5 November 2008
Michel Maheux
An Aftermarket Industry Champion
by Shirley Brown
Michel Maheux was—at first—interested in forest engineering as a career. His father was in the automotive maintenance business (after working as a railroad mechanic) and Michel finally decided that was the very route he wanted to take as well. He was a person who took full advantage of various and challenging activities learning from all of them along with developing a thirst for action and adventure!
Michel Maheux
At a turning point in his life, Michel had two options—continue his studies or get a job—so one morning he presented himself at CAWL (Canadian Automotive Warehousing Limited), an automotive distributor in Québec, and obtained a job there as a warehouse clerk.
His first big automotive step was taken. He now had a foot in the door of the vast automotive aftermarket
world; an environment where washing cars, at a time when his father owned a service station, led him to his passion for vehicles.
On the career path
Michel spent about 20 years learning what he could about the distribution side of the automotive aftermarket business. He held several different positions with the organization through those years and moved to various locations as the need arose. Eventually his chosen career path led him up to the position of National Marketing director.
He discovered his instinctive business skills during a brief transition at Acklands where he served as vice president and general manager. And, as mentioned before, he had a curiosity-driven ambition and loved a challenge. These traits led him to accept an upper management position at Uni-Select. In this role, his true talents as a motivator and planner that had served him so well at UAP and Acklands would shine through.
Up the success ladder
And shine he did, rising to the highest levels of the parts distribution sector—Uni-Select vice president—and to exceptional assignments. A born visionary and strategist, Maheux was at the centre of the action when Uni-Select acquired IPA: a transaction that opened Uni-Select’s distribution gates to North America.
Under the direction of then-president Jacques Landreville, strategic and business plans were developed which created values amounting to a billion dollars in 2005 for their shareholders and members. Michel was a vital part of this strategy, especially in the integration of IPA and Uni-Select’s Canadian expansion. Michel was instrumental in the awareness and launching of such programs as ProColor, The Specialist, Auto Parts Plus and SAX. He also had a great deal to do with the ‘repositioning’ of Auto Plus.
A great aftermarket career
All in all, Michel had a brilliant 40-year career with the automotive parts distribution industry— first with Acklands, then UAP, and finally Uni-Select, from which he took his leave in 2007. Michel did indeed achieve the highest levels of the automotive parts distribution ladder.
Out of the day-to-day job, but not out of the industry. Indeed, Michel is once more ‘at work’ within the aftermarket. May 2008 saw Michel become a senior consultant to the Quebec Division of AIA Canada. And so Michel’s ‘beat’ goes on! | 
