About Us

Established in 1978 by brothers Craig and Paul Marek, the spark for the business was ignited long before. Paul began working on diesel engines when he was just eight years old, grinding valves for cylinder heads for a southwest Detroit neighbor who had a diesel repair business.

"It was boring work," Paul recalls. "We got a nickel a piece and we used to do hundreds at a time."

When he was 12, Paul rebuilt cylinder heads and blowers used on race cars. At age 14, he was overhauling diesel engines. By the time he was 16, Paul had his own customers and enlisted brother Craig to help.

Paul had plans to form a business partnership with Craig and another friend to repair diesels, but the friend backed out.

"Craig and I were only 19 and 20," Paul comments. "I had committed to leasing a building of about 3,000 square feet."

So the two brothers launched Superior Diesel Repair in Dearborn, MI, and hired family members to help out. They worked on diesel trucks, rebuilt components, and sold parts. The business grew quickly.

Today, Superior Diesel Repair is located on a three-acre site in a southwest Detroit trucking hub, near big truck dealerships and major freeways. The company employs 35 people and is growing about 30 percent per year.

Parts and component sales have grown to five times that of truck repairs. Most of their customers come from the Detroit metro area, but Superior ships parts nationwide, and even some internationally. Bill McLaury, Paul’s brother-in-law, manages the diesel injection shop, while mother Lenore Platt takes care of the books and sister Mary helps out part time.

Paul is also known for his expertise in fan clutches and blades. In 1986, Superior Diesel acquired the Horton fan clutch product line and has since become one of our largest independent distributors. Selling viscous drives, on/off clutches, and all types of fan blades all over the country boosted the family business. Superior Diesel maintains around $220,000 in Horton inventory and is considered by many to be the leading fan-clutch house in the United States.