Steubenville Truck Center partners with FleetPride
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STEUBENVILLE -- If he’d had a choice, Larry Remp would still own Steubenville Truck Center, the business his grandfather started nearly 70 years ago.
But he didn’t: Volvo pulled his franchise, forcing him to consider what was best for the business and the employees who depend on it. What was best turned out to be selling the business, currently located at 620 South St., to Texas-based FleetPride.
"Volvo redesigned its corporate structure," he said. "They wanted dealers in larger locations, so they pulled the plug on the mom-and-pop shops. I had to make a move."
Remp said he’s excited to be able to partner with FleetPride, pointing out the deal "equips us to take our customer service to the next level."
"They’re the nation’s largest parts and service dealer," he said. "They really were able to work with us so we could complete the deal. That was a driving factor, to find a buyer and have someone to take over so my people could have their jobs.
"FleetPride was able to meet and exceed all the pay and benefits my employees enjoyed and continue to provide the same service, other than Volvo warranty repairs.”
The Steubenville location is FleetPride’s sixth branch in Ohio -- joining locations in Cincinnati, Columbus, Northwood (near Toledo), Valley View (near Cleveland) and Youngstown.
“Larry and his team have a tremendous customer following and reputation, and we are excited for our new team members to join the FleetPride family,” said Mike Harris, FleetPride senior vice president of sales and operations. “Steubenville Truck Center represents our 50th FleetPride Service Center and it (was) fully integrated into our new Karmak Fusion service management system on day one. This integration immediately opens up our solutions to national and regional fleets to complement the existing customers who know and trust Larry and his team.”
Harris applauded Steubenville Truck Center’s near-70 year history of “providing outstanding truck parts and service to customers in Eastern Ohio, Northern West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania,” pointing out the shop has been in its current location since 1998.
Remp said his grandfather, C.H. Remp, started the business in 1952.
“He was a Ford dealer in Pittsburgh during the (Great) Depression. It put him out of business, so he looked at other avenues.”
C.H. Remp opened his first truck center in Wheeling in 1933, adding the Steubenville location nearly 20 years later. Larry Remp said his brother ran the Wheeling shop until Volvo forced its sale three years ago.
Throughout their years with Volvo, he said Steubenville Truck Center “always met our obligations, our objectives, but all Volvo saw was a small dealership in a small town.”
“When you have a family legacy and it’s pulled out from under you unjustly, that’s hard,” he said.
He said FleetPride went out of its way to cushion the blow, and given its industry dominance, “I feel we’ll be able to grow our business larger.”
“With the resources FleetPride has, we’ll be able to reach deeper into the Pittsburgh market and beyond,” Remp said.
FleetPride operates more than 290 locations in 46 states, including 50 service centers. Operating through five regional distribution centers, FleetPride carries more than 400 nationally recognized brands and serves a diverse customer base including independent owner-operators, small to large fleets plus national account across multiple industries, such as freight and shipping, leasing services, agriculture, food and beverage, construction and waste management.