GM’s Aftermarket Brand ACDelco Marks 100th Year in Business

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One of General Motors Co.’s first aftermarket parts brands, Flint-based ACDelco, celebrates its 100th year in business today.

The company, originally named United Motors Corp., was founded on May 11, 1916 by GM founder William “Billy” Durant to provide a single source for service and replacement parts.

“No business achieves this kind of a milestone by itself, and we’re grateful for the support of our parts customers and employees who’ve helped make ACDelco what it is today,” says Robert Sanford, general director of ACDelco. “We’re honored that so many insist on using ACDelco parts, and we’re looking forward to another 100 years of aftermarket leadership.”

The company has a catalog of 90,000 parts across 37 lines for Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac vehicles. Sanford says ACDelco was among the first aftermarket parts brands to focus on training technicians on proper installation techniques. For example, another early iteration of ACDelco — United Motors Service — offered its first course in automotive air conditioning repair in the 1970s at each of its 30 GM Training Centers across the U.S.

To celebrate its centennial, ACDelco will honor its top professional service center stores, give 100 scholarships to future technicians attending GM Automotive Service Education Program college programs, and help families in need during Day of Service events throughout the country.