BACK IN MY DAY...
GREENER PASTURES
AT 80, WOODBECK AUTO PARTS THRIVES BY EMBRACING NEW IDEAS ALONGSIDE OLD PRINCIPLES BY ELIZABETH SARGEANT
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n 1939, the automotive industry was completely different from what it is today. Gas was 19¢ a gallon (4¢ a litre), car sales began to increase and Woodbeck Auto Parts opened for business. Woodbeck Auto Parts, a recycling facility based in Stirling, Ont., and renowned locally, has been selling high-quality used autoparts since the business was established by Burton Woodbeck. Three consecutive generations of Woodbecks have operated the business to date and Burton’s grandsons, Bruce and Greg Woodbeck, currently man the ship. “The business was started in ’39 by my grandfather, purchased by my father in ’78 and I joined in ’99," Greg says proudly. “Hard work, willingness to change and adaptability is what keeps us open.” Not only have the Woodbecks been around long enough to witness the overall automotive
industry evolve, they’ve witnessed massive changes in auto recycling industry too. “[Our industry] has become more data-driven. Information technology is king. I know that is the biggest change since I’ve been here,” says Greg. “I can Greg Woodbeck is the co-owner and see it continuing to evolve as vehicles operator of Woodbeck Auto Parts. become more advanced and autonomous.” Woodbeck Auto Parts is prepared to deal with those advances. Over the years, the “My dad also was a chairman. So, this makes Woodbeck family made huge strides to keep me a second-generation chairman,” Greg notes. up with ever-changing technology, completely After Greg joined OARA’s board, he says, he computerizing their operation in the 1980s and set out to tackle the “numerous issues facing creating a “voiceline” system to communicate the industry.” He believes employment and with other recyclers. training are key issues. In 2015, Greg was acknowledged for his “[The industry] is constantly moving dedication to technological advances when and evolving, so we don’t have any industry he was elected to the Ontario Automotive specialized training per se,” says Greg. “We Recyclers Association’s (OARA) board as have to ‘piecemeal’ our training together and chairman in 2015. build our own system.”
Woodbeck Auto Parts has been supplying the automotive industry since 1939. AUGUST 2019 | COLLISION REPAIR 93