Autologue Computer Systems CEO shares lessons in business

From our friends at aftermarketNews: A conversation with Jim Franco, CEO of Autologue Computer Systems.

Jim Franco, CEO of Autologue Computer Systems, knew at a very young age that he wanted more out of life. Entering the workforce at age 11, he made money mowing lawns, washing windows and delivering newspapers.

In Episode 4 of the AMN Drivetime Podcast with Bill Babcox, Franco shares that his early start in the workforce enabled him to pay cash for his very own first car at age 15 – a hot rod that needed work. “I could hear the engine run but I couldn’t drive it,” Franco said.

After replacing the clutch three times before it was roadworthy, Franco said this was the beginning of his love affair with cars. His new romance with cars eventually led him to the auto parts business as a parts store owner, where he had tremendous success before selling his stores and founding Autologue Computer Systems in 1985.

Franco credits a lot of his industry success to his parents and other role models who helped him get to where he is today, leading one of the aftermarket’s leading software companies. In the podcast, Jim also talks about three significant learning experiences during his career, centered around customer service, handling team members and marketing, and how he’s incorporated these lessons into his own business.

Listen in to this week’s episode here and find out how Franco made the leap from hot rods to owning one of the industry’s leading software companies today.

AMN Drivetime with Bill Babcox is presented by Litens and published by aftermarketNews.com.

BorgWarner has agreed to acquire the electric vehicle solution, smart grid and smart energy businesses of Hubei Surpass Sun Electric (SSE). The transaction has an enterprise value of up to RMB 410 million (approx. $59.36 million).

Headquartered in Xiangyang, Hubei province, China, SSE’s electrification business supplies patented electric vehicle charging solutions to customers in China and more than 70 other countries. SSE says it has delivered over 50,000 charging points and has led the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of more than 250 charging station sites. SSE’s charging and electrification capabilities in China are expected to complement BorgWarner’s existing capabilities in Europe and North America, the companies say. SSE’s 2022 revenues for the electrification business are expected to be approximately RMB 180 million (approx. $26.06 million).