The Shifting Global Market of Aftermarket Parts

by on February 27, 2020
Image result for World of Aftermarket Parts



A lot of the news in the trucking sector lately is concerning the automotive supply chain. Will trucks be autonomous? Will electric power replace inner combustion engines? What will be the influence of blockchain on the delivery of items? What about last-mile distribution?

Not being talked about as much is what's taking place in parts circulation. Yet there is a selection of important variables in the industry that are changing-- or quickly will transform-- the face of truck parts distribution.

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The continued growth of e-commerce

There is no rejecting the effect shopping has carried all our lives. "We definitely have seen retail sales through e-commerce as a percent of GDP on a really healthy growth trajectory," states Steve Tam, vice head of state of marketing research as well as analysis firm ACT Research study. He clarifies that if you include food and solutions, 10% of all retail sales are made with e-commerce.

Relocating specifically to the trucking sector, Jim Pennig, vice head of state of company advancement for Vipar Sturdy, states, "The heavy-duty aftermarket lags when it comes to e-commerce, but we are seeing a great deal of energy to relocate into it more aggressively." Actually, Vipar has actually seen a 50% enhancement because the beginning of the year for on the internet parts sales with its members' e-commerce platforms.

Aftermarket research study company MacKay & Co. found in a recent study that fleets ordered 12% of their parts online. John Blodgett, vice head of state of sales and also marketing, reports that survey respondents likewise suggested they expect on the internet parts purchases to boost to 15% of complete acquisitions in the next three years. 

Surprisingly, 31% of those parts were bought via a sturdy distributors' site, with Amazon.com seeing 14% of total online parts purchases from the surveyed fleets. (See chart on page 48.).

According to Costs Wade, taking care of partner of seeking advice from company Wade & Partners, more than $6 numerous sturdy parts are acquired on the internet yearly.

Dave Seewack, owner as well as CEO of FinditParts, an on the internet truck parts market, says the business is seeing 100% sales development year-over-year but declined to estimate particular numbers. "Our consumers are returning and also purchasing more frequently, and extra fleets appear to be getting comfortable with the procedure of acquiring online." He describes that fleets initially used the website for hard-to-find parts, however, today "they are using it more often for more SKUs." He says many fleets are buying consumables such as lights, filters, belts, tubes, and so on.

Seewack attributes the development to more millennials in the workforce, that are extra accustomed to buying online and also to the convenience online getting offers. As well as in fact, MacKay's study indicated that accessibility was mentioned as a rationale for online parts acquisitions by 78% of survey participants.

" We have people that order from us daily or two," Seewack claims. "Essentially they fill a cart, and afterward every couple of days they process it as well as position their order. I assume the advantage is that they can get a trailer part or a tractor part across a selection of groups all from the very same provider.".

Seewack confesses that online parts sales "will certainly never replace the regional distributor, yet is a great accessory to distributor sales.".

Mike Harris, elderly vice president of sales as well as branch procedures at FleetPride, the biggest independent supplier, agrees with Seewack's evaluation. "There are certain products that need extensive concerns, item knowledge as well as competence and that can present an obstacle for eCommerce," he discusses. "The possibility is to address several of those problems, so there is still a balance. Clients want to make use of shopping to improve the purchasing procedure for recurring purchases. They desire a far better approach to positioning orders quicker. However, resolving for the other complicated concerns partially buying is a difficulty for eCommerce, however one that I assume the industry can solve.".

Blodgett claims one of the reasons survey participants mentioned for not purchasing parts online was a problem over shedding the relationship with their local supplier. He adds, "It will certainly interest view as millennials become much more accountable or think greater settings within organizations whether that same viewpoint will certainly proceed.".

Rick Reynolds, president and proprietor principal of Peach State Truck Centers, a Freightliner and also Western Celebrity dealer with 11 areas in Georgia and even Alabama, believes online retailers like Amazon will undoubtedly be a threat to some degree, "however in the future, I still believe the regional dealer or distributor will certainly have a one-upmanship over these large shopping storehouse companies due to the level of service they can supply as part of the value suggestion that features buying a part.".

According to Ryan Colby, company parts director at Kenworth Sales Co., a Kenworth dealership with 22 locations in 7 western states, in 2014, 5% of the company's parts sales were with the firm's B2B e-commerce solution. "So far this year we are maintaining that 5%, yet I dare say, that sooner rather than later on that number will certainly be 20% of all retail sales.".

Greg Klein, president and also Chief Executive Officer of Inland Truck Parts, an independent parts and even service operation that now has 42 retail locations following its recent merging with Drive Train Industries, states shopping will continue to grow "and will become part of the pricing problem, especially for those firms who are simply attempting to disperse parts without any worth added."

