The Heavy Duty Distribution Association (HDDA: Heavy Duty), a community of the Auto Care Association, announced it will begin the formal creation of product data standards for the heavy-duty (HD) aftermarket. Preliminary development of these standards, which will improve product data communication across the entire HD market, is already underway.

HDDA: Heavy Duty has contracted Pricedex Software Inc. to continue as its partner on this project. In addition, the association will bring together volunteer product data experts from across 20 top parts categories to participate on subject matter expert subcommittees for the standards’ creation.

This project was initiated to help independent HD distributors and their supplier community to communicate product and system attributes more effectively to provide a faster, more accurate experience for the end-customer.

In 2016, HDDA: Heavy Duty conducted a feasibility study for the standards’ creation. At AAPEX 2016 in Las Vegas, Bill Hanvey, president and CEO of the Auto Care Association, announced that the study produced a positive result for the ability to create HD standards. Since that announcement, several industry organizations, including the Technology & Maintenance Council of the American Trucking Associations, and multiple industry publications, have featured the data standards project in articles and conferences.

“Product data standards mean the heavy-duty aftermarket, from manufacturer, to distributor, professional installer and fleet maintenance managers will get the right part, at the right place, at the right time,” said Hanvey. “We want to reiterate to the HD marketplace that these will be HD standards based upon the way the marketplace looks up and presents its parts. We will seek the input and insight from distributors and data system providers, but particularly manufacturers wanting to communicate product data in a more efficient and consistent manner for all of their customers.”