How an industry built a direct channel that protects its distribution

About MTE-THOMSON

Founded in 1957 as Metalúrgica Termo-Elétrica, MTE-THOMSON is a Brazilian auto parts manufacturer with more than 60 years of continuous activity in the segment. Headquartered in São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, the company operates three industrial plants in the state of São Paulo, in the cities of São Bernardo do Campo, Jaguariúna, and São Carlos, plus its own facilities in Germany and the United States to serve international markets.

The company specializes in engine temperature control, with products such as thermostatic valves, thermal switches, plugs, and temperature sensors, as well as electronic injection and emissions systems, with particular strength in its lambda probe and oxygen sensor line, where MTE-THOMSON is a manufacturing reference in Latin America. Its portfolio covers more than 3,000 items, reaching above 95% of the national and imported fleet of light, commercial, heavy-duty vehicles, and motorcycles, for both OEM and the aftermarket.

With more than 200 million parts produced throughout its history and exports to dozens of countries, MTE-THOMSON combines industrial scale with market proximity: a partner distribution network that carries its products across Brazil, supported by specialized technical assistance and active digital sell-out support.

One of MTE-THOMSON's industrial plants — a reference in auto parts manufacturing in Brazil for more than 60 years.

The Context: A Manufacturer That Doesn't Sell Direct, But Serves Those Who Buy

MTE-THOMSON sells its products exclusively through a network of partner distributors and retailers. It does not sell directly to the end consumer, and that is by design. Its distribution network is a central part of the business and represents decades of carefully built relationships.

Even so, the customer finds their way to MTE-THOMSON . They research the part, discover the brand, and want to know: does this part fit my car? What are the specs? Where can I buy it? These questions arrive via WhatsApp, email, and phone, and the service team answers every single one, every day.

The MTE-THOMSON Store was built to integrate these two worlds: the technical support the brand already offered and the customer's need to find where to buy. A single link that answers the question and points to the nearest partner retailer. Presence in marketplaces for reach. A proprietary digital channel for curation and differentiation. And, most importantly, to actively support its partner retailers in digital sell-out. The MTE-THOMSON portal is available at https://loja.mte-thomson.com.br/

The MTE-THOMSON Store: the Channel That Connects Service, Product, and Partner Retail

The MTE-THOMSON Store is a digital channel developed by MTE-THOMSON in partnership with CWS Platform. How it works is straightforward: the service team receives an inquiry, confirms the right part, and sends the customer a link to the store with the product's full technical information and a list of partner retailers available to complete the purchase, each with its own pricing, delivery time, and stock availability.

An important note: this is not a factory store for direct sales. The MTE-THOMSON Store is an environment where MTE-THOMSON's partner retailers sell to the end customer. When a customer buys, it is made absolutely clear: "You are buying from [Retailer Name]." MTE-THOMSON is not an invisible intermediary: it is the curator of the environment and a supporter of its partners.

What the Proprietary Channel Offers That Generic Marketplaces Don't

The MTE-THOMSON Store is an official brand environment. The catalog is curated and controlled by MTE-THOMSON itself: technical information is accurate, images are professionally treated, compatibilities are verified, and sellers are pre-vetted partners. The customer knows they are in a trustworthy channel, with guaranteed sourcing.

•        Brand-curated catalog: product information comes directly from MTE-THOMSON . Technical specifications are official. Application compatibilities are verified. There is no inconsistency or counterfeiting. The portal offers a broad catalog of MTE-THOMSON products and those of its credentialed partners, with real demand documented by actual purchases.

•        Pre-selected partners: only retailers who already have an established relationship with MTE-THOMSON can sell. There is no competition with random vendors. Partner sellers operating on the portal each have their own curated storefront and history with the brand. Retailers don't compete against a crowd of unknown vendors in the same space.

•        Source credibility: the customer knows they are buying from an official channel, from a credentialed source. This benefits the retailer, who sells with the brand's credibility behind them.

•        Integrated support: customer service, tracking, and after-sales care are coordinated by MTE-THOMSON. The retailer is never left on their own.

