Princess Auto

Princess Auto Limited
Privately held company
Industry Retail
Founded 1933
Headquarters Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Key people
 Harvey Tallman (founder)
Larry Tallman (former CEO)
Bob Tallman (owner) (former CEO)
Geoff Frodsham (CEO)
Harold Romanychyn (COO)
Products Farm, Industrial, Hobby
Number of employees
 1,700
Slogan A Unique World of Equipment, Tools and More
Website Official Website (English)

Princess Auto Limited (PAL) is a Canadian retail chain specializing in farm, industrial, garage, and surplus items. It was started in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1942, by Harvey Tallman who sold his truck and bought the business, then called Princess Auto Wrecking.[1]

Overview

Princess Auto is a Canadian retailer with its headquarters in Winnipeg, Manitoba.[2] As of October 2012, the company owns and operates 35 stores in eight provinces, an electronic fulfillment centre (EFC) and two distribution centres (DC), one DC in Winnipeg and the other DC and the EFC in Milton, Ontario, and a manufacturing division in Winnipeg.[3][4] Princess Auto also offers online sales, a National Call Centre, and mail order service .[5]

Various items are sold under its "Powerfist" and "pro.point" brands. Princess Auto sells many brand name tools, however Powerfist tools tend to be lower cost tools when compared to mid price professional brands such as pro.point, UltraPro (NAPA), Craftsman (Sears), or Westward.

Shur-Lift Industries, formerly known as Princess Auto Manufacturing (PAM), builds hydraulic cylinders, under the Shur-Lift brand,[6] and assembles items such as air compressors, chemical sprayers, and log splitters that are distributed and sold through its retail locations. The manufacturing division also makes products for some original equipment manufacturers (OEM), including the Canadian Forces and Zamboni.

History

Princess Auto Wrecking, the predecessor to Princess Auto, was started in 1933 on Princess Street in Winnipeg. In 1942, Harvey Tallman, who had sold his truck, purchased the company. Originally the business was entirely local and involved dismantling used cars and selling parts to garages. After World War II the business expanded to selling army surplus items and producing various products.[7][8]

In 1951, Princess Auto produced their first mail order catalogue; by the middle of the 1960s the catalogue was available throughout Canada. As the company grew, it was moved to Fort Street and later to Panet Road, the current site of Princess Auto's headquarters and one of the company's two Winnipeg stores.[4][7][8]

In 1976, Harvey Tallman retired and passed the business on to his sons, Larry and Bob Tallman. They continued to expand the company and in 1977 opened a store in Edmonton, Alberta. This was followed in 1980 by the construction of a factory to manufacture products.[8]

In 1989, Larry retired and Bob became president, sole owner and CEO of the company. As of 2010 Bob continues as president and, along with chief operating officer Harold Romanychyn, is COO of Princess Auto.[9][8]

In 2007, the company helped raise $88,000 to assist the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. Also in 2007 the company established the "Princess Auto Foundation" which provides endowment bursaries to students of several technical colleges throughout Canada.[10][11]

Stores

As of 2013 Princess Auto has stores in the following locations:[4]

References

  1. ↑ 75 Years of Princess Auto
  2. ↑ Princess Auto
  3. ↑ Princess Auto careers
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Princess Auto locations
  5. ↑ About Princess Auto
  6. ↑ Shur-Lift hydraulic cylinders
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 The Burnside News
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Princess Auto History
  9. ↑ Princess Auto Foundation - people
  10. ↑ Princess Auto Foundation - about
  11. ↑ Why Invest in the Canadian Museum for Human Rights

External links