GASTONIA, N.C. — WIX Filters, a member of the Affinia Group family of brands, has named Steve Ellis as Canadian business development manager. Ellis manages an 11-person team of national sales representatives responsible for expanding WIX’s market position in 13 provinces and territories in Canada.
“Steve is a valuable addition to the WIX sales team in Canada,” said Jeff Blocher, vice president of sales for WIX Filters, a global manufacturer of filtration products. “He brings 35 years of sales and retail experience to the position, both at the customer level and in the automotive aftermarket industry, and will ensure WIX’s continued growth in the Canadian market.”
A native of Quebec, Ellis was most recently national sales manager for UCI International, one of America’s largest and most diversified companies servicing the vehicle replacement parts and car care market. He was responsible for sales of several UCI businesses, including ASC, Airtex, Champ Filtration and Wells Vehicle Electronics.
Ellis also held sales positions for more than 20 years at Blue Streak Hygrade Motor Products, a subsidiary of Standard Motor Products Inc. and a leading automotive aftermarket supplier of engine management products for import and domestic vehicles. Ellis began his career with Goodyear Tire Inc., where he managed multiple store locations in Toronto.
“My main priority is to expand filter sales with wholesale distributors across Canada, and that includes an emphasis on growing our heavy duty business,” said Ellis, who is based in Toronto. “I like to remind our customers that WIX has deep roots in heavy duty filtration.
“We also have a fleet analysis process that demonstrates how filtration can significantly impact the long-term profitability of an entire fleet, and this analysis takes into account projected savings in oil and labor costs,” he added. “The use of premium filters, coupled with a fleet analysis, is low-cost insurance that pays great dividends for heavy duty customers.”
Ellis is a graduate of Champlain Regional College at Lennoxville, Quebec, and he is a previous Representative of the Year for Uniselect, North America’s 6th largest distributor of automotive replacement parts.
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