Execs pledge Meritor will “do better”

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LAS VEGAS, NV – Executives overseeing Meritor’s aftermarket business are pledging to “do better” as they take steps to improve everything from product portfolios to deliveries.

 “It’s extremely important that you’re seeing there’s a new Meritor, that we’re shaking things up,” Brett Penzkofer, vice president – North American aftermarket, told a crowd at Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week. “We’re going to earn your trust. We’re going to help us all collectively grow our businesses.”

Penzkofer has held the role since June 2016, and says he was intrigued by the quality of the company’s brands, products, employees and customer base. “But there are a number of things that I saw that we needed to do much better, so I grabbed the challenge.”

One of the most dramatic move included moving the division’s headquarters to Florence, Kentucky, in what he says was a way to improve focus in the organization.

Other steps involve finding ways to make it easier to do business with those in the distribution channel, and improving the depth of the product portfolio – including genuine, all-makes, and remanufactured product lines. “In doing so we will guarantee and ensure that we have superior quality and dependability with our products,” he said.

Then it’s a matter of ensuring consistent deliveries and fill rates. “We have not always done that,” he admitted, adding that steps are also being taken to improve package quality. Some packages shipped to Hawaii, for example, can hold 10 times more empty space than product. There had also been some internal resistance to crating export shipments.

During a media briefing earlier in the day, he said the current e-commerce platform is “subpar”, but that Meritor is working with customers to find ways to introduce an Amazon-like experience. That means being able to identify parts, getting information on price and ability, and arranging deliveries.

“I see great opportunities for the aftermarket business,” said Robert Speed, executive vice president, North American aftermarket and trailer. “We’re a company that’s changing.”

“We’re talking about putting in new product portfolios, and putting our portfolios in more depth. We’re talking about operational improvements. We’re talking about, how do we become a better partner to you? How do we help you serve your business better?”

The changes are coming, he said.

 

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John G. Smith is Newcom Media's vice-president - editorial, and the editorial director of its trucking publications -- including Today's Trucking, trucknews.com, and Transport Routier. The award-winning journalist has covered the trucking industry since 1995.


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