Stephen Swords, head of state of Parts as well as Service Solutions LLC, the distribution arm of Pilot Traveling J, increases a fascinating factor pertaining to shopping. "Real e-commerce individuals are mosting likely to battle if they do not likewise have traditional, since when a truck is broken down along the highway, that shopping level really does refrain from doing a lot of good, due to the fact that you need the part best [at the site of the breakdown] in order to get the truck dealt with and back on the road.".

He does include that for equipping items; shopping will have an impact. "I directly believe this is an advantage, because there are some significant opportunities in shopping, specifically on the B2B side.".

Regarding 12% of sturdy parts are acquired online. Of all online parts acquisitions, durable representatives are getting the bulk of business with truck dealerships obtaining the 2nd most significant share. Amazon.com is presently only getting 14% of the on the internet acquisition of heavy-duty parts. On the whole, online parts buying is anticipated to grow, as well as there may be shifts in where those parts are purchased.
- Source: Mackay.
Concerning 12% of heavy-duty parts are purchased online. Of all online parts purchases, sturdy distributors are obtaining the mass of business with truck dealerships getting the 2nd biggest share. Amazon is currently only getting 14% of the on the internet acquisition of heavy-duty parts. Generally, on the internet parts buying is anticipated to expand, and also there may be changes in where those parts are acquired.

About 12% of heavy-duty parts are purchased online. Of all online parts purchases, heavy-duty distributors are getting the bulk of the business with truck dealers getting the second biggest share. Amazon is currently only getting 14% of the online purchase of heavy-duty parts. Overall, online parts purchasing is expected to grow, and there may be shifts in where those parts are purchased.
 - Source: Mackay

Debt consolidation is happening at every degree.

While e-commerce has actually had a huge effect on the truck parts industry, it is not the only force at the office altering distribution patterns. "Combination seems to be words of the day in our industry," Colby claims.

Nevertheless, Klein states the sector has been settling really substantially over the last 20 to 25 years. "Debt consolidation is currently reaching its culmination after a long procedure that has been going with a number of decades." He does not think there is a lot of loan consolidation left on the independent side of the parts organisation.

Tam, however, sees a lot of possibility for the additional combinations on the dealer side. "Something like 40% of all commercial truck dealerships are solitary locations," he claims. "I don't understand what the right number is or the number of supplier groups there ought to be, however there certainly is a chance to obtain some synergy out of that market with loan consolidation. There is an advantage to the fleet to see the marketplace combined.".

Don Reimondo, head of state and also CEO of advertising team HDA Truck Satisfaction, expects to see loan consolidation continue the distributor side. "It is a truth of the market and it is most likely to proceed in Rate 2 as well as 3 industries. It is driven by the truth that margins have actually eroded and also technology is quickly transforming." But he is quick to include that he does not believe this will have "a profound effect on the marketplace. [Debt consolidation] has ended up being a lifestyle.".

Blodgett also anticipates seeing even more combinations on the vendor side. "Vehicle suppliers are brought in to a person who can concern the table with a bigger breadth of item. Instead of needing to interface with two or 3 companies, they can user interface with just one.".

He includes, "As automobiles come to be more challenging, it is much easier for the elements to communicate with each other if they are all under one umbrella." He believes this can lead to much better item development, which ultimately will benefit the fleet.

Tam thinks technological advancements are contributing in vendor consolidation. "Modern technology is positioned to transform dramatically with points like independent vehicles and electrical vehicles. Vendors are dipping their toes in the waters to establish solid offerings-- not a lot change themselves, but rather to transform with the moments and change with technology to continue to be appropriate.".

Consolidation of the distribution base, whether dealership or independent representative, can likewise profit fleets, giving them fewer contracts to be worked out as well as constant rates across a wider network.

Swords claims loan consolidation will certainly assist fleets when they are running outside their house network. "Consolidation provides the capability to enter into a familiar carrier and be cared for, knowing that if there is an issue it takes simply one telephone call to get it fixed regardless of where the truck is.".

One of the primary elements behind a combination pertains to the aging of the ownership of these services. "There are a significant variety of baby boomers that are reaching an age where they will need to decide on what to do with their business," describes Tom Marx, companion in Hart Marx Advisors, a mergers and also acquisitions firm. "Most of the time they do not have a framework in place, either family, ESOP [staff member stock possession strategy], or partners, so the most effective choice is to market the business.".

Marx does not think debt consolidation on the distribution side will have much effect on fleets, "due to the fact that they still will certainly have a lot of suppliers they can choose to do company with.".

