AUTO ELECTRIC SERVICE INC

What AUTO ELECTRIC SERVICE INC does

Auto Electric Service, Inc. is a privately held specialty electrical components distributor and repair service founded in 1938 by Lawrence Crutsinger in Norfolk, Virginia. Operating from a single location at 2900 Church Street, the company rebuilds and services starters, alternators, generators, magnetos, DC motors (ranging from 12v window-lift motors to 48v forklift traction motors), cable-driven speedometers and tachometers, and mechanical gauges, while fabricating and repairing cables, ratio adaptors, angle drives, and flexible shafts. Its customer base spans four verticals — industrial, marine, automotive, and military — with the company also holding VDO Master Distributor status (since September 2008) and Exclusive Mideastern Distributor rights for Goodall Manufacturing, alongside warehouse distribution for Delco Remy, WAI, Leece Neville, Stewart Warner, F.W. Murphy, Bosch, Mitsubishi, and other brands representing 20,000+ SKUs.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model through a walk-in storefront, local and toll-free phone lines, and email, supplemented by worldwide shipping for parts orders. Pricing is quote-based for service work and unit-based for parts, with a monthly specials program offering a $5 speedometer calibration discount and free UPS Ground shipping on orders above $150. Court-approved speedometer calibration services meeting Virginia state code requirements for traffic court certification form a regulated, defensible niche within the broader portfolio.

The company is privately held under apparent long-term/family ownership with no disclosed investors, funding rounds, M&A activity, or leadership transitions. With 6 employees and 80+ years of continuous operation, the business is positioned as a stable, niche, cash-generative specialty shop rather than a growth-oriented venture.

Name

AUTO ELECTRIC SERVICE INC

Legal name

Auto Electric Service, Inc.

Website

https://autoelectricservice.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Auto Electric Service, Inc. is a privately held Norfolk, Virginia distributor and repair shop, founded in 1938, that rebuilds and sells starters, alternators, DC motors, gauges, and cable-driven speedometers to industrial, marine, automotive, and military customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Electrical Repair Services

NAICS

Motor and Generator Manufacturing (335312), Motor Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Equipment Manufacturing (33632)

SIC

Motors & Generators (3621), Wholesale-Motor Vehicles & Motor Vehicle Parts & Supplies (5010), Miscellaneous Electrical Machinery, Equipment & Supplies (3690)

akta.pro primary industry

Starter, Alternator & Motor/Generator Rebuild/Remanufacturing (TLAKALAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Driveline Components Rebuild/Remanufacturing (Driveshafts, U-joints, CV joints) (TLAKALAD)

Keywords

• Automotive electrical repair
• Starter alternator rebuilding
• Speedometer calibration services
• Industrial gauge distribution
• Motor rebuild services

Headquarters

HQ city

Norfolk

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Parts and Components Sales: Sale of starters, alternators, generators, DC motors, gauges, speedometer components, cables, ratio adaptors, and repair parts from multiple brand distributors including Delco Remy, VDO, Stewart Warner, Leece Neville, Prestolite, and many others
2. Repair and Rebuilding Services: On-vehicle speedometer calibrating, testing, and repair services; rebuilding of alternators, starters, generators, magnetos; fabrication and repair of cables, angle drives, and ratio adaptors
3. Distribution Revenue: Revenue from distribution partnerships as exclusive Mideastern distributor for Goodall Manufacturing and VDO Master Distributor, earning margins on wholesale distribution of industrial and automotive electrical products

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Auto Electric Service Inc rebuilds and repairs starters, alternators, generators, magnetos, and DC motors for industrial, marine, automotive, and military customers. The company also distributes gauges and electrical components from brands including VDO, Stewart Warner, Delco Remy, Leece Neville, and Goodall Manufacturing, and provides court-approved speedometer calibration and cable/ratio adaptor fabrication services from its Norfolk, VA shop.

