LKQ : Alex Gelbcke to step in as the new CEO of Fource

Starting September 1, 2020, the management team of LKQ Europe and Fource welcomes Alex Gelbcke, a well-known and highly respected automotive industry veteran. There will be a transition period until the end of 2020, at which time Alex will take over the position of CEO from current CEO, Sinon Galvin.

Alex will take over daily management of the Fource companies in the Netherlands, Belgium, and France, which are known in the market as Fource, IPAR, CarSys, VanEsch, VHIP, LKQ Belgium, and VHIP France respectively. Alex will report to LKQ Europe's CEO, Arnd Franz, and will become a member of the European Executive Team.

More than 25 years of experience

Alex has acquired over 25 years of management, marketing, sales, and operational experience in various cultural environments within well-established companies, including: Total, BIA, BIHR, 1Parts, and Tenneco. 'I am convinced that Alex Gelbcke's unique combination of industry experience and interpersonal skills will enable him to lead the Benelux and French teams to the next level,' said Sinon Galvin, current CEO of Fource. 'He is an ideal successor and a great choice to continue the market evolution that began with my visionary predecessor, Adriaan Roggeveen.'

'Sinon experienced a successful and eventful period at Fource, where he has been at the helm since 2014,' explained Arnd Franz, CEO of LKQ Europe. 'This period was dominated by many acquisitions both in the Netherlands and Belgium, strong organic growth in France, and saw the subsequent transition from operations that were stand-alone to one that is functional and harmonized. It is now up to Alex to support the European integration program of 1 LKQ Europe, strengthen Fource's leading market position in the region, and to create the best customer experience possible. Also, he will be responsible for completing the integration of our business in Belgium to serve both workshops and resellers, as well as facilitating growth in France.'

'I am extremely excited to join the LKQ Europe and Fource team which has consistently exhibited a clear vision and fantastic drive to the industry,' highlighted Gelbcke. 'Being part of LKQ Europe and Fource is a dream for anyone who is passionate, like me, about the Independent Aftermarket and wants to see it develop through excellence and innovation.'

An important region

Although the Fource region is relatively small compared to other regions within LKQ Europe's scope, such as Germany and Central and Eastern Europe, it is an important one for the company. 'The team at Fource has a lot of knowledge in the field of digitization and logistics,' continued Franz. 'Here, we are investing in a new central distribution center that will expand our logistics position in the market, both in the Netherlands and in Europe.'

Alex Gelbcke will have time to familiarize himself with Fource and LKQ Europe, working closely with Sinon Galvin until the end of the year to ensure a smooth transition. After six years, Sinon and his wife, Carolyn, have decided the time was right to return to the USA to be closer to their three children. We wish them nothing but success in the next phase of their LKQ journey.