He adds, "It might make it less complicated to deal with the bigger suppliers because they may have a lot more depth of product and also the fleet could get a better solution from a larger representative.".

Reynolds warns fleets that they require to look at what is gained or lost when doing service with a company that has combined. "Is the consumer going to have a boosted customer experience? Will it continue to be the like before the debt consolidation, or will it lower?".

Harris states the truck parts market is still really fragmented. "Smaller sized representatives, whether it is an independent parts distributor or dealership, might have a tough time fulfilling the demands of the clients moving forward as expectations increase and consumers even more consolidate.".

Marx claims that as dealerships try to get even more of the fleets' service, "they are up against very entrenched distribution systems, which places the fleet in a strong setting to negotiate. They may have the ability to obtain a little more of a cost factor.".

However, an extremely consolidated market is not without its risk. The most significant issue if you get to a solitary source of supply is lack of parts schedule, and there could be some loss of rate competition.

How long can fleets anticipate combination to proceed? Marx says, "As long as funding stays reasonably low cost, it might continue for an additional three to 5 years." There are, nonetheless, several points that might hinder the current pattern towards debt consolidation. "One of those would be interest rates," Marx claims. "If the Fed remains to press them up dramatically higher, that could be a problem. And the second factor is a general economic slump. If we head right into a recession, there will be some effect on the value of these kinds of organizations.".

He is quick to include that it is challenging to have clairvoyance, because the present upturn has actually lasted longer than most individuals believed it would.

One of the benefits of combination is that fleets get a constant selection of parts across a vast network.
- Photo politeness Fleet Satisfaction.
Among the benefits of loan consolidation is that fleets obtain a regular variety of parts throughout a vast network.

One of the benefits of consolidation is that fleets get a consistent array of parts across a wide network. 
 - Photo courtesy Fleet Pride

Picture politeness Fleet Satisfaction.

New arrival.
Trucking has actually drawn in a lot of outside focus lately, with business from the automotive and industrial industries venturing into truck parts sales. Colby clarifies that for manufacturers such as Paccar, only about 40% of the parts on their vehicles are exclusive, leaving 60% of parts open for other firms to complete in. "The Napas and the Graingers are involving get an item of that pie.".

And also it's a huge pie, states MacKay & Co.: $30.4 billion at retail yearly from parts for Course 6-8 vehicles, institution buses, trailers and also container chassis.

Blodgett claims he does not question "the ferocity or capability of a few of these new entrants." He includes, "They have a footprint across the country and also have distribution all determined, or a minimum of have [parts distribution centers] tactically situated. It is, nevertheless, a little leap for them" to find the right counter individuals to be able to offer truck parts.

' There is a whole lot more to a parts transaction than simply purchasing the part," Reynolds says. "There is a great deal of value that is added to that experience after the truth. On a consistent basis, the client should have to have parts immediately readily available, delivered to them occasionally multiple times a day, and also have a sales consultant who can supply than with the very best information as rapidly as feasible.".

Reimondo states he comprehends the infringement by the automotive parts vendors into the truck area. "They need to discover a way to continue to increase or grow, and also the medium-duty market is a substantial adjacency," he claims. "They are already selling the individual brakes for his 1-ton pickup, so why wouldn't they sell them for his grain truck?".

HDA Truck Pride encourages its distributor base to do the specific very same thing as well as discover the medium-duty market, which Reimondo thinks "is considerably underserved in the aftermarket.".

Pennig claims typical aftermarket representatives require to acknowledge that these new companies are targeting the truck parts aftermarket. A much more disturbing fad to him is some suppliers attempting to sell directly to the end individual, bypassing standard distribution. He believes distribution plays a crucial function in the parts transaction by providing knowledge and competence regarding parts.

Wade is seeing a new course of trade in the truck parts aftermarket, which he calls bundlers. "These are firms that purchase for resale, yet work as standard distributors, not as intermediary companies." He recommendations business such as Dorman and Automann that do not produce anything yet have as many as 150,000 SKUs available.

Fleets are aiming to consolidate their parts acquisitions and also collaborate with fewer vendors.
- Image politeness Kenworth Business Co
. Fleets are wanting to combine their parts acquisitions and also do business with fewer suppliers.

Fleets are looking to consolidate their parts purchases and do business with fewer vendors. 
 - Photo courtesy Kenworth Sales Co.
Photo politeness Kenworth Business Co


Technology and also element combination make complex issues.
Today's vehicles are technical marvels, and lately we have actually seen a lot more assimilation, particularly in the drivetrain. "I assume the independent channel goes to a downside as that trend advances," Blodgett says, "but do not underestimate their capacity to identify methods to sustain that market.".


