NATIONAL GROUPS JOIN GLOBAL R2R MOVEMENT

THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRIES Association of Canada and the Auto Care Association in the U.S. are part of a 20-country effort in the fight for right to repair legislation.

The groups said they want to see “fair and open competition and consumer choice” around vehicle repair and service.

The Global Vehicle Right to Repair Position Statement outlines the movement’s core beliefs, along with objectives and intended outcomes it wants to see in a legislated right to repair solution.

“Importantly, the document outlines 10 best practice principles for developing a framework for right to repair legislation that any supporting country can use and adapt to their needs,” the shared statement said.

It further noted that the automotive aftermarket performs 70 per cent of repairs

Why

after vehicles are no longer covered by warranty.

“Increasingly, automakers are making it more difficult for aftermarket repairers to access vital vehicle diagnostic and repair data — which leaves the customer with limited choices and increased costs to maintain their vehicles,” the statement said. “Without the convenience and choice of independent parts and repair, especially in urban, suburban and rural communities, consumers will have limited access to affordable vehicle service and repair. These restrictions can have catastrophic effects on local economies and the well-being and safety of millions that rely on vehicle transportation daily.” art facility.

The global aftermarket contributes US$1.8 trillion to the economy. The Canadian portion of that is CAN$37.8 billion, plus employing more than 480,000 individuals.

“AIA Canada remains committed to working with government to ensure the safety of Canadians through continued access to essential, reliable and affordable vehicle service and repair,” Alana Baker, AIA Canada’s senior director of government relations, said in a statement.

The new headquarters and distribution centre in in Mundelein, Illinois has fully racked six stories of warehouse capacity with more than 6,200 bays. It can hold 12,400 pallets and over 310 40-foot containers.

The aftermarket parts manufacturer was formerly located in nearby Libertyville.

“To allow for current and future growth, we’ve added another 40,000 square feet of warehouse and shipping capacity,” said Nancy Liu, president and CEO at Alltech. “Our expansion has been greatly supported by our automotive retailers and distributors, who have been key to our success since 2006.”

PARTS USAGE IS ON THE RISE. WHY?

THE NUMBER OF AUTOMOTIVE aftermarket parts being used these days is on the rise thanks to a combination that includes more older vehicles — and bigger ones, too.

A recent report from Lang Marketing highlighted that aftermarket product volume rebounded to match pre-pandemic levels after plunging during 2020 amid the height of COVID-19.

In 2021, product use per vehicle came back up before making ‘a significant gain’ last year and producing a volume increase.

The report, Vehicles Expand Their Parts Appetite, credited four reasons behind this: Higher vehicle age, yearly mileage distribution by vehicle age, light truck growth and more foreign nameplates.

Older vehicles, from cars to light trucks, user more products per mile than newer ones, it noted. “The steady increase in vehicle age and the growing number of cars and light trucks in older age categories” helped boost aftermarket product volume, the report said.

There has also been a significant mileage shift that is impacting older vehicles. Lang reported that vehicles under the age of four generate about 35 per cent more annual miles on average than older vehicles.

“Reductions in new vehicle sales have tended to redistribute heavy driving across older age categories of cars and light trucks,” it said. “When new vehicle sales fall, annual mileage shifts from newer to older cars and light trucks, which use more products per mile. This increases the annual product use per vehicle.”