Having reached the milestone of their 100th year in business, Beck/Arnley has marked the historic event with a variety of celebrations and materials celebrating their first century.
“We are very proud that Beck/Arnley still carries on the strong business traditions established by Irving Beck in 1914,” said Sandy Norris, director of marketing. “We have adapted and changed with the industry, and the fact that our brand has not only survived but flourished for a century is a huge milestone and one we are honored to continue.”
Part of marking the event is the release of a special video and the creation of an anniversary section on their website. Both highlight the rich history of the company and its many accomplishments with vintage photos accompanied by historic advertisements and catalog covers.
The video and website are just the beginning of many ways the company will celebrate during the course of the year. Employees have united to give back to the community in 2014, focusing on several local charities including pet rescues, Habitat for Humanity, and a local shelter. Other special employee and customer events are also planned for later in the year.
Beck Distributing Corp. was founded in 1914 in New York City by a young man in his 20’s named Irving Beck. He saw a future in accessories and spare parts for motorcycles, which were starting to become popular. By the beginning of WWII, Beck Distributing was established as one of the leading suppliers of motorcycle parts and accessories in the U.S.
As the industry rapidly changed, so did Beck’s vision. In the late 1940s, he saw another opportunity with the emergence of the import sports car in the United States. British car makers were anxious to find U.S. distribution for their parts, so they went directly to the successful motorcycle parts distributor they had been selling for years – Beck Distributing.
As the decades passed, Beck Distributing grew with the industry. There were key mergers and acquisitions, each serving as a building block critical to the company’s success.
For more information on Beck/Arnley’s history and to watch the video, visit http://www.beckarnley.com/get-to-know-us/history/.