Solera integrate parts procurement solutions

Solera Holdings has announced the integration of its parts procurement solutions, including Distribution Service Technologies (‘DST’) and APU Solutions (‘APU’), to form InPart.

Through InPart, Solera will enable online parts procurement from the industry’s largest network of suppliers directly within the existing systems and workflow of collision and mechanical repair shops.

‘Our vision is to become the premier procurement solution for all part types, including OEM, aftermarket, and recycled parts, for global collision and mechanical repair workshops,’ said Tanvir Arfi, president of Solera’s Service, Maintenance Repair (‘SMR’) and parts platform. ‘InPart leverages the capabilities of Solera companies across market segments, extending the value of our solutions for all of our customers – whether an insurer, repairer, or part supplier.’

Solera’s parts procurement solutions meet the unique business requirements of collision and mechanical shops, tailoring the user experience interface, functionality, and workflow to the market segment and end user.  InPart will streamline the process of searching for, pricing, and purchasing OEM, aftermarket, and recycled parts for both the collision repair and mechanical repair markets.

For the collision repair market, InPart builds on APU PartsNetwork’s successful 15-year foundation and provides benefits for all three stakeholders involved in a collision repair –  the auto insurer, body shop, and parts supplier. Based on a patented workflow, PartsNetwork is used in thousands of shops and quotes over 103.5 million parts annually valued at $20.5 billion.

‘InPart makes it easy for us to buy the parts on an estimate,’ said Marshall Mizuno, estimator with Heppner’s Auto Body in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota. ‘From within the software’s workflow we are able to locate the right parts and purchase them electronically, saving us time.’

For the mechanical repair market, InPart incorporates DST’s eCommerce Gateway and Identifix’s award-winning DirectHit mechanical repair support website. Together, they combine vehicle repair information with real-time part information (e.g. pricing, availability), enabling users in over 53,000 repair shops to make intelligent purchasing decisions at the time of need.

By being open to integrating with the industry’s leading estimate management systems, body shop management systems, mechanical shop management systems, and part suppliers’ inventory management systems, InPart automates the entire parts procurement process, eliminating redundant or manual tasks for all stakeholders – insurers, shops, and parts suppliers.