06/04/2026
Parts world has taken a major HIT
CARDONE was acquired by First Brands Group in 2023. After First Brands entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2025, the company began evaluating whether to sell its businesses as a whole or in pieces.
By January 2026, First Brands officially announced it was winding down its North American CARDONE operations along with Brake Parts Inc. and Autolite because it could not secure sufficient financing while in bankruptcy. The company stated it would continue seeking buyers and pathways to transfer operations to new ownership.
A few key developments:
* First Brands officially announced the wind-down of CARDONE’s North American operations on January 26, 2026.
* Multiple CARDONE facilities in Texas were slated for closure, including Arlington and Harlingen-area operations, resulting in layoffs.
* Bankruptcy court filings show CARDONE Industries as one of the debtors in the First Brands Chapter 11 case.
* Reuters reported that First Brands was preparing to sell business units individually after failing to find a buyer for the entire company. CARDONE, Brake Parts, and Autolite had already been shut down as part of that process.
What this means for the automotive aftermarket
For shops like your Remedy Auto business, the biggest concern is availability of remanufactured hard parts:
* Steering gears
* Steering columns
* Rack-and-pinion assemblies
* Power steering pumps
* Window motors
* ABS modules
* ECMs and electronic components
* Brake calipers and boosters
CARDONE has historically been one of the largest remanufacturers in North America. If portions of the company are liquidated or sold off separately, some product lines could disappear, while others may be purchased and continued under new ownership.
My read on the situation
This does not look like a simple reorganization where everything continues as normal. The evidence points toward:
1. Bankruptcy.
2. Shutdown of major CARDONE operations.
3. Sale of assets and brands in pieces.
4. Uncertainty about which product lines survive.
If you’re asking because you’re seeing availability issues at NAPA, O’Reilly, Autozone etc… or other suppliers, that would make sense. Many reman product lines are already becoming harder to source, especially for older vehicles.
