Grows From Scrap Recycler

CAMEROTA TRUCK PARTS
Grows From Scrap Recycler
To
Major Rebuilder
By Denise L. Rondini
Interview By Jim Moss
S
1960
Camerota Used Truck & Tractor
Parts was founded by Salvatore
“Sam” Camerota in Enfield, CT
1965
The company name changed to
Camerota Truck & Auto Parts
1970
Camerota Scrap & Recycling
was formed
1974
Frank Camerota joined the
company and the name changed
to Camerota Truck Parts
tarting out as a self-described scrap
recycling business operating out of an
empty lot, Camerota Truck Parts has
grown to be a large rebuilder of heavyduty transmissions, rear differentials
and steering components.
In 1960, Sam Camerota started Camerota Used Truck & Tractor Parts where,
according to Sal Camerota, secretary/
treasurer, “We would bring in trucks and
equipment, save some parts, wreck the
remaining vehicle and sell the parts.”
In the early years of the business,
“we’d buy the vehicle and dispose of
it or liquidate it for its scrap value,” he
explained. “Back then what we sold in
parts basically was a bonus.”
The next step in the company’s evolution was to add value to the used parts
by rebuilding them. “That launched
the whole rebuilding process that we
continue to offer today.”
According to Frank Camerota, president, “We changed because we had to;
our customer base changed.”
The Camerotas watched while the
farmers, small rubbish companies and
other small operations gave way to companies like BFI and Waste Management.
“They had different requirements and
different quality issues,” he explained.
When the brothers—Frank, Sal and
Steven—assumed control of the business
after their father passed away in 1980,
they decided to grow the business.
“That’s when we did the whole refocusing on remanufacturing of driveline components, changing directions
and moving away from scrap metal and
recycling,” Sal explained.
Truck Parts & Service
“Then we started with transmissions
and rear differentials that we could offer
as used or rebuilt,” he added.
Because the Camerotas now were
dealing with large corporate entities,
there was pressure on them to give that
market exactly what it wanted.
“These customers didn’t want to buy
a used rear differential. They wanted
one that was rebuilt, one that was on the
shelf, one they could have before they
took theirs out and one they knew was
of good quality,” Sal said.
“As demand grew, we adjusted production to meet the demand,” Frank added.
And the Camerotas are proud of
26
June 2006
1977
Steven Camerota
joined the company
1978
Sal Camerota
joined the company
1980
The Camerotas continue to evolve their business with the expansion into automatic transmission rebuilding. They see this as an area that will continue to grow in the future because
they believe the need for rebuilt automatic transmissions will increase as the industry
struggles with the driver shortage and looks to expand the pool of eligible drivers.
their evolution. “There aren’t that many
companies that could go from one
extreme—wrecking trucks—to become
an ISO-9001:2000 certified rebuilder of
driveline components,” he pointed out.
“We believe that we truly have evolved
into a major drivetrain rebuilder,” Sal said.
“In fact, scrap recycling now accounts for
only 4% of our business.”
One advantage that Camerota Truck
Parts has over its competitors is its
ready and available supply of cores.
“We’re very core friendly and we
don’t have a graded core charge like
many other companies,” Sal said.
“Having a supply of cores gives us the
ability to have the components available
before the customers need them because
we can rebuild the ones we’re taking
from our salvage yard and have them on
our shelves ready to go,” he added.
“We also handle our own core processing, manufacturing and distribution
all under the same roof,” Sal explained.
While most of the cores used for rebuilding come from the Camerota’s own
salvage operation, some are purchased.
“Our interim supply of cores is dic-
Truck Parts & Service
tated by the amount and quality of the
salvage in our area,” Steven Camerota,
vice president, said. “If there are certain
types of trucks that we are not taking in
and recycling anything from, we’re not
going to get a core. That means we have
to go out and purchase it elsewhere.”
The Camerotas continue to evolve
their business with the expansion into
automatic transmission rebuilding. They
see this as an area that will continue to
grow in the future because they believe
the need for rebuilt automatic transmissions will increase as the industry struggles with the driver shortage and looks to
expand the pool of eligible drivers.
“We have customers for whom we
are taking out manual transmissions and
installing automatics because the customer will say, ‘I’ve got two people who
can drive a truck with a manual transmission, but I’ve got 12 people who can
drive automatics,’” Frank said.
“If you’re a municipality, it’s a natural gravitation. It started with the school
bus industry, then it went to utilities and
then it went to municipalities.”
