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.
How do you organise your blades in terms of market positioning? i.e. do you have a range of standard blades, premium blades and maybe super-premium blades?
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Federal-Mogul’s Champion brand is one of the long-established leaders in the windscreen wiper market. A key part of Champion’s positioning is that it supplies the blades that vehicle manufacturers fit as original equipment in the factory and also offers our aftermarket partners and customers a full range of blades that match OE quality and performance criteria.
These products are produced using the same materials, in the same factories and on the same production lines as the OE parts, but we go further than that by engineering additional features into our aftermarket programmes to increase flexibility and ease of fitting.
A good example is our fully flexible Master Connector system for flat blades. Unlike OE products which are designed to fit one specific application, this add-on feature enables flat blades to be installed on a vehicle that was not originally equipped with them. It is specifically developed to meet the stringent requirements of our aftermarket customers – notably it is also used in original equipment supply.
Our premium Contact range of flat blades matches the OE design and specification but in addition utilizes the Master Connector, effectively making them a ‘super premium’ product.
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By GlobalDataBy comparison, our mid-segment Easyvision blades are focused more towards the retail environment, providing extensive coverage of the vehicle parc with relatively few part numbers and delivered at a lower price point.
To what extent are the flat blades impacting the aftermarket? i.e. to what extent are these blades attracting interest in the aftermarket as performance upgrades as well as a direct replacement for OE fit parts?
Flat blades are the growth story of the aftermarket. Whereas in 2003 their market share was less than 1 percent, this year it is expected to exceed 30 percent.
Largely thanks to our innovative Master Connector, Champion’s share of this wiper business segment is growing. Our flat blade range is not only used to replace original-fit flat blades, but in many markets it is now commonplace to find flat blades being fitted as an upgrade by motorists.
It is fair to say that flat blades are the primary focus for any supplier selection by aftermarket distributors as they command a higher selling price and deliver better margins than conventional wipers.
The main reason for the focus on flat blades is the improvement in performance they deliver. This makes them attractive to end customers who see them as a valuable safety upgrade for their standard-blade equipped vehicles.
This demand is driving the entire market and as an example, a revamped Champion Easyvision programme will be launched in spring 2013. The range will feature two all-new flat blade designs, one engineered to replace conventional blades (Retrofit), and the other featuring a multi-function 7-in-1 connection system (Multiclip) to replace original flat blades.
Rear wiper blades appear to have reached “designer” status these days. In what ways does that impact your business in terms of the aftermarket?
Rear blades are quite often specifically developed for a single vehicle model, and sometimes individual designs can be protected by patents. This presents challenges to provide full aftermarket coverage. Nonetheless, Federal-Mogul’s Champion programme aims to include a wide range of aftermarket replacements for rear applications covering European and Asian cars, including full plastic wiping arms, replacement plastic and metal blades, and also flat blades.
Drivers don’t replace their blades as often as they should. What initiatives have Federal Mogul done to raise awareness and ensure they do?
It remains a challenge to educate the driving public on this simple but safety-critical maintenance. In addition to producing Champion point-of-sale materials, such as flyers, trouble tracer charts, counter stands and wiper displays promoting replacement, Champion also regularly advertises in the trade press and motoring magazines across Europe to reinforce the message to the professional trade. The aim is to increase awareness among opinion influencers such as garages, motoring organisations and driving enthusiasts, of the need to check wipers regularly. Every couple of months is ideal especially during winter. Worn parts must be changed before they deteriorate just as with any safety-related, wearing parts such as brake pads.
Do replacement rates vary from one country to the next in Europe?
Yes. There are large differences between different countries’ replacement rates. In general, drivers should replace their wiper blades more regularly than they do, and the main factors in their decisions should be local weather and road conditions.
We recommend that wiper blades be checked at least every six months and changed on a regular basis (preferably every year) to maintain maximum driving safety.
Drivers should look for any visible signs of blade wear and take note of how their blades are performing. If they are making noise or streaking the windscreen, it is time to replace them.
Some drivers may find it easy to remember to check/change their wipers when they adjust their clock forward/back in Spring and Autumn. Do not wait for the blade to fail as this can cause damage to the windscreen.
Are wiper blades still a nuisance to fit?
Far from it; flat blades make it easier than ever these days. One of the reasons they are simpler to install is because of Federal-Mogul’s patented bayonet connector system, which is now the most widely used system across car manufacturers. We have received a prestigious PACE award in recognition of our design innovation and the robustness and ease of installation. With a simple push of a button, flat blades just click into place. Champion uses the same design in the Master Connector system for the aftermarket.
The “keep it simple” principle is also evident in Champion’s standard blades, which are regularly top-rated in independent consumer tests because of the ease of installation. In a recent comparison test, the well-known French magazine Auto Plus rated Champion as the benchmark for ease of installation and initial wipe performance.
Have there been any major advances in terms of the use of different materials or coatings on wiper blades?
The remainder of this interview is available on just-auto’s QUBE research service
