Truck Parts and Service | Heavy Duty Trucking, Aftermarket, Service Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/539530
26 Sales & Marketing add new sales in three others we can still continue to grow." Hansen says Minimizer has taken a similar approach while also expanding its product reach away from just the rear axles of tractors and trailers. Minimizer has introduced new products for in-cab, maintenance and storage uses in recent years, and Hansen says each product al- lows its distributors a new sales point for customers. For a company that offers lifetime warranties on all of its products, those new sales points are invaluable. "Our market strategy is to always be evolving and making changes to our product lines based on customers' needs," he says. Lupu says Webasto is taking a similar approach, following manufacturing design developments as a way to identify potentially lucrative new product catego- ries, both for its OEM and aftermarket distribution channels. "We are dedicated to changing with the industry and developing products to meet the industry's needs," he says. Providing installation and service is another avenue for distributors to main- tain sales for longer lasting parts. Maximizing the life cycle of today's best aftermarket parts still requires proper installation and maintenance. OE-trained distributors and service facil- ities can offer that at a performance level most end users simply cannot match. "With any product you buy, if you're willing to make an investment in it, it makes sense to take care of it and actively maintain it," Brusha says. Suppliers also are quick to note that even as life cycles increase, aftermarket products are not invincible. Heavy-duty trucking is a tough envi- ronment. Accidents happen and trucks break down. Just because a supplier increases the potential longevity of a product doesn't mean every end user will reach the end of said product's life cycle. And when those parts do eventually fail, distributors must be on call with replacements. "Breakage still drives a signifi cant portion of the replacement mar- ket, as much as 25 percent in some applications," says Gregory. McKnight agrees, adding, "I think hu- man nature is one thing that's probably never going to change. If everyone took fabulous care of their stuff we probably wouldn't sell a lot. But that's not the case. "Everyone and everything tells you that you have to actively maintain these trucks, yet we still see customers who don't. That type of customer keeps a good piece of our market going." T R U C K P A R T S & S E R V I C E | J u l y 2 0 1 5 Aftermarket product longevity Class 8 replacement miles 132.0 269.0 Alternator 161.0 232.9 Brake Shoes 242.0 392.9 Air Compressor 182.0 585.9 Transmission 171.0 391.7 Clutches 13.3 17.9 Diesel Lube Filters 276.0 771.0 Diesel Overhaul 1982 2014 Source: MacKay & Company, Heavy Duty Aftermarket Dialogue, Jan. 26, 2015. Even with major advancements in product design and durability, suppliers say maintenance remains an important aspect in maximizing longevity. A product that is damaged or beaten down in service can and will suffer failures. With any product you buy, if you're willing to make an investment in it, it makes sense to take care of it and actively maintain it. – Nicole Brusha, director of marketing and heavy-duty sales at Philatron