Distributors

Parts Unlimited
Although Parts Unlimited and its associated ventures — Thor and Drag Specialties — will be represented in a number of booths throughout the Indianapolis Convention Center and RCA Dome, Parts Unlimited’s Greg Blackwell says the firm’s main areas will be around the Parts, Thor and Drag semi-tractor trailer trucks.
“Our booth is pretty much in the same spot it has been during the last couple of years,” Blackwell toldPowersports Business. “It’s a little bit bigger, and people will notice that it has a different shape to it in an effort to add a little more space.”
Space is always an issue at the Dealer Expo, and Parts is looking for as much space as it can get in an effort to show off its product, programs and Web-based purchasing systems. New Drag Specialties and Parts Unlimited street catalogs with updated product also will be available at the Expo.
“The number one thing I think dealers should look for from Parts Unlimited and Drag Specialties is our Indy Specials. That’s the way we celebrate Indy and the biggest show of the year,” Blackwell said. “What we do is have specials, which are discounts on most of our product lines, over and above what you would get out of any of our normal programs; so dealers definitely need to get to the booth to find out what those are.”
“We really do have mountains of new products,” Blackwell continued. “Certainly, if you look at the Drag side, we have a new exhaust called Rinehart by BUB that will likely be a homerun, we have new wheels that will be introduced; and just a lot of new Harley products presented in partnership with name-brands like Arlen Ness, Performance Machine, etc.
“On the Parts Unlimited side, we have a lot of new house-brand products — new products for our Icon line; new products for our Z1-R helmet line; and certainly new riding apparel, hard parts and casual gear from Moose and Thor.”
New AGV helmet models; new apparel and boots from Alpinestars, and new Ohlins shocks for Harley-Davidson Softail models also plan to be introduced, and will join new applications from firms like SBS and DP.
Parts also plans to reintroduce the Arctiva line — nine adult jackets, eight bib styles, plus kids’ gear and gloves — at the Expo.
“But perhaps the most interesting thing for dealers to see will be our demonstrations of the partsnetweb.com and dragnetweb.com Internet programs,” Blackwell said. “That’s something that continues to evolve, and something dealers should really come and take a look at it.
“We will be demonstrating the systems — showing dealers how they can look at their sales history, check orders, print invoices, look at what they bought, find out what our latest close-outs are, what our specials are, what new programs may be, etc. Literally anything our company does is up on the partsnet or dragnet Web.”
Blackwell said several PCs will be set up to allow dealers a hands-on experience, “and we plan on sending a bunch of people from our IT department to answer questions, help dealers, and even get them signed up,” he said.
Beyond the Dealer Expo and throughout 2003, Blackwell says, “dealers can expect the same consistent programs and fill-rates that they’ve come to expect from us. We haven’t backed off the throttle, and we’re continuing to move forward like we have for the past eight to 10 years.”