Unified Catalog and Transparent Buying Experience

One of the pillars that set the MTE-THOMSON Store apart from a generic marketplace is catalog control. All technical and descriptive product information, including specifications, vehicle compatibility, treated images, warranty data, and application details, is managed and published by MTE-THOMSON itself. The seller doesn't need to worry about any of that: their only responsibility is to report available stock and price. The result is a catalog that is always precise, standardized, and reliable, regardless of which partner is selling.

This division of responsibilities is intentional. MTE-THOMSON ensures the integrity of the product information. The distributor ensures availability and commercial competitiveness. Together, they deliver a complete buying experience to the end customer: the right technical information to decide, and a quality offer to close the deal.

Product page on the MTE-THOMSON Store: unified catalog with treated images, full technical description, warranty information, and application compatibility — all managed by MTE-THOMSON

The Buy Box: the Customer Chooses Who to Buy From

When a customer finds the product they need, they don't see just one offer: they see the primary offer, typically the geographically nearest retailer or the one with the best delivery time, and have the option to expand and view all available offers. Each offer clearly shows the retailer's name, price, delivery time, and stock availability. The customer chooses who to buy from.

This transparency benefits the entire chain. The customer gains choice and confidence. The retailer with the best offer gains visibility. And MTE-THOMSON ensures the sale happens within its ecosystem, with traceability, support, and brand credibility in every transaction.

Buy Box on the MTE-THOMSON Store: the customer sees the primary offer and can compare all offers from partner retailers, including price, delivery time, and availability for each.

Products Leading Online Demand

The real demand on the MTE-THOMSON Store reveals which products matter most to online buyers. Sensors, probes, and diagnostic valves are at the top: products that require brand trust, correct technical specification, and guaranteed compatibility. Exactly what a generic marketplace does not offer in a structured way.

Products that Lead the search

Real demand on Loja MTE-THOMSON reveals which products matter most to those who buy online. Sensors, probes, and diagnostic valves are at the top: products that require brand trust, correct technical specification, and guaranteed compatibility. Exactly what a generic marketplace does not offer in a structured way.

How Support and the Portal Work Together in Practice

Path 1: The Customer Arrives Directly at the Portal

The customer, whether end consumer, mechanic, repair shop, or retailer, accesses Loja MTE-THOMSON directly, searches for the part by name or code, finds the complete technical sheet, and compares the offers from available partners. They choose the one that best fits their location or timeline and complete the purchase. All in a single environment, with guaranteed provenance.

Path 2: The Customer Arrives Through Support

When the customer has a question, such as which part fits their vehicle or which compatibility is correct, they contact MTE-THOMSON through WhatsApp, email, or phone. The support team confirms the correct part and sends a Loja MTE-THOMSON link with the product's complete technical sheet and the partner retailers available for purchase. The customer resolves the question and already has where to buy, all in the same link.

After the Sale: Support Coordinated by the Brand

The experience does not end at the purchase. MTE-THOMSON does not just offer passive tracking, it offers active coordination that benefits the retailer. A real example: a customer bought a part with a 3 business day deadline that passed. MTE-THOMSON did not wait for the customer to complain. It made contact, identified that the purchase was made from a seller, and verified directly with the partner what had happened. The customer gets a fast answer. The retailer is not left with a dissatisfied customer. MTE-THOMSON coordinates.

After completing the order, the customer has access to support coordinated by MTE-THOMSON. They receive a tracking code and follow the status in real time. If there is a delay or a question, they contact MTE-THOMSON through WhatsApp. The brand mediates, coordinates with the partner, and resolves. The retailer has a partner in support.

The types of contact are varied: tracking, part application, warranty, or an order that needs attention. MTE-THOMSON follows each case and coordinates the solution with the responsible partner. The customer is not left alone, and the retailer has the brand at its side.

This kind of integrated support sets it apart. A generic marketplace offers checkout and that is it. Loja MTE-THOMSON offers a complete coordinated journey that benefits the partner retailer.

Transparency in the Chain: Who Sells and Who Supports

An important point that comes up frequently is making clear which partner retailer the customer is buying the product from.

