Wal-Mart Canada - bye bye Fram, hello Purolator
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Originally Posted By: cp3
Originally Posted By: sayjac
Until relatively recently (Rank buyout), didn't Fram have a large manufacturing plant for Extra Guard/orange can oil filter production in Canada? Has that plant shut down or reduced production? Seems I remember reading that on this board. Could that also be a factor?
Yes they did close the plant in Stratford in the fall. I would be surprised if that would effect Rank's ability to supply Canada though. They have a pretty much got a strangle hold of the market here, to just give it up doesn't seem like a great move. I could see them wanting to charge more due to increased logistics costs of no longer producing in Canada and WalMart saying no.
Does Purolator (or whomever makes their filters) have a Canadian plant for their oil filters? Maybe Walmart in Canada is doing the same thing as Walmart in the US, namely making a decision to buy more from domestic manufacturers. Are US Frams too foreign for Canadians?
Originally Posted By: sayjac
Until relatively recently (Rank buyout), didn't Fram have a large manufacturing plant for Extra Guard/orange can oil filter production in Canada? Has that plant shut down or reduced production? Seems I remember reading that on this board. Could that also be a factor?
Yes they did close the plant in Stratford in the fall. I would be surprised if that would effect Rank's ability to supply Canada though. They have a pretty much got a strangle hold of the market here, to just give it up doesn't seem like a great move. I could see them wanting to charge more due to increased logistics costs of no longer producing in Canada and WalMart saying no.
Does Purolator (or whomever makes their filters) have a Canadian plant for their oil filters? Maybe Walmart in Canada is doing the same thing as Walmart in the US, namely making a decision to buy more from domestic manufacturers. Are US Frams too foreign for Canadians?
In my Wal-Mart today, all the Purolator Classic, Bosch Premium, and Purolator Synthetic oil filters all that I looked at said Made in USA.
Purolator air filter for my wife's Toyota Echo, Made in China.
Purolator had Made in Canada filters here (and I am assuming a factory) up until about 20 years ago.
I am not aware of any filter factories of any brand in operation in Canada anymore. Every brand manufacturer used to have a factory here in the 1950s, 60s, 70s, early 80s.
Rank was cruel enough to close the local Fram plant and put a lot of people out of work here last year. They moved the manufacturing the US which is fine, but what happens if it later moves to China? I don't like what is already happening with air and fuel filters with many being made offshore.
Purolator air filter for my wife's Toyota Echo, Made in China.
Purolator had Made in Canada filters here (and I am assuming a factory) up until about 20 years ago.
I am not aware of any filter factories of any brand in operation in Canada anymore. Every brand manufacturer used to have a factory here in the 1950s, 60s, 70s, early 80s.
Rank was cruel enough to close the local Fram plant and put a lot of people out of work here last year. They moved the manufacturing the US which is fine, but what happens if it later moves to China? I don't like what is already happening with air and fuel filters with many being made offshore.
Noticed the same thing at my local Walmart (Smiths Falls,Ontario)
All the Fram oil/air filters are gone.
Picked up a Purolator Synthetic for my stash
All the Fram oil/air filters are gone.
Picked up a Purolator Synthetic for my stash
I have a feeling this is a regional thing. All the automotive departments in local WM's (Ottawa) keep getting smaller and smaller...highly doubt they will make the effort to change over to new filters.
Brand-new WM supercenters are being built w/o TLE's at all, the auto department is maybe two aisles. Eventually, WM's won't carry auto products anymore...enjoy while it lasts!
Brand-new WM supercenters are being built w/o TLE's at all, the auto department is maybe two aisles. Eventually, WM's won't carry auto products anymore...enjoy while it lasts!
Originally Posted By: volk06
Poor Kevyguy! He may might have to come to the purolator "dark side"!
If my local Wally gets rid of the FRAM's, I'll just buy them at my local Canadian Tire.
Poor Kevyguy! He may might have to come to the purolator "dark side"!
If my local Wally gets rid of the FRAM's, I'll just buy them at my local Canadian Tire.
Originally Posted By: sayjac
And KevGuy will be beside himself without the massive wall of his favored orange cans in his Wally stores.
Isn't this a lovely picture.? Easy on the eyes and brings a smile to your face?
And KevGuy will be beside himself without the massive wall of his favored orange cans in his Wally stores.
Isn't this a lovely picture.? Easy on the eyes and brings a smile to your face?
