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Serving the Automotive Aftermarket Since 1931

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2021

Keeping the consumer Why understanding the consumer convenience revolution is critical to a global recovery

in the aftermarket TAKING POWER STEERING IN A WHOLE NEW DIRECTION An exclusive interview with Plews & Edelmann’s CEO Dan Billie, Pg. 19 SPECIAL FEATURE Getting to know Alliance’s Canadian partners, Pg. 23 OUTDATED TERMINOLOGY IS HURTING YOUR POTENTIAL See the difference new vocabulary can make, Pg. 12

Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Agreement No. 43734062

CONTENTS January / February 2021 • Volume 89, No. 1

Columns 5

Service Notes

Off the Shelf

JobberView

Navigating our new normal

Outdated terminology is hurting our industry’s potential Outdated skillsets have no place in today’s aftermarket

15 19 Features COVER STORY

Keeping the consumer in the aftermarket

Why understanding the consumer convenience revolution is critical to a global recovery SPECIAL FEATURE

Taking power steering in a whole new direction

Departments 19

Plews & Edelmann’s CEO Dan Billie highlights new Edelmann Elite total solution program SELLING

Auto Electric Service

Getting to know Alliance’s Canadian members

In the news

Names in the news

By the numbers

Baywatch

Advertiser index

EyeSpy

@JobberNews w w w. a u t o s e r v i c e w o r l d . c o m

JobberNews

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2021

SERVICE NOTES FOUNDED 1931 Jobber News is Canada’s longest-established publication serving the distribution segment of the Canadian automotive aftermarket. It is specifically directed to warehouse distributors, wholesalers, machine shops, and national accounts. Publisher

| Peter Bulmer (416) 605-5346 peterb@turnkey.media

Editor

| Christine Hogg (647) 988-3800 christine@turnkey.media

Contributing Writers

| Bob Greenwood,

Zara Wishloff Creative Director

| Dave Escuadro

Video / Audio Engineer

| Nicholas Paddison

Sales | Peter Bulmer, (416) 605-5346 peterb@turnkey.media

Delon Rashid, (416) 459-0063 delon@turnkey.media Production and Circulation

| Delon Rashid, (416) 459-0063 delon@turnkey.media

Jobber News is published by Turnkey Media Solutions Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in Canada. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, either in part or full, including photocopying and recording, without the written consent of the copyright owner. Nor may any part of this publication be stored in a retrieval system of any nature without prior consent. Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 43734062 “Return Postage Guaranteed” Send change of address notices, undeliverable copies and subscription orders to: Circulation Dept., Jobber News, 48 Lumsden Crescent, Whitby, ON, L1R 1G5 Jobber News Magazine (ISSN#0021-7050) is published six times per year by Turnkey Media Solutions Inc., 48 Lumsden Crescent, Whitby, ON, L1R 1G5 From time to time we make our subscription list available to select companies and organizations whose product or service may interest you. If you do not wish your contact information to be made available, please contact us.

President & Managing Partner

| Delon Rashid

Head of Sales & Managing Partner

| Peter Bulmer

Corporate Office

48 Lumsden Crescent, Whitby, ON, L1R 1G5

ISSN 0021-7050 Online 1923-3477

NAVIGATING OUR NEW NORMAL

wo weeks before Christmas, Canada’s first dose of COVID-19 vaccines were administered in Ottawa. Since then, thousands of the PfizerBioNTech vaccine have been provided to some of Canada’s most vulnerable population, including frontline workers and elderly residents in long-term care homes. One month into the new year, hope is on the horizon, but we still have a very long way to go towards a global recovery, which will be reached only when herd immunity is present across the globe. Traditionally, January is a month often associated with a fresh start, as we usher in the new year and leave our pasts behind us. Unfortunately, COVID-19 didn’t disappear with 2020. Active cases continue to sweep the country—and the world— at an alarming rate, with multiple new coronavirus variants emerging as the virus mutates and spreads. During the first months of 2020, multiple industries struggled to get a grasp on how to navigate through the pandemic. Concepts like wearing a mask and social distancing seemed unheard of at the time, especially in the automotive aftermarket, which is still largely a relationship business. Now, these mere concepts have shifted into heavily developed strategies that are being used to further contain the spread of the virus so that we can all get “back to business.” But what does the new normal look like? How can we make the shift towards a global recovery? While doses of the vaccine are rolling out gradually, we all still have a long way to go in the fight against COVID-19. By now, we’ve all become accustomed to gathering safely behind a computer screen. We can successfully hire, train, and onboard staff, conduct business, and check in on one another with a simple internet connection and a reliable webcam. This way of living might not be ideal, but things are slowly looking up. Invitations to global (in-person) conferences that were outright cancelled last year are finally starting to trickle in. Some suppliers are reporting their fourth quarter results, and, against all odds, it’s been a record year of sales for many. Business aside, working remotely and virtually has also allowed all of us to slow down and re-evaluate what matters the most in this industry—the people. As we continue to work towards a global economic recovery, it’s important to remember that recovery starts with restoring consumer confidence—only then can the economy continue its healing process, which will generate a world of opportunity for jobbers and suppliers in the North American aftermarket. Happy reading, Let me know what you think. You can reach me at christine@turnkey.media