This transparency is fundamental. The customer knows exactly who they bought from and also knows that MTE-THOMSON is behind it, coordinating, guaranteeing quality, and offering support. The retailer keeps a satisfied customer. The brand offers the infrastructure that lets the retailer do this well. It is not invisibility: it is curation and support.

Omnichannel Strategy: Presence Across Every Channel

Loja MTE-THOMSON does not replace presence on other marketplaces. It complements it. The brand is on every channel where the customer searches, and the proprietary portal ensures that when that customer comes to MTE-THOMSON, they find complete technical information and leave with a clear path to purchase through a partner.

The Core Point: Support, Information, and Sale as a Single Funnel

Everything described in this article, the unified catalog, the buy box with multiple offers, and the support coordinated by the brand, solves a concrete challenge: the customer comes to MTE-THOMSON with a question and needs an answer that ends in a purchase, made through the right partner retailer.

This is the most important point.

The migration of sell-out to online is structural. Retailers that do not sell online tend to lose ground. But many do not have the capacity, resources, or knowledge to build their own digital infrastructure. At that moment, the manufacturer has a role to play.

MTE-THOMSON starts from the conviction that the manufacturer that wants to prosper in the coming years does not compete against its retailer: it enables its retailer. It does not remove the intermediary: it strengthens the intermediary. It does not sell direct: it makes it easier for the partner to sell better.

The portal ensures that support and the sale happen in an integrated way, with the brand at the center, without selling direct.

What This Means for Other Manufacturers

MTE-THOMSON offers a structured alternative for retailers that want to sell online but do not have the capacity to build their own infrastructure. It is not competition against the retailer: it is partnership with the retailer.

At a moment when many brands try to eliminate the intermediary and go direct to the consumer, MTE-THOMSON does the opposite: it invests in infrastructure so the intermediary, the retailer, sells better. It recognizes that the retailer is its strategic partner, not its competitor.

This is the strategic choice that sets apart the manufacturer that understands its ecosystem. The manufacturer that invests in helping its retailers sell online responds to the change in retail leaning on its own network, not against it.

Support as the Gateway to the Purchase

In the auto parts sector, compatibility is critical. A wrong part is not just dissatisfaction: it is rework, cost, and risk. That is why technical support is not an operational cost: it is part of the product. Whoever answers well, with technical precision, builds trust, and trust brings the customer back to the same channel on the next purchase.

The entire chain comes to MTE-THOMSON. Mechanics and repair shops are the majority, but distributors, retailers, and even vehicle owners make contact directly. The customer wants to confirm the right part and find out where to buy it. MTE-THOMSON responds with technical guidance and then directs the customer to Loja MTE-THOMSON, where the correct part is available from partner retailers. The question and the purchase resolve along the same path.

The Relationship with Sellers: a Constant and Strategic Effort

A digital channel is only as strong as the partners that operate within it. For that reason, MTE-THOMSON treats the relationship with its distributors as a structural part of the strategy, not as a step that gets completed.

Each partner distributor has its own pace, its own portfolio, and its own audience. Working closely means understanding that reality and offering the right support at each moment: guidance on product registration, logistics alignment, communication about portal updates. The more the partner understands and uses the channel, the more it sells, and the more the brand strengthens within its network.

This is continuous work. The market changes, the portfolio grows, new partners come in. MTE-THOMSON's role is not just to make the channel available: it is to walk alongside each distributor, ensuring it has the conditions to sell well. The stronger the partner, the stronger the ecosystem.

Support as Part of the Product

MTE-THOMSON consolidated the brand in the temperature, lambda sensor, and electronic injection lines to the point where the name became a category reference. That credibility is a direct asset of the digital channel: the customer who comes to Loja MTE-THOMSON already arrives with confidence in the brand and finds, in the same environment, the technical information to decide and the partner retailer to buy from.

This is MTE-THOMSON's invitation to its customers and partners: to take part in this journey. A proprietary digital channel, curated by the factory, that connects the brand's trust to the strength of the distribution network. The right part, guaranteed provenance, and the partner retailer, in one place.

https://loja.mte-thomson.com.br/