CARQUEST Modules and Sensors by Wells Manufacturing Company has earned the 2005 CARQUEST Vendor of the Year Award. Bill Allen, Paul Engl, Chris Stock and Bruce Tartaglione of Wells Manufacturing Company and Bruce Zorich, Charlie Dickerson, Curtis Draper of United Components Inc. accepted the award Feb. 20 at the CARQUEST Business Conference in Raleigh, NC.

The award, created in 1992, allows CARQUEST to recognize, hard work, team spirit and commitment. Each CARQUEST vendor is graded in several key areas, product quality, product availability, marketing programs, sales promotions, management responsiveness, order fill, operational excellence and overall "passion" to be CARQUEST’s best supplier.

"Wells Manufacturing was an early adopter of our Vision, internet special order program, as well as supplying us with complete production files of XML PIES data, and they also have signified their willingness to embrace our EDI initiative," said Randal Long, CARQUEST vice president, product management. "They have reacted quickly to any changes in the market to insure we maintain or improve our competitive position."

Wells Manufacturing earned the 2005 award by listening intently and understanding the market’s need for OE Fit-Form-Function. They built and proposed a product line that matched OE; SKU for SKU, which included expanded platform coverage and competitive pricing. They built a custom program for CARQUEST and did it in record time.

"Designing a new program is not easy," said Long. "But the design process is easy compared to actually producing and getting it into the field. Wells did it all … so that an immediate positive impression could be made on our customers. They truly deserve the honor."