Christine Hogg Editor, Jobber News w w w. a u t o s e r v i c e w o r l d . c o m

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2021

NEWS

AUTOMOTIVE AFTERMARKET WILL LIKELY EXCEED USD 1,100 BILLION BY 2026, REPORT SAYS Global Market Insights, Inc. has recently added a new report on the automotive aftermarket industry, which estimates the market valuation will cross US $1100 billion by 2026. Increasing vehicle ownership, owing to improving economic conditions, is set to drive the industry's growth. The increasing average age of vehicles has led to an increase in the need for maintenance & repair services. The subpar standard of road infrastructure in some emerging economies, especially in the Asia Pacific, escalates the wear and tear in vehicles, leading to frequent maintenance and repair requirements, driving the automotive aftermarket towards a growth trajectory. The transformation from conventional means to the digitization of service channels and interfaces is aiding growth opportunities for the sector's expansion. Modern tools, such as big data and data analytics, allow market participants to store and process vehicle usage data to increase the efficiency of the value chain. The data provides insights on specific vehicle details regarding potential service due date and time spent in workshop per vehicle to increase productivity and effectiveness. Another emerging trend in the market is remote diagnostics. Remote diagnostics allows for realtime monitoring of parameters of an automobile to evaluate its quality of operations and performance in line with predetermined benchmarks. Additionally, more and more small-scale service providers and shop owners are coming into agreement with largescale fleet operators to procure additional contracts for repair and maintenance and are further anticipated to support the industry expansion. Increasing stringency regarding 6

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2021

vehicle safety in terms of regulation mandated by several countries across the globe is forcing vehicle manufacturers to incorporate new safety technologies & features such as ADAS in vehicles. The adoption of ADAS is expected to reduce road accidents significantly over the forecast timeframe. The rising autonomous vehicle trends are expected to limit the automotive aftermarket growth over the forecast timeframe. The exhaust segment in automotive aftermarket replacement parts will witness around a seven per cent CAGR over the projected time frame. The exhaust system in an automobile is exposed to high temperatures as the hot air from a combustion engine exits through it. The component is

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also subject to replacement from high-end and enthusiast consumers to enhance vehicle outlet acoustics. Major components of the exhaust include engine downpipe, engine manifold, catalytic converter, tailpipe, and muffler. The OEM factory fill segment will witness around a four per cent CAGR in the automotive aftermarket size, owing to existing consumer confidence and trust toward automotive parts offered by OEMs. The advantages offered by these OEM outlets include long-term warranty coverage coupled with quality assurance, manifesting the segment growth. The increasing usage of e-commerce and electronics means from established OEM providers is further expected to enhance market growth.

NEWS

DORMAN ADDS MORE THAN 300 AFTERMARKET PARTS Dorman Products, Inc. has released more than 300 new auto parts and fasteners, extending Dorman’s aftermarket-exclusive coverage in several key categories and delivering new ways for repair professionals and vehicle owners to both repair and upgrade cars and trucks. Dorman is also releasing additional new aftermarket-exclusive repair solutions for several other leading categories, with a new steering shaft (425-272), a wiper motor and linkage assembly (602-130AS), and steering knuckles (698-238 and 698-239) for select Dodge Ram trucks. New releases also include more than 20 chrome wheel nuts and lock sets, as Dorman continues to grow its line of chrome wheel hardware. This new selection of open end, knurled wheel nuts and chrome wheel nut and lock sets offers enthusiasts and do-it-yourselfers a more modern

Dorman’s more than 300 new aftermarket parts include steering shafts, pictured here.

style to upgrade the look of their factory wheels or complement their custom wheels. Available in a wide selection of

colors, styles and sizes, the new selection offers premium scratch and corrosion resistance, with a similar look to titanium lugs at a lower price.

NATIONAL PRONTO ASSOCIATION & AUTOMOTIVE DISTRIBUTION NETWORK ANNOUNCE MERGER The National Pronto Association and Automotive Distribution Network have merged. As of Jan. 1, 2021, the newly formed organization will be known as the Pronto Automotive Distribution Network. Headquartered in Grapevine, Texas, Pronto Automotive Distribution Network will be led by Robert Roos as president and David Prater as executive vice president. The combined organization will represent more than 250 members in North America with an estimated revenue of

approximately $5 billion annually. Members will continue to market under the Pronto, Parts Plus and Auto Pride names. In addition, Pronto Automotive Distribution Network, together with Federated Auto Parts, will comprise the Automotive Parts Services Group (The Group). “This merger will benefit Network and Pronto members, as well as our valued vendor partners, by increasing our membership footprint throughout North America and helping to ensure our collective future viability,” said

Robert Roos, president, Pronto. “By forming the Pronto Automotive Distribution Network, we will have the ability to build on past success, make a greater impact in the marketplace, and identify more ways to benefit our members, supplier partners and associates,” added Prater. “Because the aftermarket is always evolving, taking this proactive step and merging two of the major program groups will help ensure our combined membership is well positioned to compete and achieve mutual success well into the future.”

