Fel-Pro Gaskets Celebrates 100th Anniversary

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Fel-Pro Gaskets Celebrates 100th Anniversary

Fel-Pro’s 100th-anniversary celebration will span an extensive schedule of customer-focused activities culminating in an industry and community open house on July 21 at the Fel-Pro engineering, manufacturing and distribution complex in Skokie, Ill.

Counterman Staff
By Counterman Staff
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SOUTHFIELD, Michigan – Fel-Pro Gaskets, a Federal-Mogul Motorparts brand, is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

“As the predominant choice of sealing technology for professional technicians, engine builders, racing teams, enthusiasts and do-it-yourselfers, the brand continues to extend its impressive heritage of innovation and commitment to providing gaskets that simplify even the most complex sealing repairs,” Federal-Mogul Motorparts said in a news release.

Fel-Pro’s 100th-anniversary celebration will span an extensive schedule of customer-focused activities culminating in an industry and community open house on July 21 at the Fel-Pro engineering, manufacturing and distribution complex in Skokie, Ill.

“Fel-Pro is an amazing brand by any measure – product innovation, quality and, above all, customer loyalty,” said Mike Proud, vice president of marketing, Americas, Federal-Mogul Motorparts. “This anniversary is a celebration of the multiple generations of talented technicians, engine builders, racing teams, consumers and Fel-Pro employees who together have built a truly elite brand by demanding and delivering the very best for every sealing repair.”

Focus On ‘Real-World Conditions’

Fel-Pro was founded on July 5, 1918, in Chicago. The company became a leading innovator in the sealing category, beginning with felt-based seals for the Ford Model T. The foundation of Fel-Pro’s success has been its “commitment to providing products that address the demands of the sealing repair environment.”

“Fel-Pro engineers are intensely focused on the real-world conditions facing technicians and other customers, whether they’re working in a repair bay, machine shop or their own garage,” said Craig Frohock, vice president, global sealing, Federal-Mogul Motorparts. “Our highly specialized gasket materials and problem-solving designs help each customer achieve a long-lasting seal they can rely on.”

During the 1970s, Fel-Pro introduced its now-iconic blue gasket materials and Blue Stripe design to visually differentiate its products. “The unique approach communicates the brand’s strengths and the innovative technologies that have earned the trust of front-line professionals,” according to parent company Federal-Mogul Motorparts.

“Knowing that every part that goes into a Fel-Pro box is validated and approved by a Fel-Pro engineer adds confidence that each gasket has been designed and manufactured specifically for the corresponding repair,” Federal-Mogul said.

Federal-Mogul acquired Fel-Pro in 1998, and over the past 20 years has aggressively invested in new R&D and manufacturing resources to position the brand for continued leadership in an era of lighter-weight, higher-output, harder-to-seal engines, according to the company.

Federal-Mogul also invested millions of dollars in the equipment necessary to develop and manufacture modern multi-layered-steel head gaskets, which have become the preferred technology for engine manufacturers, professional stock car and drag racing teams, engine builders and automotive repair businesses.

Another characteristic that hasn’t changed is the brand’s commitment to U.S.-based engineering and manufacturing. The more than 1,300 employees at the 1-million-plus-square-foot Fel-Pro complex in Skokie each day produce more than 325,000 gaskets, seals and other products and ship more than 120,000 complete, vehicle- and/or engine-specific sealing repair sets, according to Federal-Mogul.

“Each of our employees is proud of the fact that, even after 100 years, Fel-Pro remains the standard by which all other automotive gaskets are measured,” Proud said. “This level of excellence – built through hard work, innovation and customer values – continues for each new generation of engine and vehicle technology.”

To learn more about Fel-Pro Gaskets, visit www.felpro.com or contact any Fel-Pro supplier.

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Eric Garbe
By Eric Garbe
Eric Garbe is a graduate of Columbus State Community College with a degree in Automotive Maintenance Technology. He has extensive independent and dealership field experience as a technician and shop owner and is an ASE Certified Master Technician and former Adjunct Automotive Professor. He has been professionally writing automotive technical articles and documents for many years and in his free time enjoys restoring old cars and creating custom interiors and upholstery.
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This is always an important topic to discuss, because I consider excellent customer service one of the most important tools you can have to earn trust, respect and repeat business from the customers that come through your door. Whether that customer is do-it-yourselfer from across town or the professional repair shop across the street, your business depends on a solid relationship.It’s a subject that I am passionate about, and it’s one that many people are losing touch with. Whether you are communicating to someone in person, on the phone or using some type of social media, good customer service and bad can both exist. You can’t afford the latter, so this is the first in a series of topics which can and should be shared from the front of the shop to the back. No matter which role you hold, you represent the shop and yourself. Customer service should be your number one priority.First on the list is the greeting. From the second a customer walks in the door, they need to know you appreciate them coming in and how important they are to your business. First impressions are everything and here’s the correct way to do it each and every time: look them directly in the eye, smile and say hello!Of course, you can say “Good morning” or “Welcome to Joe’s Autocare,” but it should be a formal greeting and the most important thing is that you have smiled, looked them in the eye and recognized that they have walked through the door.You should always retain a formal greeting until you are on a first-name basis with a customer. Only once you have established that level of relationship is it OK to use the less formal greeting of “Hi,” followed by the person’s name.This greeting does more than just indicate respect and appreciation for someone walking through the door. Most likely there are customers both new and old who are in earshot of your conversation. For newer customers, this continues to build rapport and reinforce their positive view of your shop; they see that you demonstrate respect and treat everyone in the same manner. For repeat customers, even ones that have been coming for years, the greeting is important because the way you treat them is the reason they continue to come.And when a long-time customer comes in and you greet them with “Hi [First Name],” this indicates your appreciation for them and that you’re glad to see them as a person, more than just a customer. New customers that witness this will see that your repeat customers are comfortable enough to be on a first-name basis, another indication of the trust they have in you.

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