LKQ Corporation is a leading provider of alternative and specialty parts to repair and accessorize automobiles and other vehicles. LKQ has operations in North America, Europe and Taiwan. LKQ offers its customers a broad range of replacement systems, components, equipment and parts to repair and accessorize automobiles, trucks, and recreational and performance vehicles.
OUR COMPANY HISTORY
LKQ was initially formed in 1998 through the combination of a number of wholesale recycled products businesses located in Florida, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. We subsequently expanded through internal development and over 220 acquisitions of aftermarket, recycled, refurbished, and remanufactured product suppliers and manufacturers; self service retail businesses; and specialty vehicle aftermarket equipment and accessories suppliers. Our most significant acquisitions include:
- 2007 acquisition of Keystone Automotive Industries, Inc., which, at the time of acquisition, was the leading domestic distributor of aftermarket products, including collision replacement products, paint products, refurbished steel bumpers, bumper covers and alloy wheels.
- 2011 acquisition of Euro Car Parts Holdings Limited (“ECP”), a vehicle mechanical aftermarket parts distribution company operating in the United Kingdom. This acquisition allowed us to expand our operations into the European automotive aftermarket business.
- 2013 acquisition of Sator Beheer B.V. (“Sator”), a vehicle mechanical aftermarket parts distribution company based in the Netherlands, with operations in the Netherlands, Belgium and Northern France. This acquisition allowed us to further expand our geographic presence into continental Europe.
- 2014 acquisition of Keystone Specialty, which expanded our product offering and increased our addressable market to include specialty vehicle aftermarket equipment and accessories.
- On December 22, 2015, LKQ announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the holding company of Rhiag-Inter Auto Parts Italia
- S.p.A (“Rhiag”), a leading pan-European business-to-business distributor of aftermarket spare parts for passenger cars and commercial vehicles. Rhiag has operations in Italy, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Hungary, Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Poland and Spain. The transaction is expected to be completed in the first half of 2016 and is subject to customary closing conditions and necessary regulatory approvals.
OUR QUALITY STANDARDS
LKQ is committed to providing the highest quality standards in the recycled and aftermarket parts industry. We stand behind the integrity of our products with the LKQ Parts Replacement Promise.
Our commitment to quality allows us to back our recycled and aftermarket collision products with lifetime warranties, which are the best in the industry.
Our procurement standards are the strictest in the industry, and any vehicle that does not meet our criteria is rejected. We proactively use VIN matching to ensure the integrity of our recycled inventory, and we provide consistent and accurate product descriptions. As a result, our products are guaranteed to fit and perform as you need and expect.
Building a part the right way is important to all of our manufacturing partners. Years of experience, integrity, and ingenuity are what sets them apart from the rest. LKQ performs both internal testing and hires independent testing agencies to evaluate the quality of our parts. We do not procure parts that compromise safety.
All parts are carefully inspected throughout the dismantling and order-fulfillment process. The first quality inspection occurs before a part can even be added to our inventories. After your order is placed, all recycled auto body parts, including, but not limited to, sheet metal, doors, front ends, deck lids, hoods, etc. are cleaned and inspected one final time before being placed on the delivery truck.
Our employees are educated in the latest quality and safety regulations by receiving regular training in those areas. Employees in direct contact with customers provide valuable feedback for quality improvements.
If you have any concerns about the quality of our product please contact us for more information.
CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
LKQ Corporation strives to be a responsible corporate citizen with respect to environmental, social and governance matters.
As the largest recycler of automobiles in the world, LKQ Corporation has a naturally minimal footprint on the environment and has instituted sound business practices for sustaining and protecting the environment. LKQ Corporation employs a staff of environmental compliance professionals to ensure our facilities impact the natural environment in as minimal a manner as possible, and we believe our North American salvage operations maintain the highest standards in the industry. Our salvage vehicle operations recycle more than 95% of the materials from end-of-life vehicles that would otherwise end up in a landfill. From end-of-life vehicles we recycle the salvageable parts that can be used in the repair of other vehicles; the fluids and tires that can be recycled, repurposed or re-used in our operations; and the steel hulks that are processed by metals recycling companies.
With respect to our delivery vehicles, LKQ Corporation has implemented a state-of-the-art logistics program aimed at delivering our products as efficiently as possible to save fuel and minimize emissions. In conjunction with our acquisitions, we conduct environmental due diligence to ensure that LKQ Corporation only invests in businesses with a solid record of environmental compliance. To reduce our impact on the environment, we monitor our use of consumables (e.g., cardboard, paper, packing materials, etc.), while also working with state and local governments to address any sites potentially requiring remediation, and convert them to sustainable operating facilities.
From a social standpoint, our mission statement prominently includes the goal of “building strong partnerships with our employees and the communities in which we operate.” LKQ Corporation is committed to treating all employees with dignity and respect. The maintenance of safe and proper working conditions for our employees is a high priority, and our health and safety department continuously monitors and addresses compliance with respect to working conditions. We recently organized relief efforts for our employees who suffered significant setbacks resulting from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. The success of these efforts led to the creation of a community foundation that provides disaster relief and hardship assistance to employees and their families who suffer unexpected tragedies. LKQ Corporation also provides a scholarship fund that offers financial aid to the children of our employees to pursue higher education at a college or university, technical college, community or vocational school.
We have more than 350 locations across the United States and nearly 1,500 operating locations in over 20 countries worldwide. The teams at many of these locations are involved in a variety of community outreach efforts. Several of our locations donate time and materials to local fire and police departments to conduct training, allowing local law enforcement to utilize LKQ Corporation facilities to learn, teach and apply first responder techniques and methods to real-life situations. A number of our locations also work with local community colleges and job training programs to teach people the skills necessary to repair vehicles.
We also take data privacy very seriously. LKQ Corporation recently hired a Chief Information Security Officer to oversee the security of our information technology, including the enhancement of our data privacy programs.
LKQ Corporation has implemented various policies and programs to promote good corporate governance. Importantly, our Board of Directors and our executive team is committed to integrity and honesty with respect to operating our business. We strive to be fully transparent in our public disclosures including the reports covering our financial results and financial condition. We have implemented policies aiming for high standards of business ethics, including a Code of Ethics applicable to all directors, officers and other employees and policies addressing workplace harassment and discrimination, anti-bribery and anti-corruption, and export controls. LKQ Corporation has an online, in-house training system through which our employees take classes to help them understand the rules relating to these issues and the importance of adhering to the rules.