TRW customer ‘Açorpeças’ serves island drivers in Portugal

We think Carlos Amaral (right), one of three managers and partners of TRW customer, Açorpeças, has the perfect job! Here, he talks of how supplying quality automotive product as a distributor, independent of any buying group, is the key to its success on an island paradise.

The Açorpeças attributes much of its success to the quality of products marketed.

The company was started by partners António Aguiar, Carlos Amaral and José Amaral in 1994, to offer quality products and services to the workshops of São Miguel Island; the largest of the Azores and a beautiful tourist destination. After outgrowing their first outlet near the market of Ponta Delgada, the business moved to bigger premises, near the city, in the ‘Zona Comercial de Valados’ where the HQ and main warehouse can be found today.

“We have focused on quality products since the beginning,” says Carlos Amaral. "Our working philosophy is based on three key areas: to establish strong and long-lasting working relationships with our customers; to offer high quality products and services and to offer technical support. Only in this way, the workshops can provide a better service to the driver.”

A TRW customer since 1996, Carlos Amaral explains: “The products we sell are extremely well accepted and our customer base is very loyal. We have almost no complaints!" "We have a strong partnership with TRW. It is a company that is very aware of our needs. We have the utmost confidence in the product quality and are very happy with the service.”

To provide a more focused customer service, the company has a further two stores at strategic points on the island, Vila Franca do Campo and Ribeira Grande and offer a rapid delivery service with four vans.
 
Operating with modern software to allow effective stock management, 10 employees and stocking approximately 7,000 part numbers, the business has recently extended its offer to include automotive body parts.