Episodes
98
Latest episode
Oct 2026
Language
EN
The AMN Drivetime podcast will entertain and educate listeners, conversing with today’s top aftermarket drivers and industry leaders who are having an impact on the automotive aftermarket industry. This bi-monthly podcast offers candid, one-on-one conversations between Babcox Media CEO Bill Babcox and notable figures in the automotive aftermarket, sharing their experiences and life lessons as they have traveled the aftermarket.
Mike Schwab said Niterra has evolved well beyond its roots as an ignition specialist while maintaining the quality and reliability associated with its NGK brand. Today, Niterra's automotive portfolio extends beyond spark plugs to include ignition coils, wire sets, NTK oxygen and technical sensors, and rotating electrical products such as starters and alternators.
Paolone said Magnaflow’s family-owned heritage has shaped both its culture and its long-term approach to the market. Founded in 1981 by his uncle, Jerry Paolone, the company has operated around a “build it and stand by it” philosophy while emphasizing lasting relationships and accountability from design through manufacturing
Emily Poladian, president of MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers, said the MEMA Top Suppliers 2027 Directory is designed to recognize supplier impact across the aftermarket, rather than simply company size. The initiative highlights suppliers that are investing in their businesses, driving innovation, advancing advocacy and contributing to the broader industry. Poladian said the goal is to provide greater visibility to companies making meaningful investments and helping move the aftermarket forward.
Koviak said he views consolidation as an inevitable evolution that can ultimately make the independent aftermarket stronger and more competitive. While ownership structures are changing, Koviak said the fundamental business remains relatively stable, with service centers, jobbers, warehouse distributors and suppliers continuing to move parts through the supply chain. Rather than becoming distracted by consolidation, he believes Automotive Parts Services Group members and vendor partners should remain focused on operating effectively.
Buchholz described how the company’s D.R.I.V.E. core values — Dedication, Relationship, Innovation, Value Driven and Expertise — provide the cultural foundation for how its team operates internally and engages with customers and channel partners. He emphasized that culture and strategy are closely connected. By aligning teams around common values and empowering employees to live them every day, he said MotoRad creates a foundation for continuous improvement — reflecting his philosophy that when an organization gets better, it gets bigger.
Howat said the company's engineering-driven approach is what differentiates its belt drive tensioners. With a history of innovation dating back to its founder's invention of the first belt tensioner in 1979, Litens has developed an extensive portfolio of patented technologies. Unlike manufacturers focused primarily on individual components, Litens engineers complete belt drive systems, with the tensioner and pulley system playing a central role in their operation.
Brian Beierwaltes, head of marketing, U.S. Passenger & Light Truck, Continental Tire, said he has institutionalized a simple question within the company — “Does this sell tires?” — as a key filter for marketing decisions. More specifically, it's about whether such decisions help Continental Tire's dealer customers sell more tires and grow their business. Beierwaltes said the mindset helps the marketing team prioritize investments, evaluate new ideas and avoid programs that may be interesting but do not deliver meaningful results.
Hanighen discusses how Cloyes leverages its OE engineering heritage by developing aftermarket solutions that make repairs more efficient for technicians. One of the company's most significant innovations has been its timing kit strategy, which packages all required components into a single solution to help technicians complete repairs correctly the first time while reducing warranty claims. Hanighen notes that kits now account for approximately 80% of Cloyes' sales.
This episode of DriveTime features Anan Bishara, founder & CEO, Premium Guard, Inc. Following Premium Guard's acquisition of key intellectual property and related assets from First Brands Group, Bishara said the company's strategy for revitalizing legacy brands—including Autolite, FRAM, TRICO, ANCO, LuberFiner and StrongArm—was built around three priorities: people, intellectual property and physical assets. He said PGI began recruiting key engineering, sales and product management talent months before the acquisition closed, ensuring the company had the expertise in place to successfully integrate and grow the brands
In this episode of DriveTime, Tom Pitstick, president, Americas, Gates Corporation talks about the company’s “Driven by Possibility” motto that influences not only his leadership approach and strategic direction with the aftermarket, but also how his teams are driven to support customers from the shop level all the way up to its big distribution partners.
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