What Do Central American Aftermarket Distributors Need from Suspension Component Manufacturers?

Aftermarket suspension component distributors in Central America want several important outcomes from working with auto suspension component manufacturers. The most desirable outcome is that customers will be extremely satisfied with the quality of the suspension components they supply and this will increase their brand recognition and market share.

Central American aftermarket suspension component distributors look for specific quality standards

Central American aftermarket suspension component distributors are looking for specific quality standards that give them reassurance they will not have to worry about customer complaints arising from unexpected failures, low durability, and difficulty with component identification and installation. They also want to be able to select from a range of suspension components from the same manufacturer that reflects the needs of their customers for components that fit a wide range of historic and current models.

Parts availability has a significant impact on suspension component distributors

A very important factor in relationships between suspension component manufacturers and aftermarket distributors is being able to maintain availability of parts for a wide range of vehicle models and types. Aftermarket suspension component distributors need to be able to offer a comprehensive catalog of parts to maintain their status as preferred suppliers to both workshops and private customers.

Auto repair shops, independent mechanics and garage chains all prefer to use parts distributors that can give them the majority of the common components they require, with the quality they need, from a single source without having to search multiple different sources.

Aftermarket suspension components need to be designed for easy installation

It may seem obvious that easy installation should be a priority design feature of aftermarket suspension components, but in reality it is often ignored by mass market manufacturers. This is especially true for budget suspension components, where manufacturers reduce the forming stages or simplify machining to reduce manufacturing time and cost. This results in components that do not have the same external or internal profiles as OEM components, which can make them difficult to install.

Durability is very important to Central American aftermarket parts distributors

The reality of road surface conditions for the majority of Central American drivers is that they are not as smooth and forgiving as well maintained urban roads in Europe, Asia or North America. Costa Rica and Belize are typical examples of Central American countries where many roads are not paved and holes and corrugations in road surfaces transfer heavy shock loadings and increased vibration to all types of vehicle suspension.

Fatigue stress, cracking and failure of sub-standard bushings, ball joints and tie-rod ends are a common problem encountered by Central American drivers on roads where surface damage and irregularity is common. This applies both to poor quality aftermarket suspension parts as well as many OEM components that were not designed to withstand harsh road and driving conditions.

How can suspension component manufacturers help Central American aftermarket distributors?

Using standard catalog systems like ACES/PIES, manufacturing a wide range of components across recent and historic auto models and manufacturing to consistent quality standards are very important for building positive local dealer, workshop and customer sentiment for your aftermarket car parts.

• Conformance to ACES/PIES catalog standards helps with parts identification
• Maintaining comprehensive tooling and manufacturing capabilities for a wide range of parts
• Consistent high quality manufacturing using automated and robotic systems
• In-house ODM and testing to ensure component quality and durability

ACES/PIES catalog compliance

SH Auto Parts uses the ACES/PIES catalog system to make it easy for aftermarket auto component distributors to verify that the suspension parts are correct for the make, model and year of auto manufacturing they need.

Comprehensive auto parts tooling library

We maintain a comprehensive tooling library built over decades of experience that enables us to manufacture a wide range of current and historic suspension components very rapidly, and in variable shipping quantities due to our focus on integrated automation systems at our smart factory in Taiwan.

Consistent, high quality, robotic manufacturing of suspension components

At our Smart Factory in Taiwan we use automated high tensile steel stamping and forming and CNC machining to ensure that every component is identical. Our robotic 12-axis welding machines remove the possibility of human errors that are a common cause of weld line failure and cracking in low cost suspension component manufacturing.

Comprehensive quality testing and ODM component design

We maintain a full service quality lab at our Smart Factory alongside our ODM engineering team. This enables us to rapidly test and assess OEM components and reengineer and remanufacture components to make them suitable for different applications and markets. We also have a history of using our ODM expertise to update and improve on existing OEM designs that have known faults.

Choose SH Auto Parts because your reputation depends on the quality of the suspension components you distribute

Your reputation as a distributor depends on the quality of suspension components you supply, and we can help you to maintain and build your reputation in the demanding Central American market. From our automated, high quality manufacturing processes to our comprehensive ACES/PIES catalog of components and streamlined, responsive packaging and shipping systems, we provide everything you need to maintain high fill rates and inventory availability.

SH Auto Parts doesn’t just supply aftermarket auto parts that provide matching fitting and performance solutions for OEM components, we also design, manufacture and supply ODM aftermarket suspension components that are more reliable and easier to install than many OEM equivalents.

Your customers will recognize and appreciate the quality when they discover how much longer our components last and how reliable they are even in the most demanding conditions. Contact our team to discover how our wide range of IATF 16949 certified suspension components can help you improve your market share.