Press release · August 27, 2026
Partnership brings practical AI to commercial vehicle distributors, with Minecart giving sales teams less admin and managers more visibility, at member pricing across the network.
Durham, NC — August 27, 2026 — The VIPAR Heavy Duty Family of Companies and Tromml have established a strategic alliance, designating Tromml as a preferred technology partner for VIPAR's extensive North American network. Through this collaboration, network distributors gain exclusive access to preferred pricing for training, services, and software including Minecart, an AI-powered activity intelligence platform designed specifically to meet the needs of the aftermarket and commercial vehicle sales teams.
Over the past several years, Tromml has become the industry's leading voice on AI for the aftermarket, particularly when it comes to supporting sales teams. The company has delivered hands-on AI training and keynotes at MEMA, Auto Care Association, SEMA, and CVSN events.
Minecart gives commercial vehicle and aftermarket sales teams a dedicated activity intelligence platform: less admin for reps in the field, and clear visibility into sales activity for the leaders running the business. Unlike rigid, off-the-shelf CRM software, Minecart is built for the reality of field work. An easy-to-use mobile app helps reps plan and prep for every meeting, and connects field and counter teams into a single source of customer intelligence. In Minecart, a rep simply talks into the app, and it turns voice notes into structured account intelligence, so follow-ups are tracked, opportunities are surfaced, and issues reach management while there's still time to act. The platform makes rep data "AI-ready" to build long-term intelligence across departments.
The Minecart platform is currently being utilized by a wide array of distributors, manufacturers, and representation firms throughout the commercial vehicle sector and the broader automotive aftermarket, and was the winner of the 2025 MEMA Innovation Award.
"Our dedication has always been to the aftermarket, and in the AI era that matters more than ever," said Lauren McCullough, CEO of Tromml. "This industry doesn't need more promises. It needs working tools and hands-on training built for how it operates, and that's what this partnership delivers."
"Stockholder-Driven, Innovation, and Collaboration are three of our core values here at VIPAR Heavy Duty that Tromml aligns with," said Ben Muxlow, Program Manager, VIPAR Heavy Duty. "Tromml built its technology for this industry and shows exemplary promise in innovation and collaboration within our network. We are looking forward to growing this partnership and seeing the impact Tromml can make within our Family of Companies."
Tromml and VIPAR Heavy Duty will host an introductory webinar for members on Monday, October 5 at 11:30 a.m. Central, covering the partnership, a look at Minecart in practice, and how members can get started. Registration details will be sent to member inboxes and posted to the VIPAR member portal.
Tromml is an AI software company built specifically for the automotive aftermarket and commercial vehicle industry. Its flagship product, Minecart, is an activity intelligence platform for field sales that turns a rep's spoken notes into account intelligence, follow-up tracking, and visit prep, with no forms and no call reports. Tromml is led by CEO Lauren McCullough, recipient of the 2024 Women of Excellence Award and 2025 4 Under 40 Impact Award.
The VIPAR Heavy Duty Family of Companies is a premier network of independent truck parts distributors and service providers, with more than 250 distributors and 1,000 locations across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Mexico.
Lauren McCullough CEO, Tromml lauren@tromml.com www.tromml.com
