(Below) Nicole and Léon Kergen; Credit: Autoparts Luxembourg

After a delay due to COVID-19, Autoparts Luxembourg (APL) recently celebrated its 60th anniversary, as well as reflecting on the past six decades, this family business specialising in the sale of automotive parts looked towards the future on this special occasion. 

In 1960, Léon Kergen and Victor Wagner joined forces with Franz Bouillon to create the latter's company, Franz Bouillon & Cie, specialising in the sale of automotive spare parts and located on Rue de Strasbourg in Luxembourg-Gare. In 1963, Franz Bouillon left the company which was then renamed Autoparts Luxembourg.

The company grew rapidly and it was in 1974 that the two partners decided to move with their 40 employees to 70 Rue de Cessange (its current address).

In 1988, Léon Kergen, supported by his wife Nicole, became the sole partner. Following her husband's death in 1992, Nicole Kergen ran the business on her own until her death in 2005. Her daughter Simone Kergen eventually took the reins of the company and joined the CAR purchasing group. Autoparts thus remains a local and independent company.

In 2019, Simone Kergen entrusted the post of Sales Director to the eldest of her four sons, Nicolas, who studied financial mathematics. Her second son, Michel, joined APL as Administrative Director in 2020, after obtaining a computer engineering degree and having worked at an international company specialising in industrial software in Germany. Louis, the third son, is currently studying mechanical engineering and is also set to strengthen the team after completing his training in the garage equipment sector. Joseph, the youngest son who is still in secondary school, plans to follow a different career path, in medicine.

For the future of APL, brothers Nicolas and Michel Kergen share a common development vision: to maintain the core business as an auto parts supplier with a focus on quality and customer relations. In this area, new partnerships with strong brands as well as an equipment rental service and an improved formula for maintenance contracts for professionals intend to strengthen the offer to private and professional customers. To grow its customer portfolio, APL is extending the offer of all its services to the Greater Region.

At the same time, to face the global evolution of automobiles, APL is diversifying its activities, with the opening of a new professional clothing department and the creation of a training service to support clients in the development of their skills. In this context, Nicolas and Michel are currently training to be car mechanics at the National Centre for Continuing Vocational Training (CNFPC).

Corporate communications are also undergoing a complete overhaul to eventually offer a new website to customers.

Other innovative projects are being studied as the brothers still have several ideas for expansion to grow the Luxembourg family business. "We want to remain a partner for independent and free crafts", they confirmed.

APL currently employees 60 people in the Grand Duchy. It counts around 2 million parts available to order and 200 partner suppliers.