FleetPride, an independent aftermarket distributor of heavy-duty truck and trailer parts, has opened a new location in Bossier City, La., extending the distributor's reach into northwest Louisiana.

The Bossier City branch is located along the east bank of the Red River across from Shreveport.

The new location will be led by Branch Manager Bob Davis, who has 29 years of experience in heavy-duty truck and trailer parts.

"With the opening of the Bossier City branch, FleetPride is better positioned to serve local and national customers in northwest Louisiana that were previously served remotely through Kilgore, Texas," said Lee Stockseth, vice president of operations and central region. "The Shreveport-Bossier City Metro has seen significant growth in the oil and gas industry. Most notably, the Haynesville Shale is the fourth largest oil and gas field in the world. As a result, the area's biggest employers consist of primarily energy companies focused in the areas of oil field rigging and trucking, salt water disposal, and hydraulic fracturing."

"Much of FleetPride's recent growth has been primarily acquisition-based, however, in select markets or situations like the Bossier City-Shreveport market, a greenfield strategy of building a new location from the ground up is more appropriate," said Mike Paxton, vice president of business development and strategic planning. "As we continue to further our national reach, we intend to use both acquisitions and greenfields to increase marketshare."

More info: www.fleetpride.com