Latest aftermarket news and analysis articles 
The aftersales business that includes the manufacture, distribution and sale of replacement parts for vehicles
JAPAN: NGK full year income falls 18.1%
13 May 2013
NGK Spark Plug's sales rose 6.3% to JPY302.8bn (US$2.98bn) in the fiscal year ended 31 March 2013. Operating income dipped 3% to JPY23.75bn.
JAPAN: Yokohama Rubber’s Q1 net income off 35.7%
13 May 2013
Yokohama Rubber's sales were down 5.6% year on year to JPY127.7bn (US$1.26bn) in the first quarter of the year (to 31 March 2013). Operating income fell 18.1% to JPY7.6bn and net income plunged 35.7% to JPY5.6bn.
ISRAELI: Satnav Waze attracts interest from Facebook
10 May 2013
Facebook is in talks to acquire Israeli mobile satellite navigation start-up Waze for US$800m to US$1bn, according to the business daily Calcalist.
US: Penske Logistics wins bid to operate BMW parts centre
1 May 2013
Penske Logistics has announced it has been awarded the contract to be the operational manager of the BMW of North America distribution centre in Nazareth, Pa.
ITALY: Pirelli delays 2013-2017 industrial plan
12 April 2013
Pirelli has said that its presentation of its '2013-2017 Industrial Plan', initially scheduled for May 8th, 2013, will now take place in November of 2013. It says it is reviewing its 'commercial structures' in the light of the persisting economic crisis in Europe.
COMMENT: Latest big recall on airbags not good for Toyota or Takata
11 April 2013
Toyota, Nissan, Honda, and Mazda are recalling a combined 3.39m vehicles globally, all traced back to an identical problem with the passenger-side airbag supplied by Takata. IHS Automotive analyst Paul Newton considers the implications.
INDIA: Suzuki in India facing large fine on parts deals
10 April 2013
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) considers Maruti Suzuki India's deals with its parts suppliers anti-competitive. The commission believes Maruti Suzuki was abusing its dominance in the market by restricting the supply of spare parts and charging a high premium on them.
HONG KONG: Market size means shorter warranties
8 April 2013
Hong Kong is not the place to be if you want a decent warranty on your new car, according to the South China Morning Post.
Q&A with Federal-Mogul: Wipers aftermarket
25 March 2013
Federal-Mogul designs and manufactures a range of wiper systems and blades, serving the light vehicle, heavy vehicle, agriculture, off-road, marine and aircraft markets. In this interview, Matthew Beecham talked with Olivier Legrand, Vice President Aftermarket Europe, Vehicle Components Solutions, Federal-Mogul Corporation about the wiper blade aftermarket.
JAPAN: Denso eyes Myanmar aftermarket
22 March 2013
Denso is considering selling replacement parts in Myanmar, president Nobuaki Kato told The Nikkei.
Q&A with Valeo Wiper Systems
21 March 2013
Valeo's wiper product family includes all types of front and rear wiper systems, for both OE and the aftermarket. Here, Matthew Beecham talked with company executives about how its replacement wiper blade business is organised as well as notable market trends.
INTERVIEW: Premium cars boost premium audiomaker
4 March 2013
With European volume OEMs and European offshoots of multi-nationals struggling en masse to achieve some sort of balance between capacity, demand, labour relations and costs, it would be fair to assume that Tier 1 suppliers are going through the same agonies.
SOUTH AFRICA: Continental Tyre to spend another US$10m at Port Elizabeth
22 February 2013
Continental Tyre South Africa (CTSA) will spend ZAR91m (US$10.26m) on new machinery and upgrades at its Port Elizabeth plant in 2013.
UK: Audi launches online booking for aftermarket
13 February 2013
Audi UK has launched what it claims is the first online booking facility capable of managing servicing and MOT requests in real-time and confirming appointments almost immediately.