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NEWS

BESTBUY WELCOMES FOUR NEW FULL MEMBER SHAREHOLDERS Bestbuy Distributors Ltd. has added several new full member shareholders. Auto Parts Authority, L.Y. Auto Parts, Novalex, and Candid Auto Parts have all joined the company in recent months. Scott Strabel and Mark Haner, owners of Auto Parts Authority (formerly Bumper to Bumper South), are experienced auto part store owners and have been serving the Edmonton aftermarket for more than 20 years. “The strength of the program combined with the open dialogue and trust that we have found with Bestbuy is unprecedented,” Strabel said. “It is nice to be so warmly welcomed to an

organization that is genuine in the way it conducts business.” Loke Yee Wong, owner of L.Y. Auto Parts, has been a part of the automotive aftermarket industry since 1995 and continues to serve his loyal customer base alongside his son, Justin. “Being a shareholder in Bestbuy is like we are coming home– the way I remember it used to be with RPDL,” Wong said. Edison Hu, the owner of Novalex Inc., is an established part store owner who has been serving the automotive aftermarket with locations in Burlington and Milton, Ontario, for more than 10 years. “We look forward to working with

Edison and his team,” said Andy Murphy, vice-president, sales and marketing at Bestbuy. “They will be a great addition to the Bestbuy family of shareholders.” Thomas Chen, the owner of Candid Auto Parts, has been a part of the automotive aftermarket industry for almost 20 years. Chen opened his business in October 2016 and continues to serve his loyal customer base from his two locations in Oakville and Streetsville, Ontario. “The open dialogue and support, combined with the impressive program Bestbuy has to offer, is what we need to continue growing our business,” Chen said.

NOT JUST HEAVY-DUTY

EVERY-DUTY PREMIUM AUTOMOTIVE FILTRATION

With our reputation for protecting heavy-duty, performance engines, you can count on Baldwin for premium automotive protection.

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1/20/21 8:10 AM

BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY BRINGS TEXT TO PAY SOLUTION TO THE AFTERMARKET Bolt On Technology has teamed up with Global Payments Integrated to give auto repair shops, dealer service centres, and other aftermarket sectors a convenient, safe payment option to vehicle owners. Text to pay is included in Bolt On Pay, one of Bolt On’s most popular features. Available in both the company’s Mobile Manager Pro and NextGear cloud-based offerings, text to pay gives repair shops the capability to get paid fast and securely. They can also reclaim valuable counter time, normally spent collecting the customer’s credit card

information, to sell or schedule future services. Drivers increasingly prefer to conduct business on their smart phones or other mobile devices, and paying by text is one more way to ease the pain of getting their vehicle serviced. During the pandemic, text payment provides an added level of safety for both the customer and shop staff with contact-less vehicle pick-up. The biggest payment processing platform in their space, Global Payments Integrated provides custom, scalable and fast payment solutions. Their multi-layered approach to security, utilizing encryption and

tokenization, protect customer data and help prevent costly data breaches. “The shops that rely on our technology are focused on improving the vehicle owner experience and shop operations, which is why they’re using BOLT ON software to begin with. By building in payment processing from Global Payments Integrated, the industry leader, we can give them one more powerful tool to streamline the payment process, improve cash flow, and add convenience for their customers,” said Mike Risich, founder and CEO of Bolt On Technology.

Demand and supply know-how Car professionals are rigorous people. They demand the best price possible. They demand access to the best brands and they demand good service and expert advice. NAPA Auto Parts supplies all that, and a lot more. NAPA Auto Parts. Ready to deliver. napacanada.com w w w. a u t o s e r v i c e w o r l d . c o m

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2021

NEWS

EASTMAN AND GRUPPO MAIP BRINGING SUSTAINABLE AUTOMOTIVE MATERIALS TO MARKET Eastman and Gruppo Maip, an international plastics formulator and compound producer based in Turin, Italy, have announced a partnership to formulate new sustainable polymer solutions for automotive interior applications. This will enable A rendering of a molded-in-color interior trim made with Eastman Tritan an exclusive Renew copolyester with 50% certified portfolio of recycled content. formulations based on Eastman’s Advanced Circular Recycling technology, offering a range of both bio-based and molecular-recycled content solutions with Eastman Tritan Renew copolyester and Trēva Renew engineering bioplastic.

and is certified by the USDA’s BioPreferred program. In addition, Trēva Renew benefits from carbon renewal technology that uses mixed waste plastic, providing an additional 23 per cent certified recycled content* as an alternative to polycarbonate, ABS and PC-ABS.

NAMES IN THE NEWS

The Lion Electric Company (Lion), a leading manufacturer of all-electric medium and heavy-duty urban vehicles, has named Isabelle Adjahi as the new vice-president, investor relations and sustainable development. Integrated Supply Network (ISN) has appointed Miguel Angers as president of ISN Canada operations, where he will focus on executing a strategic review of the market strategy, value proposition, customer experience, productivity and accuracy of operations and logistics. LeddarTech, a provider of Level 1-5 ADAS and AD sensing technology, has announced the appointment of Carl-Peter Forster to the Board of Directors. Jeff Kritzer of BendPak (Santa Paula, California) has

been re-elected to a second one-year term as chairman of the Automotive Lift Institute (ALI) Board of Directors. CAA North & East Ontario (CAANEO) has appointed

Marianne Matichuk to its board of directors.

She currently serves as Chair of the Workplace Safety & Prevention Services Ontario and Board Governor of the Canadian Registered Safety Professionals.

