offer to the customer base. I think it’s worth noting.”

Recent Articles

SeaWide Distribution and NTP-STAG Join Forces

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Harneet Kaur, Sr. Marketing Director

(570) 603-2651

hkaur@key-stone.com

www.keystoneautomotive.com

SeaWide Distribution and NTP-STAG Join Forces

Exeter, PA (October 04, 2021) –SeaWide Marine, the North American distributor of Marine Electronic and Electrical products, and NTP-STAG, the leading distributor of RV parts and accessories, are combining to service the Marine Industry under the SeaWide brand.

“This is extremely exciting for us and will enable SeaWide to expand our current business immensely,” said Mike Yarbro, Founder of SeaWide Distribution. The combined resources will match up the largest related industry distribution network in North America with the significant Marine industry experience of the SeaWide team. “Our customers will have a major upgrade in delivery service level, product range, inventory breadth and depth, business to business systems and tools, marketing resources and much more,” said Mike.

“We are really happy to have Mike and his team now working hand and hand with our existing associates to provide their leadership in the marine market and together provide customers and suppliers with a great source for all the outstanding products this growing industry has to offer” said Bill Rogers, President of Keystone / NTP-STAG.

As part of the transition, SeaWide will expand its delivery network by eight Distribution Centers and over forty cross-docks, strategically located to deliver next day service primarily on its own trucks, to the majority of North America. While SeaWide’s focus will remain on marine electronics, customers will have expanded product offering including marine hardware, safety, furniture, cargo management, service and maintenance parts, marine accessories and extensive towing and trailering products through the NTP-STAG product portfolio.

“What a fantastic time to be in the marine business!” continued Yarbro. “We couldn’t be more bullish about the future.”

To learn more or become a dealer, please visit us online at seawide.com or ntpstag.com.

About SeaWide

Seawide is a nationwide customer focused electronics wholesale distributor, supplying electrical and electronic products for the marine, outdoor, and personal navigation markets.

About NTP-STAG

For more than 50 years, NTP-STAG has been serving RV dealers, retailers, and service professionals across the industry. Today, as a division of Keystone Automotive Operations, the company is highly regarded as the leading distribution company for the recreational vehicle market and is uniquely positioned to offer customers and suppliers substantial scale, the most comprehensive inventory selection in the industry, high levels of customer service, and innovative marketing support. NTP-STAG is committed to expanding its offerings to meet the ever-growing needs of its customer base, providing them what they need, when they need it.

NRTVA Presents Awards at Texas RV Assoc. Annual Convention

The National RV Training Academy (NRVTA) bestowed three Champion Awards on Sunday night at the Texas RV Association’s (TRVA) 47th annual convention.

The awards were presented by Stephanie Henson, director of administration at the National RV Inspector’s Association (NRVIA), and her husband, Todd Henson, lead master certified instructor at NRVTA, to:

Front, from left, Beth Elam and Phil Elam. Back, from left, Todd Henson, Fred Petrivelli, Ron Hoover, Chris Hoover and Stephanie Henson.

Fred Petrivelli, vice president of sales at NTP-STAG, which has contributed a variety of RV appliances and other equipment for use in hands-on training at the academy.

Chris Hoover, president of Ron Hoover RV & Marine, which donated two towable RVs to the academy and sent many technicians through training programs at NRVTA.

Phil Elam, Texas RV Association executive director, who kept the association running smoothly despite the loss of revenue from the cancellation of all RV shows in the state, and loss of staff just prior to enduring painful back surgery. He was instrumental in helping NRVTA secure endorsement from TRVA.

“We call this the Champion Award for several reasons,” said Terry “Cooper” Cooper, NRVTA president. “The recipients are champions of our mission at NRVTA, and they have championed the RV industry in general by making significant contributions to its long-term success.

“We could not have trained nearly 700 inspectors or technicians over the past two years without the support of NTP-STAG, Ron Hoover RV and Phil Elam,” he added. “The graduates of our programs have gone on to provide vital services to RV dealers or started businesses as mobile RV technicians and inspectors.”

Kevin White, TRVA president, commended NRVTA for the work it does on behalf of all Texas RV dealerships.

“We are so blessed to have this trendsetting school in Texas,” he said. “We learned today how much the RV industry is thriving in Texas. We have turned a corner, and NRVTA helped make it happen.”

In accepting the award on behalf of NTP-STAG, Petrivelli recalled his first conversation with Cooper, when he outlined his vision for creating the training center in Texas.

“Cooper came to me several years ago and we immediately embraced the idea that would address a need for trained technicians at dealerships around the country,” Petrivelli explained. “This is a tremendous opportunity for us to repurpose damaged inventory and put it directly into the hands of future technicians for training.

“The academy gets to use modern equipment to train students and it’s a great fit that makes solid business sense,” said Petrivelli. “Everyone wins – NTP-STAG, NRVTA, its students, RV users and the entire industry.”

Hoover strongly encouraged Texas RV dealers to send technicians to NRVTA for training.

“If you’re a dealer and haven’t done any training with these folks, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity because they are very good at what they do,” he said.

“We support NRVTA because of the people involved in running the school and providing the instruction,” Hoover added. “Everything they do is for our customers who are the ones to suffer if they can’t get their RVs fixed right the first time they’re brought in for service.”

Elam was surprised by the award and humbled to be a recipient.

“There are no bigger supporters of TRVA than Terry Cooper and his staff at NRVTA. They helped keep our association afloat during this challenging year,” Elam said. “They work tirelessly to help improve the level of service in the Texas RV industry. We could never be the largest state for RV sales if we couldn’t take care of customers after they make a purchase.”

