Supercheap Auto
Supercheap Auto (originally Super Cheap Auto) is an Australian automotive parts and accessories retailer. It was founded in 1972, operating as a mail-order business and opened its first store in Brisbane in 1974. It now has 300 stores across Australia and New Zealand. History. In 1972, Reg and Hazel Rowe founded an automotive accessories mail order business. By 1974, the business had a turnover of $1 million and opened its first retail location in Brisbane. In 1993, the business was operating seven stores and Bob Thorn joined the company as Director of Retail Operations. Within 12  months the number of stores operating increased to 14 and Thorn was appointed General Manager. In 1997, Thorn was appointed Managing Director and served in this role until January 2006. During his tenure the business grew to over 200 stores. Supercheap Auto acquired the Perth based Marlows business in May 2003. Marlows was the largest independent retailer of auto parts and accessories in Western Australia and South Australia at that time, operating 20 stores in Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria under the Marlows and Rocca Bros brand names. These stores were rebranded as Supercheap Auto stores following completion of  the acquisition and fully integrated into Supercheap Auto's operations. In November 2003, Supercheap Auto opened its first seven stores in New Zealand. All seven stores were opened on the same day and over 13,000 customers visited the stores during the first two days of trading. Supercheap Auto currently has 41 stores trading in New Zealand. In July 2004, the company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, the initial public offering was well received in the market and was oversubscribed resulting in a scale back of the general public offering. The company has over 300 stores throughout Australia and also  in New Zealand, the 250th being Timaru in New Zealand and the 300th being Holden Hill in South Australia. Store formats. Supercheap Auto has some newer formats stores including 1,000sqm Superstores at Oxenford, Alice Springs, Cannon Hill and Caboolture and smaller 400sqm stores as well as more common 700 sq m formats. Sponsorships. From 2005 to 2020, Supercheap Auto held sponsorship naming rights for the Bathurst 1000. It has also sponsored several Supercars Championship teams since 1997 under the brand Supercheap Auto Racing, with drivers such as Steven Ellery (2000–2004), Greg Murphy (2005–2006), Russell Ingall (2008–2013), Tim Slade (2014–2015), Chaz  Mostert (2016–2019) and Jack Le Brocq (2020). It was naming rights sponsor of the Bathurst 1000 from 2005 until 2020, and became the naming rights sponsor of the TCR Australia Touring Car Series in 2021. Since the Supercars title and Bathurst race sponsorship went to Cumberland, Georgia (United States) based rival Genuine Parts Company in 2021, Supercheap is currently an associate sponsor of Triple Eight Race Engineering.