Scott Ballard, Eastman’s vice president and general manager of specialty plastics.

Tritan Renew is powered by Eastman’s polyester renewal technology and delivers up to 50 per cent certified recycled content* diverted from postconsumer and postindustrial waste streams. Unlike mechanically recycled plastics, Tritan Renew offers the same high performance as virgin plastics. Trēva Renew offers up to 48 per cent bio-based content sourced from sustainably managed forests 10

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Temot International has hired Bogumił Papierniok as chief business development officer. Genuine Parts Company’s Board of Directors has appointed William P. Stengel to the position of president. Stengel previously served as executive vice-president and chief transformation officer of the company and becomes only the eighth president in the company's 93-year history.

BytheNumbers

Stats that put the North American automotive aftermarket into perspective.

24.3%

Ontario, as of November 2020, has sold an estimated 24.3% fewer vehicles than in 2019, the largest year-to-date decrease among the provinces and a deficit of nearly 190 thousand units.

513.1 billion

The global automotive aftermarket size is anticipated to reach over

Precedence Research

Two-thirds Electric vehicles (EVs) will

Technical and sales occupations

hit 10 per cent of global

account for two-thirds of the

passenger vehicle sales by

aftermarket workforce.

2025, rising to 28 per cent

US $513.1 billion by 2027 with a noteworthy CAGR of 3.8% over forecast period 2020 to 2027.

DesRosiers Automotive Consultants, report, November 2020

By 2025, a growing share of

AIA Canada, 2020 Outlook Study

YEAR

in 2030 and 58 per cent

The number of independent automotive repair shops who reported a decrease in revenue as of December 2020. IMR Insight

in 2040.

vehicles in operation will be aged 12+ years. AIA Canada, 2020 Outlook Study

Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF)

The number of Canadian aftermarket technicians, as of 2019. This number represents growth from 2014, when that number was 172,100, which suggests a growing demand for aftermarket services. Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey

57 per cent The number of small and medium-sized aftermarket enterprises that are concentrated in Central Canada, versus 34 per cent in Western Canada, and the remainder in Atlantic Canada. Statistics Canada

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29.57

million units According to Technavio, the automotive batteries market is poised to grow by 29.57 million units during 2020-2024, decelerating at a CAGR of almost five per cent during the forecast period. Global Automotive Batteries Market 2020-2024 report, Technavio

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OFF THE SHELF

OUTDATED TERMINOLOGY IS HURTING OUR INDUSTRY’S POTENTIAL See why adopting the right vocabulary boosts morale, and business. By Bob Greenwood, AMAM

hange is a concept that appears to be difficult for this industry to embrace. But, if we refuse to change, it’s impossible to evolve and succeed in the new aftermarket that’s inevitably on its way. For businesses to prosper financially, jobbers should have a strategic business plan in place for their day-to-day operations. The terminology that continues to be used to describe the work that shop owners do could use a bit of a tune up, especially when it comes to reinventing a professional image in a profession that’s been inundated with stereotypes. Here’s an example: somebody who expertly diagnoses a vehicle and re-aligns them with OE specifications is no longer a licensed mechanic, but instead, a licensed diagnostic technician. This is an individual who possesses an incredibly 12

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high level of diagnostic capabilities and theoretical knowledge. They spend a tremendous amount of time undergoing new training every month in to take their skillset to the next level. Perhaps, one day soon, the role of the licensed diagnostic technician will evolve to a diagnostic engineer, as that’s the degree of competency required to keep up with our industry, as technology keeps pushing forward. Mechanics are out, and technicians are in, and the terminology that distinguishes the two must be clearly stated moving forward. Referring to an individual as an “installer” is another outdated job description that must go. Although it’s frequently used by a large majority of the manufacturing, WD, and jobber sectors of this industry, it’s an old-fashioned term that simply doesn’t measure up to the true nature of business done today.

In fact, this term can sometimes be considered condescending, if taken out of context. The term “installer” was a job description tied to shop owners in the early 1950s, but it’s a position that has transformed so much over the years that the term is simply no longer relevant and can even be considered insulting, or condescending, as it’s no longer a reflection of the demands tied to the role in today’s aftermarket. If the aftermarket resembled a food chain, service providers would be near the

top—if they don’t sell and satisfy their client base, the revenue stream that trickles down to the jobbers, WDs and manufacturers is also impacted. If the service providers are not effective and competent at operating their business profitably, then everyone else in the industry is affected in true dollars and cents. Much like the transition from mechanic to diagnostic technician, installers are out, and service providers are in.

Skilled service providers, also referred to as automotive service providers (ASPs) are concentrating on building trust, advising, counselling, and bringing value-added services to their client base. Understanding their client demographic and customizing services based on those findings to align with safety, reliability, and efficiency is what separates a mediocre shop from an outstanding one. In today’s industry, ASP’s are looking at maintaining their client’s vehicle for life, not just for a one-time sale for the season. This level of the industry has changed dramatically, and the skill level required to be successful today is tremendous. Today, the competent service provider is a true business professional, and the old terminology that tied them to their trade is no longer a valid depiction of their true capabilities. When the industry begins to shift its dialogue about the day-to-day operations and actions of our people, the business relationships built within have the potential to change dramatically. It’s time to acknowledge the change that has taken place within the maintenance and repair side of the industry. Doing so will influence the interactions you have daily with your retail customers, which, in turn, propels your sales growth. The trade days are over everyone, welcome to the new aftermarket profession!

