2015 Autopromotec: 20% buy tires online!

May 26, 2015

As part of its traditional look at innovation at Autopromotec, the International Automotive Aftermarket Meeting (IAAM) Congress addressed “Connected vehicle -- connected business: opportunities and challenges for the aftermarket" at the 2015 edition of the trade fair in Bologna, Italy.

"IAAM15" offered in-depth analyses and strategic perspectives on the most innovative technological aspects of the car industry to companies and professionals in the sector, with particular attention to the theme of information and communication technologies applied to vehicles, the relevant regulations, and the numerous challenges that these pose for the various operators.

"The car industry represents an epicenter in the strong trend towards connectivity currently underway around the world, with vehicles featuring ever more advanced electronic components and connected with the external world," said Josef Frank, former aftermarket director of CLEPA (European Association of Automotive Suppliers) and chairman of IAAM. "For the aftermarket community, IAAM15 is, thus, an important opportunity to consider the themes, trends, and options in relation to this rapidly evolving scenario."

The congress opened with an address from Gianmarco Giorda, managing director of ANFIA (Associazione Nazionale Fra Industrie Automobilistiche, or "National Association of the Automobile Industry"), focusing on the slight market recovery underway since 2013 and the importance of telematics for increasingly intelligent and sustainable mobility.This was followed by the participation of numerous experts and operators in the sector.

Luca Montagner, associate director of ICDP Italy (International Car Distribution Programme), provided an update on the volumes, operators and market shares in the European aftermarket; he also offered an interesting forecast for 2020. In terms of volumes, with the exception of the United Kingdom, the ICDP investigation identified a reduction in demand in Europe from 2009 to 2012 for operations linked to car repairs and maintenance, with the independent market controlling most of these operations (with the exclusion of Germany).

The chains linked to car manufacturers in the European "Big 5" (Germany, Italy, France, Spain, and the UK) totaled 49,000 operators in 2014, and in many of these markets (with the exception of Italy) "the aftersales makes the largest contribution to the profitability of dealers." Among the independents, more than 50% belong to chains. The overall figure for all five markets is the result of the improvement of the independent market relative to the official one.

What is the outlook for 2020, according to Montagner? The demand for services linked to car repairs and maintenance will probably decrease in terms of volumes on average by 8% compared to 2012, somewhat less in terms of value. In regard to vehicles in circulation, the forecast calls for an increase in age, caused essentially by the drop in sales of new cars.

Also according to the forecast, part of the outlets in manufacturers' networks are destined to be further reduced in numbers, as are the number of independents, which should, however, increase their market share (although their overall business is also expected to decrease).

Montagner also investigated the behavior of European customers online. He sees:

* a significant increase is foreseen in visits to Internet websites for the purpose of booking service appointments;

* an increase in sale of tires online (currently 20% of motorists buy on the Internet, according to Montagner);

* an increase in the sale of spare parts online (around 30% buy on Internet, he said), which could have a dramatic effect, to the detriment in particular of the independent market.

The Autopromotec trade fair, official known as the International Biennial Exhibition of Automotive Equipment and Aftermarket Products, was held from May 20-24. For more information, check out these links:

"2015 Autopromotec: car talk in Europe."

"Experts discuss industry issues at Autopromotec."

"Pirelli helps open 2015 Autopromotec."

"Autopromotec expects the masses to attend."

For more information on Autopromotec, visit www.autopromotec.com, www.facebook.com/Autopromotec and twitter.com/Autopromotec.