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Klein says externally, assimilation might appear to favor the dealer network, "however the countervailing force versus that is the reality that there are just insufficient dealership bays to repair all the automobiles out there, as well as clients do not wish to wait weeks as well as weeks to obtain solution carried out.".

Assimilation is not without its challenges. "It's certainly great for dealers, due to the fact that they can have a smaller parts stock as well as will certainly not need to educate their professionals on numerous systems," Tam states. "The other hand of the coin is that some fleets still have a brand name preference for 'dissimilar' systems, for absence of a better term." He believes it is incumbent for independent representatives to have a pull-through advertising and marketing method in position so those alternatives continue to be offered.

Pennig believes that the initial tools distributor as well as independent networks can remain to exist side-by-side on the market, no matter product intricacy. "The independent along with the supplier requires to remain to purchase people and also innovation in order to stay feasible as well as relevant on the market. If they don't, it matters not which channel they come from-- they will not survive.".

Despite all these changes in truck parts circulation, Wade states, "The power is in the hands of the fleet, as well as even the owner-operator, regarding their choice partly as well as solution sources. The fleet is acquiring increasingly more market power due to the fact that distribution has actually become so fractured." This implies the fleet proprietor figures out where he fits getting parts. Wade describes, "He might purchase filters by the situation from Amazon, transmissions from the dealer, and also headlights and also upkeep items from Charlie down the street or from Fastenal. He will certainly get where he is comfortable acquiring.".

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5 MODS that RUINED our trucks...