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Bob Greenwood, AMAM

An Accredited Master Automotive Manager (AMAM) who offers personal business coaching and ongoing management training for aftermarket shops, focusing on building net income. He can be reached at 1-800-267-5497 or greenwood@aaec.ca.

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JOBBER VIEW

OUTDATED SKILLSETS HAVE NO PLACE IN TODAY’S AFTERMARKET No matter how talented your team, there’s always room for improvement. By Zara Wishloff

verything has a best-before date. We don’t often associate our set of work skills with an expiration date, but in a fast-paced society, that’s exactly what happens. Although it’s difficult to not rest on our laurels, in order to succeed, embracing change and learning how to adapt is essential to success. Some of the standout moments in my career seem almost laughable to retell. When working for a large corporation, I created a policy manual that contained Clipart. With the evolution of graphics and technology, using such a basic tool to fuel a corporate document is funny to think about, but back in the day, incorporating those simple graphics helped capture the attention of those in charge of giving me a promotion. Whether it was substituting unique fonts into an otherwise boring document, or adding pops of colour to text documents, these innovations helped me stand out in the marketplace for much of my career, but they were short-lived. Unfortunately, I witnessed what happened to those who became too comfortable in their newly learned skillset.

Make way for the digital revolution

When fax machines hit the scene, it was a futuristic concept. In the pre-internet days, it was remarkable that you could send your documents over phone lines. I remember getting a fax read on Much-Music. Now, we could send our thoughts across the country and have them documented and broadcast in a matter of minutes. It’s a concept that seems basic, and almost primitive by today’s standards. 14

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But clever marketers could blitz companies directly with targeted sales messaging. Rural clients could get the same up-to-date specials and sell-sheets as the big cities. It was a great tool, until something better came along. When that happened, some professionals got stuck, unable to comprehend that the business landscape around them was rapidly changing with new technologies. What once set them apart as innovative, market leaders had reached its expiry, and they were unable to realize it. Faxes weren’t the only thing that reached the end of their shelf life. There were manufacturer reps who brilliantly adapted to working with spreadsheets, producing popularity lists and processing data with a flair nobody had seen before. WD’s would lean on these heroes to work with their data for a competitive advantage. But, just like the technology that came before, eventually, those considered ahead of the times got left behind as smarter technology took over. The inability to adapt took their most relevant asset and turned it into a liability. They were still churning documents, when there were better, more efficient, and user-friendly methods to process the data. The greater majority opted for understanding the products that these software companies were churning out at a rapid rate. While these examples from the past might seem dated, I urge the younger generation of workers to exercise caution. While being the only one in the office with a particular skillset may make you feel untouchable, you should always work with the mindset that the workplace can change in a split second. Always reinvent your skillset and be on the lookout for ways that you can improve what you’re already good at. The world is changing quickly, make sure you are changing with it, and always remember to keep an eye on your skillset expiry date! Zara Wishloff

Vice president of sales and marketing for Automotive Parts Distributors (APD) with four warehouses in Alberta and Saskatchewan. You can reach him at zwishloff@apdparts.ca.

COVER STORY

Why understanding the consumer convenience revolution is critical to a global recovery

Keeping the consumer By Christine Hogg

in the aftermarket

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t the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the automotive aftermarket was deemed essential by many governments, including all in North America. To date, the world has recorded nearly 100,000,000 cases of COVID-19, with the United States reporting the highest number of cases in the world, at nearly 25,200,000 alongside nearly 420,000 deaths as of late January. Canada has also recently seen an increase of active COVID-19 cases, and to date has reported nearly 755,000 cases and close to 19,000 deaths, according to a report by Johns Hopkins University’s Coronavirus Research Center. One year after the initial first wave of transmission, the aftermarket continues to operate with adjusted operating guidelines, even as a second wave of the virus continues to plague the global economy. The recent ongoing rollout of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines offer a glimmer of hope, but according to Dr. Parker Hudson MD MPH FACP, Director, Dell Med COVID Testing & Tracing, the road to a global economic recovery still has a long way to go. “Physical distancing and masking are here for the foreseeable future in public places, pending further vaccine roll outs, more data on asymptomatic infections/transmissibility after vaccination, and evolution of variants,” Dr. Hudson said. “Between April and June, we will see much larger and more impactful vaccination coverage for adults if AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen’s vaccines are approved.” Despite the arrival of a vaccine, in the automotive aftermarket, the progression towards a global recovery is flanked by uncertainties, including the pandemic itself and how it could potentially continue to mutate over time.