Product overview

Auto Electric Service Inc is a specialty distributor and service company serving industrial, marine, automotive, and military markets since 1938. The company operates as a single, service-oriented product portfolio centered on automotive and electrical components. Core offerings include Starters & Alternators (12v to 48v for industrial, marine, agricultural, and high-output applications) distributed from brands like Delco Remy, Prestolite, Leece Neville, and WAI; Gauges including VDO, Stewart Warner, Hobbs, F.W. Murphy, and Datcon for pressure, temperature, fuel, oil, and water monitoring; Speedometer Calibration Services with over 45 years of court-approved certification experience; Speedometer Cable Ratio Adaptors for fabrication and repair; Goodall Manufacturing Products as Exclusive Mideastern Distributor; Rebuilding Services for alternators, starters, generators, magnetos, and DC motors; and a full line of Repair Parts. The company also features a monthly specials program offering $5 discounts on calibrations and free UPS Ground shipping on orders over $150.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Starters and Alternators Industrial, marine, automotive, and military starters, alternators, generators, magnetos, and DC motors, distributed as a warehouse distributor for numerous OEM brands serving heavy duty, light duty, transit, shuttle bus, EMS, agricultural, construction, and military applications.
• Gauges Full line of mechanical and electric gauges including pressure, temperature, fuel, oil, water, ammeter, and voltmeter gauges; plus alarm switches, engine shutdown controls, lamps, pulse generators, magnetic pick-ups, and sending units.
• Speedometer Calibration Services Court-approved on-vehicle speedometer calibrating, testing, and certification services for traffic court compliance; also provides speedometer repair for most vehicle types.
• Speedometer Cable Ratio Adaptors Speedometer cables, cable casings, ratio adaptors, angle drives, flexible shaft drives, and mechanical shaft-driven instruments, with fabrication and repair services.
• Goodall Manufacturing Products Distribution of Goodall Manufacturing jump starting equipment, air compressors, surge protection devices, AC generators, battery chargers, parts washers, and fuel transfer products for trucking, industrial, and marine industries.
• Rebuilding Services Rebuilding services for alternators, starters, generators, magnetos, and DC motors; full fabrication and repair of cables, housings, ratio adaptors, angle drives, flexible shaft drives, and mechanical instruments.
• Repair Parts Complete line of repair parts for starters and alternators including Transpo rectifiers and regulators, bearings, brushes and bushings, starter drives and solenoids, stators and rotors, field coils and armatures, and end frames.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Goodall ManufacturingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2015Auto Electric Service Inc is the Exclusive Mideastern Distributor for Goodall Manufacturing (The Start-All People). Goodall Manufacturing, founded in 1933, is a leader in the jump starting equipment industry, specializing in Starting Equipment, Air Compressors, Surge Protection, AC Generators, Battery Chargers, Parts Washers, and Fuel Transfer Products for the Trucking, Industrial, and Marine Industries.
• VDO GaugescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 September 2008Auto Electric Service Inc has been a VDO Master Distributor since September 1, 2008, serving as a master distributor for VDO gauges with authority to welcome dealer inquiries. They offer competitive pricing and superior customer service.
• Delco RemycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWarehouse distributor for Delco Remy starters and alternators, serving automotive, heavy duty, industrial, marine, and small engine applications.
• WAI (Worldwide Automotive)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSince 1978, WAI has provided over 20,000 products for automotive, truck, industrial, marine and small engine alternators and starters. Auto Electric Service distributes their complete alternators and starters at competitive prices.
• Leece NevillemajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWarehouse distributor for Leece Neville products including Prestolite and Indiel product lines, serving heavy duty truck, medium duty truck, light duty truck, motorcoach, transit bus, shuttle bus, automotive, marine, off highway, industrial, agricultural, construction, emergency vehicle, fire trucks, mining, and military applications.
• Stewart WarnermajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFull line distributor for Stewart Warner gauges, one of the premier gauge manufacturers serving industrial, automotive and marine markets.
• F.W. MurphymajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFull line distributor for F.W. Murphy gauges and engine controls, offering switches, alarm switches, engine shut down controls, lamps, pulse generators, and magnetic pick-ups.
• BoschmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWarehouse distributor for Bosch automotive and industrial electrical components including starters and alternators.
• MitsubishimajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWarehouse distributor for Mitsubishi starters and alternators serving automotive and industrial applications.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• FleetPride: FleetPride is one of the largest independent distributors of heavy-duty truck and trailer parts, including starters, alternators, and electrical components with in-house service capabilities. Comparable in combining distribution with technical service for industrial/military-style fleet customers.
• Motorcar Parts of America: MPAA remanufactures and distributes alternators, starters, and other electrical parts under the MPA and Pure Energy brands for automotive aftermarket applications. Direct overlap with Auto Electric's alternators/starters distribution and rebuild business.
• BBB Industries: BBB Industries is one of North America's largest remanufacturers of starters, alternators, and other automotive electrical components for OEM and aftermarket customers. Direct overlap with Auto Electric's alternator/starter/generator remanufacturing core across automotive, heavy duty, industrial, and marine verticals.
• Cardone Industries: Cardone Industries is a leading remanufacturer of automotive aftermarket parts including alternators, starters, distributors, and motors. Same core remanufacturing model and target verticals as Auto Electric, but operating at a national scale.
• Dorman Products: Dorman manufactures and distributes automotive replacement parts and hardware, including heavy duty electrical components and OE-replacement solutions. Overlap with Auto Electric's aftermarket electrical parts distribution and component sourcing model.
• Standard Motor Products: Standard Motor Products is a leading manufacturer and distributor of replacement parts for automotive aftermarket including electrical, ignition, and engine management components. Comparable across the gauge and electrical component distribution categories.

Broad incumbents

• O'Reilly Auto Parts: O'Reilly is a major automotive aftermarket parts retailer carrying starters, alternators, batteries, and gauges across thousands of U.S. stores. Overlaps with Auto Electric's parts distribution and counter sales motion but at national retail scale.
• AutoZone: AutoZone is the largest U.S. retailer of aftermarket automotive parts including electrical components, batteries, and diagnostic tools. Overlaps with Auto Electric's parts retail channel but competes primarily on convenience and breadth, not on rebuilding expertise.
• NAPA Auto Parts (Genuine Parts Company): Genuine Parts Company distributes automotive and industrial replacement parts through the NAPA network, including starters, alternators, gauges, and electrical components. Much larger incumbent with overlapping product categories but far broader catalog and scale.

Emerging players

• WAI (Worldwide Automotive): WAI is a global supplier of alternators, starters, and other electrical components with 20,000+ SKUs serving automotive, truck, industrial, marine, and small-engine markets. Already a distribution partner of Auto Electric; comparable as a competing specialty electrical parts brand.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/auto-electric-service-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AUTO ELECTRIC SERVICE INC