Genuine Parts Company

Genuine Parts Company
TypePublic
NYSE: GPC
S&P 500 component
Founded1928; 98 years ago (1928), in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
FounderCarlyle and Malcolm Fraser
HeadquartersAtlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Key peoplePaul Donahue (executive chairman)
Will Stengel (CEO)
RevenueUS$24.3 billion (2025)
Decrease US$65.9 million (2025)
Number of employees
60,000
SubsidiariesNAPA Auto Parts
Motion Industries
Websitewww.genpt.com

Genuine Parts Company (GPC) is an American automotive and industrial parts distributor based in Atlanta, Georgia. Established by brothers Carlyle and Malcolm Fraser in 1928, the company has approximately 60,000 employees. In addition to the United States, GPC has operated in Australasia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, and the United Kingdom. GPC's subsidiaries include industrial parts distributor Motion as well as NAPA Auto Parts, which primarily sells parts in North America.

Company history

Genuine Parts Company (GPC) was founded by brothers Carlyle and Malcolm Fraser in Atlanta in 1928.

GPC's headquarters were located at Atlanta's Circle 75, in Cobb County, starting in 1979. Approximately 400 employees worked in the 115,000-square-foot space. In 2014, GPC announced plans to relocate its headquarters to Wildwood Office Park, next to an existing operational support facility.

William P. Stengel II is GPC's president and chief executive officer (CEO). He joined the company as GPC's first chief transformation officer in 2019, became president in 2021, and became chief operating officer in 2023. Stengel succeeded Paul Donahue, who became the CEO of GPC in 2016. Donahue succeeded Tom Gallagher, who initially continued as chairperson, until Donahue was elected by the board of directors to that role in 2019. Donahue transitioned to executive chairman in 2024. On February 17, 2026, the company announced its plan to split into two publicly traded companies.

GPC acquired UAP Inc. of Canada in 1998 and the Australian car parts supplier Exego Group in 2013. GPC and its four business units acquired nineteen companies in 2016. In 2017, GPC acquired a 35 percent stake in industrial distributor Inenco Group, as well as Alliance Automotive Group. GPC acquired Kaman Distribution Group (KDG), a provider of industrial solutions such as automation, conveyance, and fluid power, in 2022.

Motion Industries

Motion Industries began as Owen Richards Co., an industrial supply company, which Caldwell Marks and William Spencer III purchased in 1946 in Birmingham. They changed the name to Motion Industries, according to the founders, "because everything we do moves – we're in the bearing and transmission business."

Marks and Spencer merged Motion Industries with GPC in 1972. Motion Industries forms the Industrial Parts Group of Genuine Parts. According to Marks, Motion Industries was one of the first industrial distribution companies to establish a central distribution center and set up an electronic parts database.

In January 2021, Motion Industries announced an official rebrand as Motion. The rebranding also coincided with Motion's 75th anniversary.

Acquisitions

  • Berry Bearing (1993),
  • BC Bearing/US Bearings/Norcan (2010)
  • Kaman Distribution Group (2022)

In 2012 Donald G. Maynor II, an employee, sued Motion Industries for age discrimination, alleging that the company fired him due to his age in violation of the West Virginia Human Rights Act. In 2015 Motion Industries sued Superior Derrick Services for $1 million due to non-payment of a portion of a contract for parts delivered between 2011 and 2014.

Former subsidiaries

In 1975, GPC acquired S.P. Richards, which was described by Industrial Distribution as "a distributor of general office products, technology products and accessories, office furniture, JanSan and safety supplies".

In 2018, GPC announced plans to merge the "workplace essentials distributor" S.P. Richards into Essendant, following a spin-off of S.P. Richards to become an independent company. The combined company would still be called Essendant (formerly United Stationers). The deal was never finalized, being rejected by Essendant, which accepted a buyout by Sycamore Partners instead. GPC sold S.P. Richards through a series of transactions in 2020, starting with the Canada division in January. The U.S. operations were sold to an investor group and the Supply Source Enterprise business, which included The Safety Zone and Impact Products operations, were sold to an affiliate of H.I.G. Capital. GPC continued with Motion and NAPA Auto Parts.

