SPOTLIGHT ON EXCELLENCE

Bionic Auto Parts

Chicago is this Recycler’s

Kind of Town BY LYNN NOVELLI

This recycler isn’t afraid to dig deep and broaden their scope to bring success to the family business.

C 52 Automotive Recycling | November-December 2016

hicago, Illinois is a great city for blues, deep dish pizza – and an ARA Gold Seal auto- motive recycling business. Just ask John Catalano. He and his brothers Tony and Jerry, along with sons John Jr. and Anthony, co-own Bionic Auto Parts, a third-genera-

tion automotive recycling business right in the city. Catalano is proud to say Bionic has been in the same location, three miles south of downtown Chicago, for 40 years.

Frank Catalano, John, Jerry and Tony’s father, established the original yard in 1973 as Cat’s Auto Parts, a small, primarily retail operation. John joined the business while still holding a full-time job with the city of Chicago, working at the yard from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. They worked together for several years before deciding they needed to expand the business to gen- erate more income. They sold the yard in 1976 – which operates today under a different owner on Chicago’s southside as New Cat’s Auto Parts – and persuaded Tony and Jerry to join their new venture. Tony came in full-time while Jerry started part-time and continued to operate his accounting business. Reborn as Bionic Auto Parts, the yard continued to service primarily retail customers and shade tree