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
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64