Originally Posted By: cp3
Originally Posted By: sayjac
Until relatively recently (Rank buyout), didn't Fram have a large manufacturing plant for Extra Guard/orange can oil filter production in Canada? Has that plant shut down or reduced production? Seems I remember reading that on this board. Could that also be a factor?
Yes they did close the plant in Stratford in the fall. I would be surprised if that would effect Rank's ability to supply Canada though. They have a pretty much got a strangle hold of the market here, to just give it up doesn't seem like a great move......
Wasn't thinking in terms of Rank not being able to supply Wally CAN., doubtful that would be a reason. However when long time poster Gary Allan (rip) used to post on the limited oil filter selection in Can., when the topic came up. He used point to a governmental factor in the limited selection of oil filters in Canada, and the fact that Fram oil filters were then manufactured in Canada was a main reason for the "strangle hold" as you put it. Whether that is true or not apparently based on another response on this thread by a Canadian resident, I'm not the only one that sees some correlation between the Rank purchase, the Stratford plant closing and now the previously unheard of introduction of Purolator oil/air filters into at least some Wally Can. stores. To early to tell if this is a just a regional Wally Can. store phenomenon, I suspect it might be, it's still a major change for at least some Wallys north of the border. If nothing else perhaps it opens the chance for a greater oil filter selection elsewhere in Canada.
As for any carryover to the US with more Wally Purolator selection and shelf space, I've not seen it in my area Wally stores. Fram oil filter varieties still dominate the shelf space. Wally is afaik the largest retailer of Fram oil and air filters, and I expect it to remain that way. If not for the Rank takeover of Fram added to the previous Champ purchase, I suspect Super Tech filters would not have been replaced with Purolator Classics. But, for $3.27 for all Classic oil filter applications, glad it did.
Originally Posted By: sayjac
Until relatively recently (Rank buyout), didn't Fram have a large manufacturing plant for Extra Guard/orange can oil filter production in Canada? Has that plant shut down or reduced production? Seems I remember reading that on this board. Could that also be a factor?
Yes they did close the plant in Stratford in the fall. I would be surprised if that would effect Rank's ability to supply Canada though. They have a pretty much got a strangle hold of the market here, to just give it up doesn't seem like a great move......
Wasn't thinking in terms of Rank not being able to supply Wally CAN., doubtful that would be a reason. However when long time poster Gary Allan (rip) used to post on the limited oil filter selection in Can., when the topic came up. He used point to a governmental factor in the limited selection of oil filters in Canada, and the fact that Fram oil filters were then manufactured in Canada was a main reason for the "strangle hold" as you put it. Whether that is true or not apparently based on another response on this thread by a Canadian resident, I'm not the only one that sees some correlation between the Rank purchase, the Stratford plant closing and now the previously unheard of introduction of Purolator oil/air filters into at least some Wally Can. stores. To early to tell if this is a just a regional Wally Can. store phenomenon, I suspect it might be, it's still a major change for at least some Wallys north of the border. If nothing else perhaps it opens the chance for a greater oil filter selection elsewhere in Canada.
As for any carryover to the US with more Wally Purolator selection and shelf space, I've not seen it in my area Wally stores. Fram oil filter varieties still dominate the shelf space. Wally is afaik the largest retailer of Fram oil and air filters, and I expect it to remain that way. If not for the Rank takeover of Fram added to the previous Champ purchase, I suspect Super Tech filters would not have been replaced with Purolator Classics. But, for $3.27 for all Classic oil filter applications, glad it did.
I can't really comment on a government factor relating to filters, I have no idea honestly. If that was the reason for Fram's dominance, why would Purolator be allowed in now with no Canadian manufacturing?
Whatever the reason, I'll be checking out the filter section this weekend in at least one of the local WM!
Whatever the reason, I'll be checking out the filter section this weekend in at least one of the local WM!
I know for sure my local store here in thornhill (Toronto). Has switched to Purolator as well. Noticed it last week. I too did open up each filter and had a look.
Won't be purchasing any time soon as I have about 18 Bosch Premiums sitting in my basement (and all my vehicles use the same filter!)
Won't be purchasing any time soon as I have about 18 Bosch Premiums sitting in my basement (and all my vehicles use the same filter!)
Originally Posted By: KevGuy
Originally Posted By: sayjac
And KevGuy will be beside himself without the massive wall of his favored orange cans in his Wally stores.
Isn't this a lovely picture.? Easy on the eyes and brings a smile to your face?
Kinda funny they have toilet paper next to the Frams.
