April 10, 2020—Leader Auto Resources (LAR), based in Montreal, and Resilience Capital Partners, a Cleveland-based private equity firm will partner to  expand LAR’s auto dealership sourcing and service business in the U.S, according to a press release.

LAR's existing U.S. businesses will be rebranded as DealerShop. 

According to the report, Resilience Capital sees the potential for dealerships and collisions centers to operate profitably throughout these cycles.

DealerShop will handle and expand all of the company’s U.S. operations and will be headquartered in the Detroit area. It will serve as a subscription-based distribution hub for supplying dealerships with administrative supplies and services, warehouse and direct-purchase products and capital equipment. Experts within the company will routinely analyze supplies, parts, equipment and more to deliver dealers the best pricing and streamline steps for their respective purchasing departments. 

The vast majority of inventory purchased through DealerShop will be shipped directly from its planned distribution center and headquarters in the Detroit area. In some cases, items will be drop-shipped directly from the manufacturer, but still ordered through DealerShop.