As a leading player in the local automotive aftermarket industry, BSB Junrose Autoparts Corporation is best-known for redefining parts supply in the country by introducing omni level distribution of the best automotive, motorcycle, and truck parts. Combined with upholding quick service, genuine high-quality products, and competitive prices, it’s no surprise that the company has over the years become a sought-after and go-to place in its industry.
A big reason for BSB Junrose’s success is its chairman, Ricardo Bangayan, son of the original BSB himself, Benjamin S. Bangayan. According to the younger Bangayan, BSB Junrose was founded by his father way back in 1968. Honed by decades of working for another spare parts establishment, BSB decided to strike on his own and open his own shop.
Over the years, BSB inevitably involved the rest of his family in the business as well. “I grew up inside the shop. As an adolescent, I started helping the family business by cleaning the area, picking up small items and doing inventory,” Bangayan said as he remembered how he started to share his father’s passion for auto parts.
“During quiet times, when all my tasks were done, I would sometimes pretend that the metal chain belts we sold were tank treads; it was my favorite item in the store. I also enjoyed watching my father speak to customers over the counter and learning what I can about customer service and the parts market from their interactions. Though I did not completely understand why customers purchased what they bought, what certainly became evident to me was that they needed those parts to work well for safe and unencumbered journeys with their vehicles,” he shared.
The importance of selling high-quality spare parts was not lost on the then young Bangayan, as it also encouraged return business, which in turn ensured that their big family of 11 including his eight siblings, were not only fed and clothed but also educated.
“It certainly influenced what I studied in college. It was through the journey of obtaining a mechanical engineering degree that I gained an even deeper appreciation for parts and the work that goes into cars.”
Bangayan recalls that even with his father’s love for auto parts, BSB Junrose still had its share of birth pains and “started out as a mom-and-pop shop that had more debt than inventory.”
“It was certainly challenging in the beginning, but through our founder’s reputation as a trustworthy, no-nonsense guy, along with the help of the entire family, we were able to right the ship and grow the business. In a short period, we were counted among the parts pioneers for Japanese vehicles, which makes sense in hindsight, but didn’t really back then since the market was completely dominated by American parts,” he further recalled.
Today, on top of its original retail store, BSB Junrose now has four offices, four warehouses, and under 200 employees serving B2B customers in all 17 regions of the country.
“We’ve grown quite significantly since our humble beginnings. Our current area of focus is what we usually call ‘hard parts’ instead of ‘accessories.’ We carry a wide range of parts for steering and suspension, brakes, engine components, bearings, seals, batteries and other consumable items for smaller vehicles like motorcycles, up to bigger vehicles like trucks.”
Since there are plenty of Japanese-branded car models in the Philippines, BSB Junrose maintains a larger inventory of Japanese parts. But they do also carry parts for non-Japanese cars like Korean and American vehicles, as well as European models.
Today, the company offers one of the widest arrays of OEM-quality products to the automotive aftermarket industry in the Philippines. Sourcing directly from manufacturers worldwide, BSB Junrose leverages its long industry experience so customers can have an easier path to success.
But like most businesses, BSB Junrose also felt the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. That has not at all deterred Bangayan from having a bullish look at the future of the aftermarket industry. The company is in the process of expanding its operations.
“Our immediate expansion plans revolve around better serving customers around the country through quicker and more convenient services. We just opened our new office in Manila so we are now able to beef up our organization while still maintaining minimum health and safety protocols. A new Manila warehouse is also scheduled to open this year and this should help increase our capacity to better serve customers,” Bangayan said.
Much of the success of BSB Junrose can be attributed to Bangayan’s management style which he describes as “data-driven.”
“While it’s not possible to have all the information required to make perfect decisions, I believe in relying on data-driven insights to optimize decisions and allow the company to execute them with more confidence. That’s why we were one of the first ones in the industry to digitize our internal processes. Leveraging technology for efficiency and data analysis has truly been a key success factor in the growth of BSB Junrose,” he explained.
He also cites many things he has learned from his father and the company’s founder through the years.
“A few things that stand out and are still applicable in our business today is 1) Approach everything with a sense of openness and humility. There is always something new to learn about what may already be familiar; 2) Be flexible and ready your business to adapt to changing conditions; 3) Bad times are inevitable—but it’s important to persist in what you want to achieve; and 4) Integrity is key. It was from our founder’s integrity that we were able to get out of a tough situation. We believe that it is from this same spirit of integrity that we were able to gain our customers’ trust throughout the decades,” Bangayan concluded.
BSB Junrose Autoparts Corporation is located at The Pentagrid, 1681 Laguna St. cor. Felix Huertas St., Sta. Cruz, Manila.
