AMN Drivetime: Rick Maxwell

AMN Drivetime: Rick Maxwell

Rick and Bill talk about what it means to continue the legacy of a family business.

In this latest episode of AMN Drivetime, Babcox CEO Bill Babcox sits down Rick Maxwell, president and owner of Cleveland-based United Motor Products.

Rick Maxwell is what some in this industry call a “lifer.” He’s been involved in the industry since he was about eight years old, working along his father, who began as an aftermarket salesman in 1965 for the originator of B’laster. 

“He worked for a couple other companies in sales, and that’s how I got into it,” Maxwell said. “I was on the road with him staying in hotels, doing changeovers. … It was fun. … after that he decided, ‘Hey, since I’m a sales guy, I want to own a parts store.’ So that’s what he did. He opened a couple parts stores, so I got into working in a parts store.” 

Maxwell described his dad as a “serial entrepreneur” who was always thinking about the next thing, which is how they went from sales to parts store owners to making spark plugs. “I was making spark plug wires by hand, you know, with a vise and putting the terminals on. And we would take the orders in the morning from the customers, I’d build the sets, we’d deliver ’em next day out of our car. So, it was fun. It was working at home and again, hanging out with the family. It was good,” Maxwell said.

After about two years they moved into a small facility and developed a consolidated spark plug wire line, and according to Rick, this is when things took off. “We’ve kind of just kept moving and morphing into the next thing. So we did that for a while, and then we moved into a little bigger facility, about 10,000 square feet, and we were there for about 10 years and grew the business, and then we moved into where we’re at today.”

Today the company has a roughly 20,000-square-foot facility in Cleveland, Ohio, and another 10,000-square-foot facility in Bradenton, Florida, offering an extensive range of engine-centric products.

During the podcast, Rick and Bill also talk about: 

0:53 Growing up in the family business

03:26 The origins of United Motor Products

04:41 What running a family business means to Rick

06:11 A look at UMP’s full product offering

07:11 The scoop on Rick’s other roles as partner in Engine Technologies and United Manufacturing Services

07:33 How these three businesses work together

09:14 Changes in the marketplace today

11:43 The importance of staying nimble and agile

13:32 Rick’s take on the EV market

16:03 What’s next for UMP?

18:54 The ever-popular Lightning Round!

AMN Drivetime is sponsored by Litens.

You May Also Like

Rick Schwartz: M&A Trends Affecting the Aftermarket

Schwartz Advisors’ Rick Schwartz delves into his career history and the breadth and depth of the firm’s expertise.

The Schwartz name is synonymous with the automotive aftermarket. It started with Mort Schwartz, an engineer by training who served as chairman and CEO of four different automotive aftermarket companies from the 60s to the 90s. Mort's service to the aftermarket, including as a member and chair of various aftermarket committees, spans more than 40 years, and now his son, Rick, is following in his footsteps to make the Schwartz name a leader in M&A advising and business growth strategies in the industry.Rick received his MBA from USC's Marshall School of Business, and while his father grew and ran companies in the aftermarket, Rick's career spans multiple industries working in management positions for the likes of Macy's, Nestle and The Upper Deck Company early in his career. He gained C-suite level experience as the COO of a health and fitness company before joining forces with his dad to create Schwartz Advisors, an M&A and growth consultant for companies in the automotive aftermarket.In some ways, we sat around the dinner table one day and my dad said, I've got an idea. What do you think about this?" Rick explains. "One of [his goals was] to start a company that would be an advisor to the industry. That's a company that didn't exist when [he] owned his WDs. At the time I was running a company in San Diego1, and he knew that I wanted to do something more entrepreneurial and something that touched on the private equity world. He wanted to see something that could really provide value to the industry."In 2006, Schwartz Advisors was born, and since then, the firm has added 12 industry experts from different segments to consult on various deals and strategies.In this episode of AMN Drivetime, sponsored by AISIN, Rick delves into:The reasons why he initially studied international relations (1:00)Lessons he learned from working at large companies in different industries early in his career (1:44)How Schwartz Advisors was born (2:54)The breadth and depth of Schwartz Advisors' expertise (4:02)Trends in M&A in the macroeconomy and the automotive aftermarket (8:02)The types of business that are a good fit for the "buy-side" and "sell-side" of acquisitions (10:22)Lessons Rick learned from his father, Mort (12:42)Rapid Fire questions (14:18) AMN Drivetime is sponsored by AISIN. Find more episodes here.

The 4 P’s of GSP’s Growth with Michael Ceritano

Ceritano describes the ways GSP North America has grown and what he feels has been integral to its success.

Autologue’s Jim Franco: Opportunities in Today’s Market

Find out why Jim Franco is as energized as ever about the business opportunities he sees in the market today.

Passion, People Drive Continental’s Travis Roffler

Travis Roffler, Continental Tire the Americas director of marketing, uses his passion to drive his career success.

AMN Drivetime: Aisin’s Dwayne Bates & Larrow Kaufman

Aisin’s Dwayne Bates and Larrow Kaufman discuss the company’s recent changes and its go-to-market strategy.

Other Posts

High-End Ride Control Rehab

Electronically adjustable shocks and struts use conventional mono-tube and twin-tube oil-filled dampeners.

Charging More for Brake Jobs

Here’s why charging more for brake jobs keeps customers coming back.

ADAS Module Programming

Reflashing and reprogramming is a necessary service for repairing vehicles.

Threadlocking Compounds For Vehicle Corners

To get the most out of these “liquid” tools, you first need to know how they work.