Ford Motor Company has recognized the Fred Beans Parts Distribution Center in Doylestown for repeatedly leading the nation in wholesale Ford automotive parts, Patch reported.
The recognition covers several Ford original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts sales categories. The Doylestown center ranked No. 1 in wholesale, No. 1 in collision sales and No. 1 in purchases. It also placed No. 2 in mechanical sales and No. 3 in powertrain.
The operation has grown steadily since 2001, when it had 70 employees. It now employs about 400 people, runs 125 trucks daily and serves roughly 5,000 customers a month across seven locations, according to Patch. Customers include independent service providers, large fleets and government agencies.
Harry Van Houten, director of the center, and Mick Padgeon, associate director, visited Ford headquarters for the recognition. Van Houten said the results were meaningful because of the company's long relationship with Ford. "Ford gave Fred his first shot at owning and operating a dealership over 50 years ago," he said, according to Patch.
Beth Beans Gilbert, vice president of Fred Beans Automotive Group, said the results reflect a team effort across the parts distribution operation.
Fred Beans Automotive Group traces its Bucks County roots to 1959, when Fred Beans purchased a Yardley service station at age 21 with help from his mother, who cosigned the loan. He partnered in a Newtown Ford operation in 1972 before acquiring a Ford dealership in Doylestown in 1975, according to Central Bucks Now. The company has since expanded to 30 dealerships representing more than 20 automotive brands across Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
