Aftermarket in Mexico Set for Historic Congress

This year will see a historic first for the automotive spare parts market in Mexico: the inaugural  Mexican Congress of Automotive Spare Parts, which will be held on March 17 in Mexico City.

This forum of unquestionable relevance is organized by the Association of Representatives, Importers and Distributors of Parts and Accessories for Automobiles, A.C. (ARIDRA), which I have the honor of presiding over, the National Auto Parts Industry (INA), and PIFA Consulting, a prestigious consulting company that works in  the automotive sector in Mexico. The goal of the congress is to understand and discuss the most relevant issues that concern the spare parts sector in the country, their  solutions and alternatives, in such a way as to contribute to the growth of the spare parts industry. 

Important players from the sector will share their vision, experiences and recommendations. Discussion panels will cover manufacturers, wholesale distributors as well as technology. These conversations will surely shed a great deal of light on the problems our sector is facing.

It is clear that all the issues these experts will address are of indisputable relevance. e E-commerce, for example, is a tool that helped auto parts companies continue to operate during the pandemic and it  is here to stay. Today, those who do not include this modality in their business model are doomed, sooner or later, to be displaced by those who do.

The panel on technology will focus on the influence of technology  as a business accelerator in the Mexican auto parts industry as well as the current diagnosis of companies in the country, growth opportunities through  the use of specialized tools and AI. There are those who are very worried that artificial intelligence will replace human beings.

Speakers and topics are:

The Right to Repair. Bill Hanvey, President and CEO, Auto Care Association

Potential for Growth of Auto Parts in the Online Channel in Mexico. Mariano Vainstein, Regional Director Auto Parts and Agro, Mercado Libre

2023 Aftermarket Growth Forecasts in the US and Mexico, Risks and Opportunities. Paul McCarthy, President and CEO, MEMA Aftermarket

Supply Chain Diagnosis and Logistics in Mexico. Challenges, Opportunities and Recommendations. Diego Anchustegui, Director of EASO, President - Asociación Mexicana de Transporte Intermodal (AMTI)

Talking About the Retail of Auto Parts in Mexico. Pat Webb, President, AutoZone Mexico

In addition, there will be a manufacturers panel, Present and Future of the Aftermarket Made in Mexico, Opportunities for Domestic Companies, and one related to wholesalers: Challenges of the Commercialization of Auto Parts in Mexico. Another will cover associations.

The audience at the congress will be made up of national and international executives of manufacturing companies, wholesale entrepreneurs, distributors and owners of distribution chains, as well as specialized media.

Our commitment to the spare parts sector in Mexico includes the creation, dissemination and transfer of knowledge and information that favors the growth of the sector’s businesses and generates a climate of unity among its different actors. 

This first Mexican Congress of Automotive Parts is unprecedented for many reasons. Firstly, because it is the first event of its kind to be held in our country. The automotive industry was born in Mexico in 1926, with the arrival of the first Ford Motor Company plant and today, almost 100 years later, the sector is among the vital industries for development, not only in Mexico, but in the world. 

Without a doubt, the aftermarket has contributed in a very important way to the hierarchy of today’s  automotive industry. Those of us who comprise the aftermarket industry often say, with all humility, that it is us who literally keep the world moving. At least, in Mexico, 80% of goods, raw materials and people are moved  by land, and the maintenance of those vehicles is our responsibility. That fact alone speaks to the importance of manufacturers and distributors of automotive spare parts and the sector’s repair shops.

In previous articles, we have highlighted the importance of the automotive aftermarket in Mexico, but I think it is necessary to mention it again: The value of the operations of this market in 2022 was close to MX$30 billion (US$1.6 billion)s, serving the needs of a vehicle fleet of 34 million, with a very advanced average age of 15.8 years.

Manufacturers and distributors of automotive spare parts in Mexico, both manufactured here and imported, supply a universe of 45,000 spare parts stores and 230,000 mechanical workshops, which literally keep our country moving. 

We hope that this first Mexican Congress of Automotive Spare Parts will be a success, and above all lays the foundations for an annual event that highlights a sector of incalculable value to the Mexican economy. 

We’ll keep you posted.