Subsidiaries

GPC has two primary business segments: Motion, which focuses on industrial products, and the automotive brand NAPA Auto Parts.

Motion

Motion

Motion, known formally as Motion Industries, Inc., is an American distributor of industrial parts and industrial technology headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. According to Industrial Distribution, Motion started as a distributor of bearings and industrial supplies, and expanded to offer products related to automation, conveyance, hydraulics, fluid power, and robotics. GPC acquired Motion in 1976. GPC's electrical products division, EIS Inc., merged with Motion in 2018, before being sold in October 2019. Based in Birmingham, Alabama, Motion has approximately 9,000 employees and 170,000 customers as of 2023.

James Howe is the president.

Operations

Motion Industries branch office Livonia, Michigan

Motion Industries is an industrial parts distributor for products including bearings; mechanical power transmission; electrical and industrial automation; hose, belting, and gaskets; hydraulic and pneumatics; process pumps; hydraulic and industrial hose; material handling; seals and accessories; and industrial/safety supplies. It also provides fabrication and repair services. The company's business units Motion Automation Intelligence (Motion Ai), Motion Conveyance Solutions and Motion Repair & Services offer related products and services.

As of 2023, Motion had annual sales of over $8 billion and 200,000 customers.

NAPA Auto Parts

Among Genuine Parts Company's subsidiaries is NAPA Auto Parts; pictured is the exterior of a NAPA Auto Parts shop in the commercial historic district of The Dalles, Oregon, in 2014.

NAPA Auto Parts was established in 1925. Some NAPA Auto Parts stores are owned and operated by GPC, but most are independently owned and operated. There were approximately 6,000 NAPA Auto Parts stores in 2020.

