DRIVING FORCES
Could you please tell us a bit about how the association was originally founded.
Everyone has to have the right to choose and it should be an informed choice.
We got together with a number of key brands and we were already working together at Mechanex trade shows under the umbrella of Tech Talk Live.
Access to technical information is a huge concern for independent garages.
We shared the same aims and ambitions to talk directly to workshops and became increasingly aware that there was an increasing number of claims being made about ‘original quality’ or ‘matching quality’. A number of brands out in the market place were making claims that, frankly, were not true so we decided that it would be easier to address this issue from a wider platform.
What role does OESAA aim to play within the automotive aftermarket? OESAA stands for fair play. We are happy to see that, since our conception, a number of players have revised the wording on their boxes and our aim is to enable the market to make clear decisions on behalf of their endcustomers based on real values. We’re very much focused on clear labelling so people can make that choice. Within our association, we have some members who are not OE on every product that they sell. We’re very transparent on that and we list the products that we are OE on.
Deciphering what’s behind parts brands is complex, what role can responsible motor factor suppliers play? Suppliers have to be clear and transparent in their labelling and communication of exactly what they are offering.
Can OESAA and its members help in this area? Yes, we believe that access to information is key to the survival of the independent workshop and that’s why we have focussed all our attention on workshops. As OE suppliers, we all have to make huge investments to develop our products with the VM in terms of research and development.
Everyone has to have the right to choose and it should be an informed choice. We have access to a lot of information but we’re absolutely clear that this has to be made available to the independent workshops. As OE manufacturers, we understand the importance of a balanced market with fair competition. It is very naïve to think about the VMs as the enemy, if they did not make cars there would be no aftermarket!
Is there a risk of dividing the aftermarket at a time when main dealer competition appears to be strengthening? Consumers will always want a
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