A breakdown of the supply chain

Heavily dependent on supply and demand, a critical part of the aftermarket’s path to a global recovery relies on the supply chain, which has been seriously disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “This has been one of the biggest supply chain disruptions that we’ve seen in generations and it’s been extraordinarily hard to get materials and estimate what’s needed,” said Paul McCarthy, president, the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA). “Quite frankly, it’s amazing what the suppliers have been able to do through it all. There’s this odd supply and demand shift because there’s been so much uncertainty.” As a result of increased supply chain risk, the aftermarket has seen a spike in near-shoring, which is the process of moving business operations to a nearby country, rather than one that is more distant. Prior to the pandemic, for example, many parts and products were shipped in from China. Many companies in Canada and the U.S. are looking to reduce the number of products sourced from China, as well as ways to diversify their supply chain management. “I think this has helped the overall competitiveness of North America as an automotive and aftermarket production base,” McCarthy said. Last year, AASA conducted a landmark study which aimed to understand what kind of footprint production will have on the aftermarket. “It’s really not a simple answer or a single answer; it really varies so much by product and company category,” McCarthy said. “For a generation, we’ve had a simple answer: ‘what do you do with your supply chain?’ and the answer is that you move it to China, because it’s a lower cost. Clearly, it’s a much more complicated story now,” McCarthy said.

Different patterns of demand

According to McCarthy, the aftermarket saw different patterns of demand by category in 2020 that varied over time, such as miles driven, which, though it 16

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started off weak in the first quarter of 2020, has since made a significant comeback. With most of the world following a stay-at-home order, consumers had extra spend and extra time on their hands. Suddenly, various markets with developed e-commerce channels were aggressively competing for consumer dollars. “The interesting thing about the aftermarket is that if the consumer is able to spend, the aftermarket does well, because we’re extraordinarily resilient,” McCarthy said. “There’s still a lot of uncertainty over whether or not consumers will be able to spend and how that will play out in different markets. The aftermarket is all about consumer convenience, and the professional side really offers that in an extraordinary way.” Despite disruptions to the supply chain in 2020, the aftermarket still outperformed multiple sectors, McCarthy says. In order for a global economic recovery to take shape, continued consumer economic health is by far the leading factor in making that happen. “I think that a recovery looks like having a bit more certainty,” McCarthy said. “We go back to dealing with our general business issues, working deeper with our channel partners to do things better instead of worrying about surprises, and having that greater certainty.” There have been many changes in the aftermarket, and while some of them are strictly related to the pandemic, others have been more persistent. A sharp decline in miles driven, for example, is one trend currently taking place, with more people working from home as commuting has decreased. “When we look at what’s coming out of this pandemic globally, we’re seeing some structural shifts that may lead to a bigger market size and opportunity for the aftermarket,” McCarthy said. “What we’re seeing out of the pandemic is this structural shift, a dedensification; what we’re finding is a shift towards individual transportation, and a global recovery likely looks like an overall increase in automobility, and when that increases, the aftermarket tends to do better,” McCarthy said.

The role of the consumer

Consumers will play a major role in positioning the aftermarket’s global comeback in a post-pandemic world and keeping the customer in the aftermarket is key. “If we were going to have a pandemic, we were probably pretty lucky for the timing with our industry because the industry saw this trend towards omni-channel and e-tailing and consumers wanting information,” McCarthy said. “Pre-pandemic, we were already having a huge number of decisions being influenced by the internet and the online information. If this had been five years ago, we would have been in trouble.” While people have been buying parts and products online for years, McCarthy is convinced that it’s all a part of a larger

trend. “People talk about a technology revolution, but we really see it more as a consumer convenience revolution,” he explained. “Technology is just an enabler of that. The majority of consumers still choose to go to professionals for their service and that area hasn’t been as disrupted by the internet but overtime, we’re going to have to make this easier for consumers, and that goes back to how they obtain and feel trust about the repair and maintenance being done to their vehicle. That is what we’re going to be transformed by.” The Automotive Industries Association of Canada, in partnership with the Auto Care Association and Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) in the U.S., has recently launched Your Car, Your Data, Your Choice—a campaign designed to spread awareness about the importance of consumers being able to control access to the data coming from their vehicles. Also known as the Right to Repair Act, AIA is adamant that wireless vehicle data needs to be transparent and shared with the consumer, if the aftermarket wishes to remain competitive as global supply chains go digital. The aftermarket is very much still a relationship business, and the vast majority of consumers still prefer bringing their vehicle to a professional when maintenance is due. However, as time progresses and a revolution of consumer convenience (influenced largely by the internet) develops, the aftermarket in turn must make the value proposition for the customer easier, or risk losing their share of the market. Rather than treating technology as a threat, McCarthy urges those in the aftermarket to see its presence as a unique opportunity. Right now, McCarthy says that the aftermarket is currently supporting a unique balancing act between existing longterm demand and new innovative trends. “The companies who balance the new and seek returns on the old will be the ones who do very well,” McCarthy said. “It doesn’t mean that existing players are at risk, but it does mean that companies that do not respond to the consumer imperative or work across the value chain to get satisfied customers will.” McCarthy says that in order for the consumer to remain in the aftermarket, rather than flock to the dealerships, both the independent side and the automaker side need to ensure that the entire vehicle life cycle needs to stay safe and affordable. According to McCarthy, the market is holding “fairly steady” right now, and is doing better than anyone might have anticipated, everything considered. “2020 clearly outperformed expectations in terms of what we saw back in the spring and I think that everybody is cautiously optimistic for 2021,” McCarthy said. “The nature of the aftermarket is an amazingly stable, attractive market compared to most other retail sectors. Assuming that consumers can spend, and as we re-open the economy, that growth is what we should expect to see,” he concluded. w w w. a u t o s e r v i c e w o r l d . c o m