Continued on page 28
27
June 2006
Founder Sam Camerota
passed away and Frank Camerota
became president
1984
Heavy-duty and light-duty
transmissions and rear
differentials were
remanufactured
1985
Heavy-duty and light-duty
steering boxes were
remanufactured
CAMEROTA TRUCK PARTS
Continued from page 27
1989
Second store opened in
North Haven, CT
1990
The first in the industry to offer
a 2-year unlimited mileage
warranty of remanufactured
steering boxes
Sal added, “We made the decision to
pursue automatic transmissions as one of
the future cornerstones of our operation.
Six or seven years ago when we started
this journey, more than 50% of the Class
5, 6 and 7 market was being produced
with automatic transmissions.”
He continued, “If we weren’t doing
this when those transmissions first
started to fail, we weren’t going to have
the opportunity to sell to those customers. No one is going to go from an automatic back to a standard transmission
just because that is what we can rebuild.
The market dictated that we change.”
To support the expansion into automatic transmissions, the Camerotas constructed a 30,000 sq.-ft. automatic transmission
and service center at its headquarters and
became an authorized Allison overhaul
and warranty/service dealer for on-highway product lines. It also rebuilds foreign
automatic transmissions.
In order to capitalize further on the
growth of automatic transmissions, the
Camerotas have added service centers
at several of their locations and also
provide diagnostic road service. They
believe that the ability to diagnose a
transmission is important.
“People can’t replace automatic
transmissions without proper diagnostics,” Frank said. “The person who does
the diagnostics ultimately will control
the sale of the replacement unit.”
Sal has found that Camerota Truck
Parts’ customers want to do business
“with a company that solves their problems and gives them the ability to do what
they do best, and repairing trucks is not
what most of these companies do best.
“The companies may be in the rubbish business, for example, and want to
focus their efforts and energy on being
the best in the recycling of rubbish.”
When asked to describe their business, Sal said, “Our core business basically is remanufacturing driveline components, be it a transfer case through an
automatic or manual transmission.
“However, we are very inclusive in
what we do from light-duty to heavy-duty
and from old to new. We provide very
wide coverage because basically if it has
gears, we are not afraid to rebuild it.”
In fact, according to Steven, “We
have the largest transmissions parts in-
Services Offered
Allison Transmission authorized full-line Overhaul & Warranty/Service
Dealer for all on-highway product lines • Automatic transmission shop also
rebuilds Jatco, Aisin & Mercedes automatic transmissions • Factory authorized rebuilder for Eaton mid-range transmissions & Spicer transmissions •
Dana off-highway authorized service dealer & warranty center • Crane Carrier
trucks, new vehicle parts & service dealer
1991
Became a factory-authorized
remanufacturer of Eaton
mid-range transmissions
1995
Became one of six
factory-authorized distributors
of ZF manual transmissions
Truck service repair, diagnostics & installation services for half-ton to Class 8
trucks • Manual transmission conversions to automatic transmissions • Light-duty
transmission shop rebuilding & repairing on models such as New Process, New
Venture Gear, ZF manual, BorgWarner & Muncie • Medium-duty transmission
shop rebuilding & repairing on models such as Eaton mid-range, Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Mercedes, Volvo, Nissan/UD as well as industrial & off-road models
Heavy-duty transmission shop rebuilds & repairs all Fuller, Mack, Spicer &
Meritor units as well as heavy-duty industrial & off-road models • Differential repair & rebuilding • Steering boxes & pumps for all size domestic &
foreign truck applications • Exporter of truck components all over the world
• Pre-tested diesel engines • Driveline Services: Drive shafts, bore & sleeve
I-beams, flywheel resurfacing, axle repair • Extensive inventory of used & obsolete parts & components • OEM parts distributor for extensive line of new
parts from light-duty to heavy-duty
Truck Parts & Service
28
June 2006
1996
Launched its web site
www.camerota.com
1997
Third store opened in
Westborough, MA
1998
JATCO automatic transmissions
remanufactured.
Automatic Transmission Center built
The three Camerota brothers share in the responsibilities of running the business and to some
extent job titles were the result of birth order. Frank (center) is described as the technical one, Sal
(right) is the “day-to-day guy” and Steven (left) focuses on sales and marketing.
ventory as well as the largest differential
parts inventory in the northeast.”
Camerota Truck Parts operates out
of five locations in Connecticut, Maine,
Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
Store inventory is predicated on what
sells at each specific location.
“If one store sells three or four of a
particular item in a year, then there is
going to be one of that item in each of
our stores,” Sal explained.
He added, “Our inventory is based on
sales and where sales are taking place
throughout the organization.”
He explained that each store requests
what it needs to replenish its inventory.