Originally Posted By: sayjac
And KevGuy will be beside himself without the massive wall of his favored orange cans in his Wally stores.
Isn't this a lovely picture.? Easy on the eyes and brings a smile to your face?
Kinda funny they have toilet paper next to the Frams.
Originally Posted By: richport29
Noticed the same thing at my local Walmart (Smiths Falls,Ontario)
All the Fram oil/air filters are gone.
I checked one here, and there wasn't a Fram in sight anymore. The shelf tags were still there, but all the filters were gone. They hadn't restocked everything with Purolator or Bosch products yet, though, and the Fram catalog was still there. There were only two types of Classics on the shelf. I don't recall the model numbers, but one was a bit of an oddball, really tall and thin.
Noticed the same thing at my local Walmart (Smiths Falls,Ontario)
All the Fram oil/air filters are gone.
I checked one here, and there wasn't a Fram in sight anymore. The shelf tags were still there, but all the filters were gone. They hadn't restocked everything with Purolator or Bosch products yet, though, and the Fram catalog was still there. There were only two types of Classics on the shelf. I don't recall the model numbers, but one was a bit of an oddball, really tall and thin.
Guess I will go to my local store and stock up on the fram ultras then.
Quote:
Guess I will go to my local store and stock up on the fram ultras then.
No need to hoard, it's a safe bet the Canada phenomena will not be repeated in the US. Ultra's will continue to be sold and Wally the largest seller of Fram oil filter varieties.
Guess I will go to my local store and stock up on the fram ultras then.
No need to hoard, it's a safe bet the Canada phenomena will not be repeated in the US. Ultra's will continue to be sold and Wally the largest seller of Fram oil filter varieties.
This is great news. Was at WM last week and noticed Purolator being phased in. I honestly wasn't expecting to see them remove all the Frams like some of you have said they've done.
It's nice to see Canadians have more choice when it comes to filters. Frams were clearly the most accessible of any brand. Now we can add Puros to the list.
It's a win-win for everybody.
It's nice to see Canadians have more choice when it comes to filters. Frams were clearly the most accessible of any brand. Now we can add Puros to the list.
It's a win-win for everybody.
Yep, here too! All the Fram air filters were gone and they had 8 or 10 different Classic oil filters. Nothing for either of my cars. Prices were good. I'll have to check out the location that carried the TGs, they may have more on the shelves. Looking forward to trying some Bosch Premiums!
Originally Posted By: sir1900
This is great news. Was at WM last week and noticed Purolator being phased in. I honestly wasn't expecting to see them remove all the Frams like some of you have said they've done.
I would have expected them to sell the stuff rolled back to the bone. Instead, they just loaded everything up to send back, I'm assuming. I'm rather confident they didn't go from a full shelf two days previous (when I was last there) to an empty selection of Frams two days later simply by people buying the stuff.
Considering Purolators were just about impossible to get in this city before, this will be good. I really hope they stock the Bosch 3300. That will be much easier for me.
This is great news. Was at WM last week and noticed Purolator being phased in. I honestly wasn't expecting to see them remove all the Frams like some of you have said they've done.
I would have expected them to sell the stuff rolled back to the bone. Instead, they just loaded everything up to send back, I'm assuming. I'm rather confident they didn't go from a full shelf two days previous (when I was last there) to an empty selection of Frams two days later simply by people buying the stuff.
Considering Purolators were just about impossible to get in this city before, this will be good. I really hope they stock the Bosch 3300. That will be much easier for me.
$3.27 here in nj for the purolator which is an ok price i pay under $2.00 for bulk filters for the shop and they are made by purolator.
Whoo-hoo! Went to Walmart in Regina tonight and noticed the following:
All Frams are gone. Air filters replaced with Purolator. Oil filters replaced with PS, PC and Bosch.
PCs are roughly $5, Bosch $7, PS $11.
It's a bit of a head scratcher as to why they would carry the Bosch instead of P1.
Still a win-win. PCs are cheaper than OCOD and TG. I suspect oil filter sales at Canadian Tire will plummet as a result of the Puros at Walmart.
All Frams are gone. Air filters replaced with Purolator. Oil filters replaced with PS, PC and Bosch.
PCs are roughly $5, Bosch $7, PS $11.
It's a bit of a head scratcher as to why they would carry the Bosch instead of P1.
Still a win-win. PCs are cheaper than OCOD and TG. I suspect oil filter sales at Canadian Tire will plummet as a result of the Puros at Walmart.
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