1928 – 1949
It was 1928: the year that Mickey Mouse was introduced to the world, the yo-yo was invented, Shirley Temple was born, and Herbert Hoover was elected president of the United States. So begins Weller history.
It was also the year that a small body shop owner by the name of Harry Weller realized there was real value in recycled parts for an auto industry that was still in its infancy. Harry bought a piece of property at the corner of Airline and Getty in Muskegon, Michigan to store and part-out damaged vehicles. The small business thrived in the relatively small town of Muskegon, so Harry decided to move it to nearby Grand Rapids in 1949.
It was a good move: Weller Auto Parts was growing by meeting the needs of customers through selection, value, and service.
1949 – 1960
Around this time, Harry Weller II was returning from military service and went to work for his father. Harry II, or Junior, as he was known, picked up right where he left off before he went into the military. In 1960, the same year John F. Kennedy was elected president, Junior purchased the business from his dad and soon began planning for expansion.
Junior understood that in order to keep growing, Weller Auto Parts would need to continue to provide unmatched customer service as well as a selection of product for all types of vehicles. It was with this thought in mind that Junior and his team of employees set about opening Weller Truck Parts. So in 1973, as the Watergate Hearings got underway and the World Trade Center became the tallest building in the world, Weller Truck Parts of Grand Rapids, Michigan, opened its doors and quickly became a leader in the heavy truck parts industry through its dedication to the customer.
As Weller Auto Parts and Weller Truck Parts grew under Junior’s leadership, so did the Weller family. Junior’s four sons were raised around their father’s business and the passion he shared for the industry flourished in Skip, Chris, John, and Paul. Family vacations often included visits to other parts yards and customer sites. To this day, the boys are convinced that Disney World is actually a salvage yard just outside Orlando, FL.
1960 – 1989
The Weller brothers purchased both the Auto and Truck divisions from Junior in 1984, the same year that the first CD player was introduced to the world.
Like their father before them, the brothers had plans for expansion and wanted to provide additional ways to service the needs of the customer. Recognizing an industry need for quality re-manufactured heavy truck driveline components, the Weller brothers began building a team that could meet that need. With that team in place, Weller Truck Parts entered the re-manufacturing sector with a dedication to quality that exceeded the specifications of the original equipment manufacturers and stood strongly behind their product.
In 1989, George Herbert Walker Bush became president of the United States and Weller Truck Parts became an Authorized Allison Overhaul Dealer, only five short years after the brothers took over business operations. This was a great first step, however, the company was traveling what would prove to be a bumpy road. After all, Weller Truck Parts was the new kid on the block–a block that was literally home to some of the industry’s giants. Finding suppliers and employees proved to be a challenge. After all, why would a company team up with the ‘new kid’ when they could partner with the biggest in the business? The answer to that question is once again found in the Weller passion for a quality product backed by exceptional customer service.
Weller Truck Parts was well on its way to becoming the largest remanufacturer of heavy duty driveline components, not only on the block but in the entire country.
1993 – 2001
In 1993, the same year that the World Wide Web was born, Weller Truck opened its first store location outside of Grand Rapids. Other stores soon followed, including Detroit, Gaylord, and Chicago. With the growing number of stores and the growing demand for our product, Weller opened an additional production facility in 1999.
After surviving “Y2K,” construction began on our current headquarters on Gezon Parkway. This facility opened the following year, 2001, and was named The Weller Truck Parts Reman Center.
2001 – 2014
There have been additional expansions to our headquarters and many more stores added from coast to coast. We now find ourselves in our present state: The largest heavy-duty drivetrain remanufacturer in the world.
The Weller Team has proven to be dedicated to serving the customer and making the Weller name a respected name in the industry. In turn, the immediate Weller Family has been committed to their extended family—the Weller Truck Team.
In 2014, Weller became a member of the Jasper Holdings family of companies, a 100% Associate Owned ESOP. Other members of this family include Jasper Engines and Transmissions which remanufactures a wide range of products including gas & diesel engines, automatic and standard Transmissions, differentials, and NASCAR transmissions. Jasper Holdings also owns Jasper Electric Motors, Jasper Innovative Solutions, Jasper Eco-Tech, and most recently Diesel USA Group.
2014 – 2024
In 2018 Weller Truck earns PACCAR Parts prestigious Supplier of The Year award! In 2022 Weller Truck opens Indianapolis Reman Location. In 2023 Weller Truck opens new facility dedicated to Electronics. In 2023 Weller Truck earns PACCAR Parts prestigious Supplier of The Year award for demonstrating outstanding operational achievements, sales growth, parts availability, and program support. In 2024 Weller Truck announced acquisition of a cutting-edge of a 136,000 SF facility dedicated to the remanufacture of automated manual transmissions (AMT), electronic axles, laser-welded differentials, CNC maching, and electronic and mechatronic components.
LOOKING FORWARD
Thank you for taking the time to learn a little bit more about us. We would love the opportunity to show you dedication to quality and customer service….we call it “The Weller Way.”