“They tell us what they need based on
what they think is going to sell in their
area of responsibility and that’s going
to change from New Hampshire to New
Haven. The types of units we sell in New
Hampshire are different than the ones we
sell in New Haven, Boston or Bangor.”
In addition to selling completely
remanufactured units, Camerota Truck
Parts also sells parts, but only those
parts that are necessary for use in its
remanufacturing operation.
“We sell transmission parts across
the counter and we also sell differential
parts,” Frank explained.
“It wouldn’t be customer friendly not
Truck Parts & Service
to offer those parts to our customers who
are buying remanufactured units from us.”
The company stocks more than
20,000 drivetrain-related part numbers
and more than 1000 gear sets.
The Camerotas see parts sales as
a way to introduce customers to their
remanufacturing operation. “Parts are a
way to enhance our relationships. A customer can be using us for parts and then
the component has enough miles on it
that it justifies putting a remanufactured
unit in the vehicle,” Sal said.
“The fact that they have bought parts
from us puts us in a position to sell
them a remanufactured unit. But don’t
misunderstand me, full remanufactured
units are our strong point.”
The three brothers share in the responsibilities of running the business and
to some extent job titles were the result
of birth order. Frank is described as the
technical one. “I’ve done this my whole
life and I enjoy it. I help with technical
problems in all of the shops. I also do
some sourcing and solve other problems.”
“I’m the day-to-day guy,” Sal said.
“Frank builds it and I sell it and distribute it.” In addition he is responsible for
labor issues, administrative and financial
functions, stores sales and operations.
Continued on page 30
29
June 2006
2000
Allsion automatic transmissions
remanufactured
Became OEM dealer of Crane Carrier
trucks, parts and service in MA
2001
Became New England’s only
factory-authorized rebuilder of
Spicer transmissions
Third store expanded
Fouth store opened in Bow, NH.
2002
Became the sole distributor of
Universal Manufacturing transfer
cases in New England
2003
Became one of six factoryauthorized ZF manual
transmissions remanufacturers
Fifth store opened in Bangor, ME
First lean manufacturing cell was
implemented
2004
Became an authorized Allison
Overhaul & Warranty/Service
Dealer for on-highway products
Began construction of Automatic
Transmission & Service Facility.
2005
Opened Automatic Transmission
& Service Repair in Enfield
2006
Earned ISO-9001:2000
certification
Became an authorized Dana OffHighway Service Center and
OEM dealer of Crane Carrier in CT
New Machine Service Center
opened in Enfield
The Camerotas see parts sales as a way to introduce customers to their remanufacturing
operation. “Parts are a way to enhance our relationships,” Sal said. “The fact that someone
has bought parts from us puts us in a position to sell him a remanufactured unit.”
Continued from page 29
Steven focuses on sales and marketing. “I work with the field sales staff. In
fact, I go out with each salesperson at
least once a month. We focus on places
where there are concerns and on developing customer relationships.
“It’s my job to keep the customer
base strong.” In addition Steven is
responsible for the purchasing of trucks
and all export operations.
An outgrowth of the salvage portion of the business is an active export
business. “We export truck components
all over the world. As a truck is being
dismantled, the transmission, rear differential, gears and gear box will go to the
proper facility to be remanufactured. The
other parts like the transmissions that we
have an overstock of and engines we sell
to another market,” Steven explained.
The decision of where to locate its
branches was based on a desire to get a
remanufactured unit to anyone in New
England the next day.
“When someone calls for a unit,
for example, we will either take it off
the shelf or produce it in one of our
Truck Parts & Service
manufacturing cells, get it on a truck and
deliver it to the store by 1 a.m.,” Sal said.
“Then it is the store’s responsibility to
deliver it to the customer later that day.”
And that means taking it to the customer.
“If we are not going to install it for
them, they don’t want to come to our
stores to pick up parts,” Steven explained.
“That’s why we deliver about 90% of
the parts we sell,” Frank added.
“We don’t sell any preventive maintenance parts so we’re not going to a
guy who broke down on the road. When
it comes to full units, customers expect
us to deliver them,” Steven said.
“When you look at it, our strategic
advantage is that we have the units on the
shelf so we can offer them to our customer before he takes the worn component
out of the vehicle. And we are going to
deliver the new unit and pick up the old
one within 24 hours,” Sal said.
He added, “Basically we are doing
our best to solve his problem.”
The Camerotas have structured their
remanufacturing operation on a lean
manufacturing basis. According to Sal,
this means breaking the entire remanufac-
30
June 2006
CAMEROTA TRUCK PARTS
turing process down into sections, in a one-piece flow
cell environment and at the end you get your finished
product as a team faster than if each person did more
than one component. And you get better quality.”