by on July 30, 2019


What'S going on, you guys flew from custom, offsets custom offsets TV on the YouTube, and it is about time that we finally give you a build update on the f-350, because it's been a couple weeks. We bought it. It'S been chilling at the shop. So it's time to show you the progress. This is what we've done. Unfortunately, we've just pulled it into the hoist. It'S not actually even on the hoist it's just in the hoist and it's stuck. We do have like a thousand miles on it. So cos we've been driving it, but it's that I'm sorry we'll jump into the video now all right. So I don't want to offend anyone when I make this video, but the thing is we all have been there at some point. Even some of us here, I'm not gon na name names and we're not gon na admit that we ever did any of these modifications to our vehicles, but it happened. That'S how it goes. We were all sixteen or seventeen at some point other than if you're 15 right now and watching this, then I guess you weren't, but basically everybody that watches our channel was a kid at some point, and I know that because that's how life works and we did Modifications to our vehicles that I'm not gon na say we regret, but we maybe shouldn't have because they're questionable and quality and just questionable overall and they might look strange or they perform weird. They don't do what they say. They'Re gon na do or it's the cheap knockoff ones and we've all been there. Let'S just let's get that out of the way we've been there, we've done it. We all understand so jumping right into it, then we're going to cover five of the like worst mods or five of the mods, that ruined our vehicles and just go over those today so coming into it. Like I said, the first one has to do a suspension. Now suspension is expensive, I'm just gon na put that out there. Even if you buy a base model kit, chances are you're gon na, be spending at bare minimum a couple hundred dollars, but most of the time well over a thousand dollars. And if you want something that rides like a Cadillac like we keep getting emails about, be prepared to spend like three four five thousand dollars, depending on what you go with now, when you're, 16 or 17, you don't have that kind of money. At least I didn't. I'M speaking from experience, there was no way that I had that much cash saved up and I didn't even have a credit card because I was not 18 yet and didn't know what credit was so I couldn't do so. What everybody did does did do currently is doing in high school is cranking their keys, so on, like I think it. Oh three, two, oh seven classic Chevy 1500 is a great example. Torsion bar truck people will go in there. They take their half inch. Milwaukee m18 fuel impact and they just drive those straight up and it lifts the front end, which is great because that's what they wanted to do. They wanted to lift the front end, so they put bigger, wheels and tires on and then they realize that it rides. Like a brick, if you could take a brick and put it down the highway and it would bounce all over the place, that's how your truck rides now, but are you lifted yeah sort of kinda? You got the front end higher. That was your overall goal. It looks how you want, but it just rides like crap and we've all been there. We'Ve all done it, but if we're gon na you know give some advice here. Just by the leveling kit, you can get a leveling kit for cheap, like two hundred dollars say roughly, it really depends on what you're, getting especially on my portion of our trucks, they're pretty cheap to get leveling keys just go with that. Don'T crank your stock keys! Okay, yes, I did it. I had a ranger one time I cranked the keys on that. It rode like crap, we're just gon na get that out of the way moving on to the next one. So a first mod that many many people do to their vehicle is exhaust, and now the options are basically endless when it comes to what you're. Putting on your truck, but when it comes to the bad form of exhaust or something that we wouldn't want you to do, that would be straight pipes now. I am guilty of this. I'M gon na say that I feel like I've done. Basically, every single one of these - and I said I wasn't gon na, say names, but I can say my own: that's fine, I'm gon na! Do it just about every vehicle that I've owned, especially when I was younger. I got it so get next day to the muffler shop instead cut those suckers off, because I want straight pipes and every kid in my high school that had their 97 f150 had either straight pipes or cherry bomb', and they were loud as heck. There was no back pressure for your motor and we just gassed it everywhere. We went straight to the floor as loud as possible because we thought that was the coolest thing ever and now that I'm older. I know that that's not necessarily good for your vehicle and it's not that cool to be really loud because of one simple reason: if you are across the block and you do a Burnout and there's a cop and he's over there, you're really loud, he can hear You he's gon na come over and get you that's the problem. If you have a truck, that's not quite so loud, you can go screw around over there, and this guy is over here. He'S just gon na keep eating this doughnut he's just he's just hanging out. So it's great! So if you're gon na put exhaust system on your truck look into something quality, don't just go for the cheapest option, because there are a ton out there on Amazon and eBay and they're called MTM motorsports and our PR whatever. Because they just have random letters. And you don't know the quality of those things, but you read through the list and it says aircraft grade aluminum or it has some 10.1 steel and it makes you feel like you're, getting a quality piece of equipment when really you're. Probably not, and you don't have any gaskets and the welds aren't good and the whole thing falls apart. So if you're gon na spend the money on exhaust, don't spend $ 200 just go ahead and buy an actual true exhaust system, because not only will it sound better, it won't be obnoxiously loud and rat feet unless you're going forward and go ahead and do it. But it also will actually help performance versus just having no back pressure at all and just winging it. The next one number three we've been here: we've done it, it's called Plasti Dip. Custom offsets has done it requested it, the entire truck. We wouldn't recommend it. Don'T do it it's it's terrible! It'S a pain in there to take off. Why did we consider plastidip Ahmad? You probably have seen this on the Internet. Hashtag plastidip is not a mod. Well, you know it's great for badges. If you're, trying to black out your badges or you want to black out your drill, it's cool, it works good. You know it goes on nicely, but the biggest issue is you can't take it off. I know it's marketed that you can just peel it off, but it doesn't work like that. We did a whole truck, it took forever to get off and then the biggest downfall probably isn't actually taking it off, because there's a good chance. If you spend the money to get your whole vehicle professionally dipped you like that look, you wanted to go for a matte paint job, but paint jobs are $ 6,000 and plastidip for a vehicle as $ 1,000. So it's just way cheaper to do it. That way, that's why people do it. If you take a truck off-road or if you drive your truck down the street and there's any sort of dust out there, it clings to it because Plasti Dip is a rubber. So literally, everything sticks to it and it basically like eats its way into the Plasti Dip, and you can pressure wash it. It won't come off. You can sit there and scrub on it and it won't come off. So then, you're, like alright I'll, put some elbow grease into it. We'Re gon na really scrape on this we're gon na we're gon na get the dirt out of my plastidip, because I took my plastic tip, avalanche mudding and now it's covered in everything that was black. Now looks Brown well now you tear the plat to dip, and now your truck is peeling in places you like alright I'll, just grab this cannon I'll just fill in some of the spots, and now it's uneven and blotchy and it just doesn't look good Plasti Dip Is not a mod, don't do it? I'M sorry. If you have Plasti Dip on your truck, I'm not trying to offend you. I'M just saying speaking from experience, Plasti Dip bad choice. Then we have classy tip wheels. I'M just gon na say this: don't if you want new wheels, come with coconuts a deck out soft plugs. We touched briefly on exhaust, but for the next point I'm just gon na call it like poor man's performance mods, because you walk into autozone you head over to aisle 7. You go past the cashier you're like scuse me. Sorry, I got ta get this. You see that big, shiny, cold air intake and you're, like that's the one I got ta, have it it's just a plastic tube that they've made appear to be chrome and it's got your blue filter on the end, because it's awesome and who wouldn't want a colored Filter but the issue of that is that kits like $ 40 and it's not actually a cold air intake, because your cone is still in the engine bay right next to your engine. We'Re super hot, so you've basically made a short RAM intake or a hot air intake, and it doesn't actually help the performance of your vehicle. But I can totally see why you spent for $ 40, because if you want the K,

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