Genuine Parts flies to Toronto as NAPA eyes Canadian market expansion

Genuine Parts flew from Montvale Airpark to Toronto Pearson International Airport on June 1, touching down aboard the company Gulfstream G280 at 8:22 p.m. local time after a 1-hour, 25-minute hop from Tennessee.

The same week, Canadian Tire Corporation — NAPA Auto Parts’ largest retail partner in Canada — reported quarterly earnings of C$9.4 billion, up 6% year-over-year, per a company filing on June 2. The Toronto-based retailer credited stronger automotive-parts demand and store renovation efforts. A visit from Genuine Parts’ CEO Will Stengel would align with routine account reviews and strategic planning for the joint Canadian venture, which operates more than 175 NAPA stores across the country.

The flight to Toronto is a new pattern for Genuine Parts, whose Atlanta-based fleet primarily shuttles executives to Chicago, Houston, Washington, and London for meetings with manufacturing partners and federal regulators. A foray into Canada by private aircraft suggests the company is prioritizing its northern business relationships in a tightening supply chain environment.