A company of many parts.

• Position: Triangle

BUSINESS NORTH CAROLINA's annual ranking of the largest private companies in the state will lose one of its longest-tenured members in 2014. Raleigh-based General Parts International Inc., No. 2 on the North Carolina 100 this year ("Laying it Online," October), will be acquired by Roanoke, Va.-based Advance Auto Parts Inc. for $2 billion. The deal gives Advance a larger footprint and will create $160 million of annual savings within three years. 0. Temple Sloan Jr., 74, founded General Parts in 1962. He will become an adviser after the merger; son 0. Temple Sloan III will remain president of General Parts, parent of the Carquest Auto Parts chain. It also owns 102 WORLDPAC branches, which import and distribute parts for foreign cars. And while it may no longer appear on our ranking, it will move on to something bigger: being part of the largest provider of replacement...