Since the purchase of ‘ADL’ by Ferdinand Bilstein GmbH + Co. KG in January 2011, ADL and febi UK have been continuing to trade as separate businesses. At this year’s Automechanika in Frankfurt, it is pleased to announce that Blue Print and febi products will not only be exhibited alongside each other, but also during the Fair its Parent Company was officially launched as the ‘bilstein group’.

Message to customers from the Bilstein Group.

"The bilstein group is an ‘umbrella’ brand for febi, SWAG and Blue Print, which together embody the values of manufacturing excellence, customer focus, development and innovation. Creating the bilstein group brand allows clearer lines for Divisional and Regional responsibility across what has now become a global group of 1300 employees.

An important part of the customer facing element of the bilstein group is our external Sales force, and as such febi’s UK Sales team will be integrating with the Blue Print team from January 2013 onwards. Merging the UK’s Sales Teams will give greater coverage and strength, meaning improved presence at customer level and a broadening of knowledge
and skills.

Overall this will be a positive step forward for the group at a time when the Independent Aftermarket is as competitive as ever. With the combined strengths of Blue Print and febi we genuinely believe that you will benefit from the changes.

Of course we understand that you may have a few questions, some of which we have tried to pre-empt with this letter. If we have not covered all of your points, do not hesitate to contact one of our Sales Team.

‘bilstein group’ Frequently Asked Questions

Are febi UK and ADL being merged into one Company?
No, only the Sales Teams are being merged for the UK and Ireland. Both Companies will remain separate
commercial operations.

Will pricing structures and commercial terms change?
No. Pricing structures and commercial terms remain unchanged for both brands.

Will I receive a new Account Manager?
Possibly. The account responsibilities are currently being examined but we will endeavour to ensure that long-standing relationships are not disrupted.

Will my current febi Account Manager understand my Blue Print business and vice-versa?
A full training and handover programme is currently underway to make sure that any knowledge gaps are addressed.

Who will be responsible for the newly merged Sales Team?
The Sales team will be headed up by Martin Gorton, supported by Darren Spooner at a Regional Director level. Martin will also continue as Managing Director of febi UK.

Will customers now be able to order Blue Print from febi and vice-versa?
No. All Blue Print orders and enquiries will be directed to Automotive Distributors Limited and febi orders to febi UK.

Will the Blue Print brand be automatically available to all febi UK customers who don’t currently have access to a Blue Print account and vice-versa?
No, both companies are maintaining their distribution strategies independently.

When will these changes take place?
The launch of the bilstein group brand will be at Automechanika and the roll out of the brand will start from this point onwards. Email addresses from Automotive Distributors Ltd will include reference to the bilstein group from Tuesday 11th September onwards.