Each recipient received an engraved award depicting the lone star of Texas.

“It is our honor to be able to recognize companies and individuals, like these three, each year at the TRVA annual convention,” said Henson. “We are grateful to the many supporters we have had over the years and look forward to much success in coming years.”

More than 110 dealers, suppliers, finance and insurance professionals attended the four-day event, which included training sessions as well as social activities.

NTP-STAG Awarded 2021 RVIA Distributor of the Year

NTP-STAG was honored to be recognized as Distributor of the Year at the recent 2021 RV Aftermarket Conference in Atlanta, Ga.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Conference, the RV Aftermarket Awards presentation was hosted by Bob Brammer of Stromberg Carlson and John Hawkins of BAL as the industry came together to recognize the top aftermarket individuals, suppliers, distributors, and products.

Click here to learn more about the 2021 RV Aftermarket conference and this year’s RV Aftermarket Award recipients.

Jon White and John Spaulding of NTP-STAG accept the RVIA Distributor of the Year Award

NTP-STAG Expo Announces 2021 RV University PRO Speaker Lineup

Exeter, PA (December 15, 2020) – Today, NTP-STAG, the leading distribution company for the recreational vehicle market, announced the RV University (RVU) Professional Retail Organization (PRO) Education Speaker Lineup for Expo 2021 that will be held in person January 18 – 19 at the Marriott Orlando World Center in Orlando, FL. and virtually January 25 – 29.

Hall of Fame speaker, Dr. Mary Kelly PhD is returning for her second year as a PRO Speaker to share ways attendees can make their businesses even more successful utilizing improved customer service practices, expanding business opportunities, customer training and how team development translates into Increased growth. Along with her insight on economic trends, Dr. Kelly’s presentation will include a series of five-minute business plans emphasizing business growth, expanding leaderships skillsets and decreasing stress while increasing productivity.

Bestselling author and nationally-recognized social media expert, Corey Perlman will be sharing his highly-respected views on best practices to maximize digital business opportunities. From presenting a successful web presence, managing reviews and developing and publishing effective, high-quality social media content, this top-rated speaker will show attendees how to most effectively turn happy customers into a digital salesforce.

“We are excited to share this valuable business insight from these highly-respected speakers in this, our eleventh consecutive year presenting the PRO education series,” said NTP-STAG President, Bill Rogers. “These two subject matter experts are a wonderful addition to an impressive roster of more than 60 PRO seminar courses available to industry professionals of all levels. We’re greatly looking forward to hearing their presentations at the 2021 EXPO.”

The RVU PRO business development seminar series presents free, in-person and web-based continuing education courses to RV Industry professionals. Launching each year at Expo, quarterly supplemental education series webinars provide instruction on a variety of subjects including store readiness, customer and team member relationship management and e-commerce and salesmanship.
The speaker lineup is selected by NTP-STAG to provide attendees with compelling, impactful, results-driven content.

Dr. Mary Kelly
Dr. Mary Kelly is an economist and best-selling author specializing in business and leadership development to improve efficiency and profits. A graduate of the US Naval Academy, Mary spent 21 years on active duty, achieving the rank of Commander. She has trained over 40,000 military and civilian personnel in multi-cultural environments all over the world. She now builds successful strategies for corporate and association leaders.

She has been quoted by the Wall Street Journal, Money Magazine, Entrepreneur, Men’s Health, and other periodicals. Fun and funny, Mary is a college professor, international speaker, and author of award-winning leadership books. Mary’s workshops are content-rich, enjoyable, and tailored to meet the needs of each audience. Dr. Mary Kelly will capture the audience with “Leading for Profit Growth” at the 2021 NTP-STAG Expo.

Corey Perlman
Bestselling author and top-rated speaker Corey Perlman helps businesses succeed through digital
marketing. He teaches well-tested and current social media strategies. As owner of Impact Social Inc.,
Corey Perlman has been at the forefront of digital marketing for over 10 years. He started his career with the eCommerce Division of General Motors, before launching his consulting and speaking business in 2009. Since then, he’s worked with such notable brands as Sysco Foods, The American Healthcare

Association, Dale Carnegie Training and The PGA Tour.

As a keynote speaker, Corey Perlman delivers results with his engaging interactive talks that are always
tailored to serve his client’s individual needs. He is continually rated as a top speaker by companies big
and small.

The celebrated author of two bestselling books, Perlman’s first, eBoot Camp! Ranked No.1 on Amazon in
every major business category. His most recent, Social Media Overload! Simple Social Media Strategies
for Overwhelmed and Time-deprived Businesses has been called engaging, relevant, a must-read, and
spot-on marketing advice for any business. Close to a decade of keynote speaking has produced a long
list of highly satisfied clients.

NEW PRO LMS Platform
Launched in January 2020, the NEW, user friendly NTP-STAG PRO Learning platform is accessible while logged into VIAntp.com under Partner Central. The platform offers access up to over 60 courses that also qualify learners for Mike Molino RVDA CEUs. Register for an NTP-STAG PRO account today!
NTP-STAG continues to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and are in constant communication with the host venue and local authorities.
For more information about Expo, please visit: https://expo.ntpstag.com/

About NTP-STAG
For more than 50 years, NTP-STAG has been serving RV dealers, retailers and service professionals across the industry. Today, as a division of Keystone Automotive Operations, the company is highly regarded as the leading distribution company for the recreational vehicle market and is uniquely positioned to offer customers and suppliers substantial scale, the most comprehensive inventory selection in the industry, high levels of customer service, and innovative marketing support. NTP-STAG is committed to expanding its offerings to meet the ever-growing needs of its customer base, providing them what they need, when they need it.