LKQ Euro Car Parts

A UK distributor of car and light commercial vehicle parts with over 280 branches, serving garages, retail customers and body shops.

About LKQ Euro Car Parts

Euro Car Parts is a UK distributor of parts for cars and light commercial vehicles. The company says it serves three main markets, trade customers such as garages, retail drivers, and collision repair shops, and that it stocks over 100,000 different parts. It trades today as LKQ Euro Car Parts.

The business was founded in 1978 by Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia, who opened a motor parts shop in Willesden, London, to supply parts for German makes such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volkswagen. It later grew into a national chain. It has been part of the American group LKQ Corporation since 2011, and LKQ Europe, which is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, now runs it as part of the UK and Ireland region.

Its careers page describes the mission as "keeping you moving", meaning customers, partners and the public. It also says it treats improving as an employer as essential and supports staff to reach their potential. LKQ Europe describes its values as Leadership, Know-how and Quality, which spell the LKQ name. These are the company's own statements.

The company operates over 280 branches across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Wikipedia places the head office at Dordon in North Warwickshire, near Tamworth, close to junction 10 of the M42, and describes a very large national distribution centre in Tamworth. The company's careers page mentions three national distribution centres and 13 Rapid Fulfilment Centres, which help get parts to workshops on time. The company has also supplied components and consumables to the RAC's roadside patrol fleet since 2010, according to Wikipedia, and opened its first Irish branch in 2017. Wikipedia also records that it bought parts supplier Arleigh Group in 2016, which serves the leisure industry, and began supplying parts for a wider range of vehicle makes and models that year, so the product range keeps widening. Branch colleagues give customer service and technical advice. Listings include locations in England and Scotland.

The jobs are varied, and the careers page says openings include full-time and part-time, on-site and field-based work. Branch roles include sales advisors, assistants, duty managers and branch managers. Behind them are delivery drivers, warehouse and logistics staff, area sales managers and central teams in HR, finance, IT and procurement. LKQ Europe says it has around 26,500 people across Europe. The pages we read did not give a UK headcount, so check the current number with the company.

What they do

• {'desc': 'Parts and technical advice for garages and workshops.', 'title': 'Trade parts supply'}
• {'desc': 'Parts for drivers who repair their own cars.', 'title': 'Retail parts'}
• {'desc': 'Body and repair parts for accident repair shops.', 'title': 'Collision parts'}
• {'desc': 'Distribution and rapid fulfilment centres feeding the branches.', 'title': 'Fast delivery network'}

Key facts

• Founded 1978 in Willesden, London by Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia
• Over 280 branches across the UK and Ireland (LKQ careers page)
• Stocks over 100,000 different parts (LKQ careers page)
• LKQ Europe has about 26,500 employees across Europe

Website: www.eurocarparts.com