US: Hankook Tyre’s 2012 operating profit increases 57.9%
5 February 2013
Hankook Tyre has announced a 57.9% increase to its operating profit in fiscal 2012 on sales up 8.3% to KRW7.029tn (US$6.31bn).
UK: New tyre indicates when it needs to be replaced
5 February 2013
A tyre has been developed that indicates when it needs to be replaced due to tread erosion.
CHINA: Bridgestone wins lawsuit against Chinese manufacturer
4 February 2013
Bridgestone Corporation has announced that it has won a lawsuit against Chinese tyre manufacturer Guangzhou Bolex Tyre Ltd. regarding infringement of trademark rights.
THAILAND: Bridgestone builds R&D centre
18 January 2013
Japan’s largest tyre manufacturer, Bridgestone Corporation, plans to build a new THB1.24bn (US$41m) research and development centre in Bangkok, Thailand.
DETROIT: Johnson Controls "remains interested" as A123 under CFIUS scrutiny
15 January 2013
Johnson Controls (JCI) said there was "no reason" not to still be attracted by A123 Systems although the company is currently being evaluated for a potential purchase by Chinese operation Wanxiang.
DETROIT: Michelin powering ahead but pushes US national debt agenda
15 January 2013
America's colossal debt is the largest challenge facing Michelin in the US but also it biggest opportunity, said the tyre producer.
US/CHINA: Inrix partners with CenNavi for delivering traffic services across China
8 January 2013
Inrix and CenNavi have announced a partnership for delivering premium real-time, predictive and historical traffic services across China.
SOUTH KOREA: Mobis promotes "door-to-door multimedia overhaul service"
3 January 2013
Mobis is promoting what it describes as a "door-to-door multimedia overhaul service" to assist Hyundai-Kia owners in Korea with multimedia upgrades and settings.
just-auto clocks off for the year
21 December 2012
just-auto is taking the customary seasonal holiday and today's daily newsletter will be the last one for a short while as the office shuts down for the annual Christmas and New Year celebrations.
December 2012 management briefing: Review of 2012 (part 1)
19 December 2012
Like any year in the auto industry, 2012 saw its fair share of company ups and downs, industrial comings and goings, and a fair old sprinkling of corporate drama. It was also a year of economic uncertainty hovering over automotive markets. We covered it all on just-auto. Editor Dave Leggett sifts through the lot and picks out a few highlights from the year just gone, month by month. Part one covers the first half of the year, part two the second. This is part one.
US: Toyota gets heavy fine for US safety report delay
18 December 2012
Toyota has been fined US$17.4m - the maximum allowed under US law - for taking too long to report safety issues to the US authorities. The action represents the single highest civil penalty amount ever paid to NHTSA for violations stemming from a recall.
SOUTH KOREA: German OEMs need to improve aftersales - survey
18 December 2012
German carmakers are lagging behind their Japanese rivals in aftersales customer satisfaction in South Korea, according to a survey.
INDONESIA: Tyre manufacturer to issue new bonds
14 December 2012
Indonesia’s largest tyre manufacturer, Gajah Tunggal, announced a US$500m bond issue to fund the buy-back of existing bonds worth $400m, issued in 2005, which mature in July 2014.
BELGIUM: CLEPA defends Horizon 2020 against "unfair" criticism
29 November 2012
European automotive supplier body, CLEPA, is branding as "unfair," recent criticism levelled at the Horizon 2020 initiative calling for some EUR80bn to be invested in innovation across the Continent.
UK: Automotive lubricant additives on growth curve - consultants
7 November 2012
Stringent emissions legislations, along with changes in engine hardware and base oil types, are set to promote the greater incorporation of lubricant additives in passenger car motor oils (PCMO) and heavy duty diesel oils (HDDO).
US: Goodyear Q3 sales off 13%
29 October 2012
Tyre maker Goodyear said third quarter 2012 sales were down 13% to $5.3bn as a result of tyre sales down $592m and $258m in foreign currency costs. Tyre unit volume slipped 12% to 41.8m due mainly to weaker sales in Europe.
