TOPS, Money and Mountains

March is a month of transition from winter to spring. It reminds me of the transition that happens in our industry as we stop winterizing customer’s vehicles and start preparing them for summer. We get ready for the spring cleaning of both our shops and our inventory. After reading this year TOPS in the Industry survey, it will become apparent how many new transitions are happening in our industry. Starting on pg. 14 you will see some familiar names on the survey. Thanks to some recent mergers and acquisitions, you will also notice, some programs have moved. This year along with a separated survey of oil changes and oil change plus locations you will see a combined survey of the quick maintenance industry.

Are you considering growing your business through a merger or possibly buying shops to expand? William Lynot has some tips on where and how to borrow money on pg. 30. On pg. 50 Peter Suciu has done an outstanding job of bringing the highlights of National Car Care Month to life. We all know an educated customer makes a better customer and letting your customer know about National Car Care Month in April will prepare them.

One of my favorite new things NOLN is doing this year is a series called After Hours. This series will help us get to know the people who make up our industry a little better. Our first After Hours story was graciously told to us by Shell Lubricants’ DIY Marketing team lead, Bree Sandlin. She climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with her husband but that’s not even the best part of her story.  I guarantee her story will inspire you. Check it out on pg. 36.

STEVE HURT is the publisher of National Oil & Lube News.