In lean manufacturing, there are teams of no more
than five or six people and a cell leader. By doing just
one thing they become better in their area of responsibility. “The guy doing transmissions doesn’t do rear
ends. He just does transmissions,” Sal said.
This method works for them because, as Frank explained, it is structured “and we are structured people.
We don’t like things that are not defined.”
That philosophy lead to the company seeking to
become ISO-9001:2000 certified. Sal explained that
what the ISO certification process does is identify
what a business does, measures it and then makes
sure management reviews the results.
Frank said, “You develop a superior process and
repeat it over and over. When you make a mistake
you identify it and determine what you need to do to
make sure it does not occur again.
“What this does is give you structure and repeatability because the whole process has to be reverified
and reaudited every year,” he explained.
He added, “Everything you do to keep your certification has to be recertified every year so you can’t
deviate. You can’t go back to what you did yesterday.
That is what attracted us to this because not only do
we have to attain a level of quality, but we also have
to maintain that same level of quality.”
Sal explained ISO this way, “ISO certification is
like going on a diet in that it forces you to get on the
scale everyday and say ‘How am I doing? Am I going
in the right direction?’ And based on your eating habits for the day, you either have to adjust them or you
are not going to reach the goal you set.”
Frank added, “It takes the emotion out of it. It is
what it is. There is no conflict between management
and production. There are no personalities involved
because it is literally physical numbers.”
The Camerotas believe that one of the main
reasons they have been successful is because of their
employees. “Our biggest asset is the accumulation of
individuals we have in this organization,” Steven said.
“The three of us do not make this company a success.
It’s the loyalty, the abilities and the hard work of the
140 people within the organization that does it.”
And lean manufacturing makes it easier to bring
people into the company. “We do not have to hire a
person with the total expertise of being able to rebuild
a driveline component,” he added. “We can teach
them little parts of the process one at a time. The cell
environment allows us to do that.”
And although the people who work at Camerota
Truck Parts are vital to its success, there also is a
personal involvement by Frank, Sal and Steven.
“There is a lot of Camerota personal involvement in
what we do right down to the fact that every one of our
remanufactured units has our name on it,” Sal said.
“That’s who we are and what we do. I’ve got to
give credit not only to our family but also to the individuals who chose to pursue a career here.
“There is a personal interest in everything we produce and we’re not afraid to put our name on it.”
Camerota Truck Parts Locations & Staff
Enfield, CT Headquarters
North Haven, CT
Senior Management
Westborough, MA
245 Shaker Rd., P.O. Box 1134, 06082-1134
800-247-4313, 860-763-0896
Fax: 860-763-7469
Parts Sales Fax: 860-763-3724
Frank Camerota—President
Steven Camerota—Vice President
Sal Camerota—Secretary/Treasurer
Leo Fournier—Controller
Jacki Tamayo—Human Resources Director
Ken Blews—Production Manager
Steve Dufresne—Parts Manager
Enfield, CT
Automatic Transmission
Service Center
239 Shaker Rd., 06082
800-247-4313, 860-763-0896
Fax: 860-763-8245
Truck Parts & Service
166 Universal Dr., 06473
800-446-3056, 203-782-0360
Fax: 203-787-9440
Tom Antonioli—Branch Manager
35 Washington St., 01581
888-267-5700, 508-366-2079
Fax: 508-898-2554
Bill St. Germain—Branch Manager
Bow, NH
565 Rte. 3A, 03304
603-228-9343
Fax: 603-228-9315
Brian Beauliea—Branch Manager
Bangor, ME
1570 Hammond St., 04401
207-942-3873
Fax: 207-942-3874
Dan Pierce—Branch Manager
31
Production & Service Leaders
Bob Vargo—Automatic Transmission
Supervisor
Ken Lebeau—Heavy-Duty Transmission
Supervisor
Joel Thurston—Light/Medium-Duty Axle
Shop Supervisor
Duane Noto—Heavy-Duty Axle Cell Leader
Bill Trapp—Heavy-Duty Transmission
Cell Leader
Chris Vesce—Light-Duty Transmission
Cell Leader
Dave Lips—Steering Supervisor
Steve Salter—Driveline Machine Shop
Supervisor
Andy Lind—Service Manager
Dave Goldberg—Service Manager
Troy Mandig —Service Leader
Kevin Dustin—Sales Supervisor
Visit Camerota Truck Parts
on the Internet at
www.camerota.com.
June 2006