References

  1. 1 2 "Genuine Parts CO Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. February 20, 2026. Retrieved September 5, 2026.
  2. ↑ Hughes, Thomas (April 20, 2023). "Genuine Parts Company Is Genuinely A Good Buy". Entrepreneur. ISSN 0163-3341.
  3. ↑ "Genuine Parts". Forbes. ISSN 0015-6914. OCLC 6465733.
  4. ↑ Hockett, Mike (July 15, 2020). "Genuine Parts' Automotive Leader Resigns". Industrial Distribution. ISSN 0019-8153.
  5. ↑ "Malcolm H. Fraser, 91, Retailer of Auto Parts". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. February 19, 1994.
  6. ↑ Saporta, Maria (November 20, 2014). "Genuine Parts moving its home base to Wildwood, away from new Braves stadium". Atlanta Business Chronicle. American City Business Journals. Archived from the original on November 21, 2014.
  7. ↑ Mandel, Eric (November 18, 2019). "Genuine Parts picks former HD Supply exec as its first chief transformation officer". Atlanta Business Chronicle.
  8. ↑ Hockett, Mike (November 19, 2019). "Genuine Parts Appoints former HD Supply Facilities Maintenance Head as Chief Transformation Officer". Industrial Distribution.
  9. ↑ Mandel, Eric (January 19, 2021). "Genuine Parts promotes chief transformation officer to president". Atlanta Business Chronicle.
  10. ↑ Armstrong, Zach (December 8, 2022). "Genuine Parts Co. shuffles top executives". Atlanta Business Chronicle.
  11. ↑ Hockett, Mike (April 26, 2016). "Genuine Parts Company Names Donahue New CEO". Industrial Distribution.
  12. ↑ Saunders, Jessica (April 24, 2017). "Gallagher retiring as executive officer of Genuine Parts Co". Atlanta Business Chronicle.
  13. ↑ Mandel, Eric (April 22, 2019). "Genuine Parts CEO picked to be sixth chairman in the company's 91-year history". Atlanta Business Chronicle.
  14. ↑ Edmonson, Crystal (August 8, 2023). "After 95 years, Genuine Parts Co. aims to be disruptor in industry (podcast)". Atlanta Business Chronicle.
  15. ↑ Sicurella, Savannah (November 10, 2023). "'Hybrid approach is here:' Genuine Parts Co. wants employees in the office". Atlanta Business Chronicle.
  16. ↑ Fuhrmeister, Chris (April 30, 2024). "Genuine Parts Co. CEO Paul Donahue to retire; successor named". Atlanta Business Chronicle.
  17. ↑ "Genuine Parts CEO Paul Donahue to be replaced by operations head". Reuters. April 29, 2024.
  18. ↑ Thomas, Lauren (February 17, 2026). "NAPA Owner Genuine Parts Plans to Split Into Two Companies". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Company News; Genuine Parts Gaining Rest of UAP of Canada". Bloomberg News. October 31, 1998 – via The New York Times.
  20. ↑ "Genuine Parts Revs Up With $800 Million Exego Deal". The Wall Street Journal. March 13, 2013.
  21. ↑ Keough, Jack (March 8, 2017). "Genuine Parts, Motion Industries Seek More Acquisitions in 2017". Industrial Distribution.
  22. ↑ Hockett, Mike (March 30, 2017). "Genuine Parts Co. Acquires 35% Stake in Large Australia-Based Industrial Distributor". Industrial Distribution.
  23. ↑ "Genuine Parts to enter European market with $2 billion deal". Reuters. September 25, 2017.
  24. 1 2 3 Keough, Jack (June 8, 2023). "GPC, Motion Remain Bullish for 2023". Industrial Distribution.
  25. 1 2 Garrison, Greg (October 6, 2013). "Man in Motion: From meeting with JFK to helping start companies and launch Kirklin Clinic, businessman Caldwell Marks led Birmingham behind the scenes (Life Stories)". The Birmingham News. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  26. ↑ "Motion Industries". Genuine Parts Company. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
  27. ↑ "Motion Industries Rebrands as Simply 'Motion'". MDM. January 19, 2021.
  28. ↑ "Bearings business on a roll in Chicago". Chicago Tribune. September 9, 1993. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  29. ↑ Cooper, Lauren B. (March 3, 2010). "Motion Industries finalizes purchase of Canadian distributor". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  30. ↑ "Motion Completes $1.3B Acquisition of Kaman Distribution". Industrial Distribution. January 4, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  31. ↑ Asbury, Kyla (November 14, 2012). "Motion Industries sued on claims of age discrimination". West Virginia Records. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  32. ↑ Ostrow, Carol (August 6, 2015). "Industrial equipment supplier alleges non-payment by client". Louisiana Record. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  33. 1 2 3 4 Hockett, Mike (July 1, 2020). "Genuine Parts Co. Sells Office Products Unit S.P. Richards". Industrial Distribution.
  34. ↑ Hockett, Mike (April 12, 2018). "Essendant to Merge with Genuine Parts Co. Subsidiary S.P. Richards". Industrial Distributor.
  35. ↑ Hockett, Mike (March 6, 2018). "EIS Merged Into Motion Industries As Electrical Specialties Group". Industrial Distribution.
  36. ↑ "Genuine Parts Company Announces Officer Promotion". Birmingham Business Journal. March 21, 2024. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  37. 1 2 3 "Motion Press Release". view.publitas.com. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  38. ↑ Stroud, Rob (April 2, 2015). "Motion Industries relocates to new location in Mattoon". Journal Gazette & Times-Courier. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  39. 1 2 "Auto parts company creating 250 jobs in Lebanon". Nashville Post. November 17, 2020.
  40. ↑ Hayden, Matthew (December 16, 2023). "Community engagement and know-how earn NAPA Auto Parts third consecutive win". Arizona Daily Sun.