SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California’s top automotive aftermarket industry organizations came together in Sacramento last month to tackle some of the industry’s most pressing issues, including the impacts of telematics on the industry and compliance with new brake pad laws. Members from the Automotive Service Councils of California (ASCCA), Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA), California Automotive Business Coalition (CalABC), California Automotive Teachers (CAT) and CAWA – Representing the Automotive Parts Industry, sponsored the 2014 Automotive Aftermarket Industry Summit, held Feb. 8 in downtown Sacramento.
The impact of telematics on the industry was a main focus of the summit. Industry experts and telematics consultants discussed the technical features of telematics, how its use can be applied within the aftermarket industry and the opportunities for aftermarket companies in building customer relationships and increasing supply chain efficiencies. The panel discussion, which was facilitated by John Villa of ASCCA and moderated by Aaron Lowe of AAIA, featured telematics consultant Derek Kaufman and ALLDATA’s Jeff Lagges.
Attendees were then provided with a demonstration of the brake pad compliance website www.copperfreebrakes.org to ensure across-the-board compliance by all industry segments to adhere to new brake pad laws implemented in recent months.
Rounding out the summit was a presentation by industry lobbyists on federal and state issues impacting the industry including the California political landscape, tax reform efforts, latest news on the state budget, overview of the national right to repair memorandum of understanding, proposal to tax automotive repair services and advancements in career and technical education opportunities. The legislative advocates stressed the importance of grassroots lobbying to augment the ground efforts underway in the state capitals to maintain vigilance on behalf of the industry.
“Each year, CAWA spearheads the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Summit to bring together volunteer leaders and members from organizations representing all levels of the industry,” stated Ron Aparicio, CAWA chair of the board. “Staying united, staying informed and working together is the only way we as an industry can persevere and thrive in an increasingly difficult economic and regulatory climate in California.”
For more information about the 2014 Industry Summit, visit www.cawa.org.