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Taking power steering in a whole new direction Plews & Edelmann’s CEO Dan Billie highlights new Edelmann Elite total solution program By Christine Hogg

n early December 2020, Plews & Edelmann appointed Dan Billie to the position of chief executive officer. A 25-year veteran of the automotive aftermarket, Billie first joined Plews & Edelmann in September 2019, bringing a wealth of commercial experience and executive leadership to the company. He previously served as executive vice president of APC Automotive Technologies and as senior vice president of Cardone Industries. “I had the opportunity to work with the executive team for well over a year both as a consultant and the CCO, so the transition wasn’t as daunting as it may have been for someone coming in cold,” Billie said. As North America’s singular source for offering a wide array of power steering components, including hard parts, hoses, and a multiapplication filter, Billie says his main focus has squarely been on growing the application parts side of the business in ways that add value to the aftermarket and the company at large. Under Billie’s executive leadership, Plews & Edelmann has recently gone through a significant business transformation. After divesting its retail business unit and directing its focus on application parts, Plews & Edelmann recently announced a new power steering component program under the Edelmann Elite brand that complements its power steering hose business. w w w. a u t o s e r v i c e w o r l d . c o m

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Plews & Edelmann previously operated two unique business units. “While there was some customer overlap, the vast majority of customers who purchased from one category, didn’t purchase from the other,” Billie said. “Based on this lack of true synergy, we made a collective decision to divest our nonautomotive application parts unit in order to concentrate our efforts on the application parts business for which the Edelmann brand is best known.” Launched in late October under the Edelman Elite brand, the new high quality power steering hard parts program includes power steering rack and pinion assemblies, power steering pumps, and power steering gear boxes. Designed to outperform remanufactured parts in both quality and reliability, it delivers application coverage not available in a new product in the aftermarket and is priced to provide a competitive option for WDs and independent repair shops over OE dealer sourced parts. “We’re excited about this future focus. The Edelmann brand is a 100-year-old legacy franchise known throughout North America for its quality and value,” Billie said. “We plan on continuing the proud heritage of the brand as we expand in other categories moving forward.” Plews & Edelmann had originally intended to launch the hard parts program at Industry Week in 2020, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, had to instead deploy a virtual launch with product in-house and ready to ship. Since then, the feedback on the company’s fresh take on power steering from the North American aftermarket has been exceptional. “We’ve thought about this category in ways that others haven’t, and we’re setting a course that’s unique,” Billie said. “Distributors are excited about our entry into the hard parts category.” Edelmann Elite power steering racks, pumps, and gear boxes are 100 percent new parts, built on Plews & Edelmann’s proprietary tooling platform. No reused, renewed, or remanufactured components are used in any of the assemblies, and every part is 100 percent tested. “We chose to provide new parts because we wanted to dispel the myth that you have to go to the OE dealer to get quality product,” Billie said. “Because we’re not just sourcing and redistributing product, we are in a strong position to provide the top 80 percent plus application demand in the industry,” Billie continued. “If there is a WD or another distributor that wants to say ‘yes’ to his customer when they ask for new power steering components, we can deliver because we are the only supplier that provides this level of coverage.” 20

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The company’s engineers have also identified and studied the fail modes on the highest warranty SKUs. “Because we own our tooling, we can take steps to eliminate problems that plague repairs,” Billie added. “We’ve enhanced our product portfolio to overcome design flaws made by the OE and copied by aftermarket remanufacturers of power steering components.” The new Edelmann Elite Power Steering program also features a filter that uses advanced dual filtration technology to prevent contamination and deliver high-capacity flow. It features a patent pending design that covers more than 99 percent of vehicles in operation with just one SKU.

“We were able to do this by incorporating interchangeable connectors into the design that allow service technicians to select the right size they need to match the internal diameter of the return line. Every filter comes with easily interchangeable 3/8”, 1/2”, and 5/8” connectors providing the size needed for a proper fit in almost any application. This also helps reduce inventory requirements and parts returns due to incorrect sizing. The new filter will be available for shipment starting in March 2021. In total, Plews & Edelmann currently has more than 60 top moving rack and pinion SKUs that cannot be found anywhere else in the industry, providing a key advantage for the company, and enhancing its unique brand identity. Looking ahead, Billie says Plews & Edelmann will make several exciting announcements in the months to follow that will continue to complement the company’s brand-new power steering total solution program. “We will continue to focus on aftermarket parts solutions where there is an opportunity to overcome current shortfalls in the quality and consistency offered today,” Billie said. “Our goal is focused 100 percent on keeping every technician satisfied with the reliability and performance of the aftermarket parts we provide. We don’t want them going back to the OE dealer because of any negative perceptions about our quality, form, or fitment,” he concluded.

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SELLING FEATURE

SPOTLIGHT

Auto Electric Service Getting to know Alliance’s Canadian members

Officially incorporated in 2000, the Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance, Inc. currently has six members in Canada, 13 in Latin America, and 24 in the United States. A network of independent warehouse distributors, it is the premier aftermarket distribution and marketing program group and continues to be a leading choice for quality parts and service, with thousands of parts stores and professional repair shops across North America, Latin and South America, Europe, and China. This is the first installment of a six-part series, featuring the Alliance’s Canadian members.

