President and CEO of Mighty Distributing System of America (Mighty Auto Parts) Ken Voelker and Vice President of Product Management, Brad Bradshaw have returned from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with a Master Distributorship Agreement signed by the giant Petromin Corp. headquartered there.
The new strategic alliance effectively makes Petromin Mighty’s distributor in select countries in the Middle East and North Africa. The 10-year agreement covers the exclusive distribution of Mighty branded and Petromin-Mighty co-branded products in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Egypt, Libya and Southern Sudan.
“Petromin is a bourgeoning enterprise of market-leading lubricant brands in this part of the world,” says Voelker. “The addition of automotive service products as a complement for Petromin’s more than 5,000 automotive service facilities is consistent with the direction of the leading lubricant distributors here in the United States. This is the perfect fit for helping them to meet their aggressive growth objectives.”
Since January 2011, Mighty has been providing automotive products (oil filters, air filters, cabin air filters, wiper blades and select chemicals) for Petromin’s quick service chain, Petromin Express, comprised of 155 locations throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with distribution hubs in Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam. It is the largest quick service chain in the world outside the United States.
“Our sales volume figures for Petromin Express have been quite impressive,” according to Petromin Executive Vice President Sajid Saeed. “Mighty has skillfully positioned Petromin to build sales in many other markets.” Mighty services historically include inventory controls, sales and technical training, marketing tools, electronic cataloging and trouble-shooting, tech tips, and consumer education materials.
Samir Nawar, president and CEO of Petromin Corp. and principal signatory, explained, “The agreement with Mighty represents a solid foundation for a lasting relationship with significant long term potential for both companies – not only in Saudi Arabia but far beyond.”
The Petromin Express chain is managed by quick service industry veteran Jim Harrington, who previously held management positions at Valvoline Instant Oil Change and Victory Lane. Harrington comments, “Having used the Mighty system in the States, I was familiar with the unique benefits for quick service operations. For example, the ease of use with Mighty’s fuel system cleaning products was a big plus when we introduced this service to that part of the world. We have plans to roll out several additional services using Mighty products and programs as Saudi consumers are quickly catching on to America’s appreciation for the importance of automotive maintenance.”
Mighty Distributing System of America, a franchisor of sales and service in aftermarket auto parts, is based in Norcross, Ga., and oversees 110 distributors in 43 states. The company’s system of providing inventory management expertise, face-to-face service, and OEM quality undercar and underhood parts has attracted independent repair shops, quick lubes, tire centers and new car dealerships across the nation and internationally. Mighty’s unique service, directly and exclusively to automotive professionals, began in 1963 in Maryland and the District of Columbia.
