Every Car Drives with Schaeffler

In all, 10 trades will be designated for skilled trades certification. The first seven will focus on the electrical and mechanical trades — ranging from commercial electrician to sheet metal worker — while phase two will focus on automotive.

Uncertified trade workers in phase one will be required to register as an apprentice or pass a certification exam before December 1, 2023.

The three automotive trades — heavy-duty equipment technician, automotive service technician and auto body and collision technician — will require certification in 2024 under phase two of the plan. No hard deadline has been set yet but tradespeople will have one year to make the transition once announced.

At Least 6 Years Until Used Market Rebounds

NEW VEHICLE SALES ARE at levels not seen in years. Used vehicle inventories are so low that values of what’s out there

Intelligent repair solutions in Schaeffler quality www.aftermarket.schaeffler.us have hit historically high levels.

It’s good if all our replacement parts fulfill your requirements. It’s even better if the accompanying service exceeds your expectations. INA, LuK, and Schaeffler strive to make your job as easy as possible with repair solutions that include everything you need for professional and efficient maintenance.

And that’s all good news for the automotive aftermarket as it could stand to benefit as consumers will opt to maintain and repair their current vehicle rather than replace it.

Automakers are struggling to replenish inventory as shortages of semiconductors plague production. They’re putting whatever semiconductors they have into higher-end vehicles. There’s little relief in sight.

“Right now, supply is going to get worse before it gets any better,” said Daniel Ross, senior automotive analyst at Canadian Black Book.

“New volume and production for the last two, two-and-ahalf years have been suppressed,” he added during TalkAuto, hosted by Canadian Black Book in November in Vaughan, Ontario. “And it’s been very low. And we’re all suffering from low inventory, ultimately, across the board.”

This means that the supply of used vehicles will be constrained even longer. Without a sudden replenishment of new vehicles, consumers will have fewer less expensive used options.

“So what we’re going to see is, used vehicle supply is going to stay suppressed, it’s going to stay low,” he observed. “Without that gateway from new cars, inventory is not really going to start replenishing until about the 2028 timeframe.”