By Christine Hogg

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JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2021

n 1943, Auto Electric Service opened in Regina, Sask. “In the early days, we were a United Delco distributor, and a big chunk of our business was doing warranty work for GM,” recalled Bob Jaworski, who began his career with the company in 1986. “As time went on, we sold them parts, and as GM continually went their own direction, in 1992, we joined the Auto Value Group.” The Auto Electric Company was one of the original six members in Canada, and they have been a loyal member since. Now, the company is Saskatchewan’s largest locally owned and operated automotive parts warehouse, with five corporate stores and eight independent jobbers, 23 certified service centres, servicing more than 1,000 ASPs daily. “We like to say that joining Auto Value has been the best thing to ever happen to our business,” Jaworski, now president and general manager for the company, said. “It helped us become competitive, both from a purchasing power but even more so from a marketing standpoint with the major distribution groups in Canada.”

A strategic partnership

As a member of the Alliance, Jaworski says that in an increasingly competitive marketplace, he and his team can be confident that the parts and products offered to their customers are of the highest quality. “We’ve never been a company that goes out to market and sells on price; the name brands that we sell are always quality brands and the private label products always come from quality suppliers,” Jaworski said. “We’re never concerned with the quality of products that we’re turning around and selling to our customers.” The Alliance currently offers its members access to several marketing programs that have been extremely beneficial to business, especially in light of the economic downturn brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Jaworski and his team at Auto Electric Service continue to 24

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take advantage of some of the Alliance’s marketing initiatives, including MyPlace4Parts, the group’s online parts ordering system. Jaworski says that his customers appreciate the system’s user-friendly interface, and it’s also a cost-effective solution that drives efficiency in daily business operations. “Every year we’re doing more and more through that system,” Jaworski said. “It’s helped us to maintain our cost of doing business, because we move a lot of business through our electronic ordering. Our front desk people spend a lot more time doing problem solving or handling non-traditional highvolume customers, and it’s a lot more efficient for ourselves and our customers to be able to do the ordering themselves.” Auto Electric Service closed out their fiscal year in February 2020, just one month shy of the economic turmoil brought on by COVID-19. “It wasn’t a great start to the year from that standpoint; in March and April we saw some sales decline, but from May to now, we’ve had an increase every month and we’ve been growing our business,” Jaworski said, noting that the company’s partnership with Alliance definitely influenced sales growth during the first few months of the pandemic. “In the initial stages, I think the Alliance head office worked very hard for its membership, making sure that suppliers were working with us for some extended terms. Nobody knew what would happen, but the Alliance was fully on board and were excellent in communicating what was happening with suppliers, which was a valid concern at the time.” With multiple digital programs already under its belt, the Alliance proves to be an excellent support system and resource to Jaworski and his team as they continue to navigate unique challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. For starters, Auto Electric Service currently has 23 shops signed up for the Certified Service Center (CSC) program, a network of more than 3,800 shops, operated by independent business owners dedicated to providing automotive diagnostic and service excellence. Members can easily browse through

a collective inventory of parts, supplies, accessories, and tools, and also gain entry to the MyPlace4Parts e-commerce platform and access discounted marketing, communications, technology, financial and customer service programs to support their shops. Alongside offering customers the Confidence Plus North American Warranty, Jaworski says the CSC program enables his team to provide benefits to customers that other shop owners who are not in the program miss out on. Jaworski pointed to the Alliance’s exclusive SEO, locator service, and reputation management platform as particularly effective. The program has helped Auto Electric grow their presence across social media, which is extremely important as a large piece of the business continues to operate virtually. “It’s all about driving business into the shop, and the Certified Service

Center program encompasses a lot of those elements,” Jaworski said.

The value of friendship

After nearly 30 years as a member of the Alliance, Jaworski says that one of his favourite things about the partnership is that it supports the underlying friendships that are weaved into the original business model of Auto Electric Service, which has a track record of employing people who stick around. With 115 employees, including newly appointed staff members, Jaworski says that more than half of those individuals have dedicated upwards of 30 years to the company. When COVID-19 first began to impact business, some of his staff even voluntarily took a salary deduction in order to keep business afloat. “We’ve been around for a very long time, but we’ve also been very successful over that time period in the marketplace. It always comes back to the

people we have working for us, because I still believe it’s a relationship business,” Jaworski said. “It’s not about price or inventory, there’s still a big element to the relationship you have with your customers. If our people say they’re going to do something, they do it.” With a new year on the horizon, Jaworski says he and his team are focused on growth and are on track to hit their highest sales year ever and are grateful for the support Alliance continues to provide. “It’s a great group of personnel, and it’s a great way to stay in touch with likeminded people,” Jaworski said. “They’re no longer business associates; most of them are now personal friends, and the friendships that are tied to the partnership really make our jobs more enjoyable.” Auto Electric Service is headquartered at 1360 Broad St. in Regina, Sask. For more information, visit www.autoelectricservice.com, or call (306) 525-2551.

The Total Solution for Power Steering.

Edelmann Elite Racks, Pumps, Gears, Hoses & Filter

• OE quality components - 100% inspected • Engineered to overcome OE design flaws • All new hard parts - 100 year, 1 million mile warranty www.edelmannelite.com

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