Automotive
Automotive businesses operate inside tight tier structures, cyclical volumes, and cost pressure that compound when demand shifts. Areté brings the operator perspective that protects margin when the cycle turns.
Cyclical Volumes. Tier Pressure. The Operators Who Hold Margin.
Automotive businesses absorb macro cycles faster than most sectors. Volumes move, OEMs reset pricing, commodity inputs shift, and the operators who come out ahead are the ones who’ve built cost flexibility and commercial discipline before the cycle demanded it. We’ve worked inside these businesses and know how to protect margin when the environment tightens and how to capture it when demand recovers.
- Automotive Suppliers
Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers across powertrain, electronics, interiors, and components. Cost structure discipline, customer concentration management, and the commercial posture required to hold margin against OEM pricing pressure.
- Automotive Aftermarket & Distribution
Aftermarket parts, accessories, and distribution platforms. Category management, inventory economics, and roll-up consolidation strategies that build durable recurring revenue platforms.
- Commercial Vehicles & Heavy Equipment
Class 8 trucks, trailers, construction equipment, and agricultural machinery. Long product cycles, dealer network dynamics, and the aftermarket service strategies that compound margin over the asset life.
- Dealer Networks & Automotive Services
Franchise dealer groups, service operations, and automotive retail platforms. Store-level performance, F&I economics, and the operational discipline behind same-store growth across consolidating markets.
The Leader Behind the Work
Eric has spent 40+ years across automotive, retail, and consumer products — as Chairman, CEO, COO, CRO, and CFO inside public, private, and PE-backed companies. He built Heartland Automotive Services into Jiffy Lube's largest U.S. operator and led its Ch. 11 reorganization with full creditor recovery and a 3X PE owner return, then ran Raben Tire as President through its sale to Goodyear. He's a subject matter expert in automotive aftermarket, dealer networks, and tier supplier economics.