Gillis says CAPA plans on certifying bumpers, rebars

CHARLOTTE--CAPA is currently reviewing its approach to the marketplace with the objective of clearly defining the difference between those parts that meet CAPA’s standards and those that don’t.

This was the word from Jack Gillis, executive director of the Certified Automotive Parts Association, who also provided an update on his organization’s approach to the situation caused by the settlement of the Ford-LKQ patent lawsuit.

Gillis reminded convention attendees that CAPA’s policy regarding patents has always been to insure that CAPA Certified parts do not violate patents.  This is for two reasons: “First, the CAPA seal indicates to the public that the part complies with both applicable laws and CAPA standards and, second, to ignore the existence of patents on CAPA Certified parts would subject CAPA to charges of ‘and inducement to infringe’.”  

In patent situations CAPA manufacturers have always been encouraged to obtain licenses to manufacturer patented parts which, in the past, has enabled manufacturers to obtain CAPA Certification on patented items.  The Ford-LKQ agreement essentially enables LKQ to licence manufacturers of its choice to make Ford patented parts.  Going forward, manufacturers, with the proper documentation, can now present Ford patented parts to CAPA for certification.         

“This does not represent a change in CAPA policy as manufacturers who obtain licenses to produce patented items have always been able to Certify those items,” said Gillis.

What was exciting about Gillis’ appearance was his announcement that CAPA

is now investigating setting new standards for light trucks and SUV bumpers as well as reinforced bumpers.

Bumper reinforcement bars would also be technically evaluated.

This was one of those product groups about which CAPA has fielded many an inquiry but on which they have not acted until now.

Regarding CAPA Connect,  Gillis said that new data will soon be made available to the field and, ultimately, there would be a system for certifying distributors who are adhering to distribution standards especially as it pertained to stocking certified parts.

Updating the audience on other activities, Gillis announced that CAPA has been approved by the British Standards Institute as a certification program that meets the part quality requirements in the new British body shop standard PAS 125. 

On the patent reform front, Gillis was organizing consumer groups to support the ‘repair clause’ on capitol hill.  

On the state legislative front, there is growing concern about the quality of aftermarket parts and CAPA is supporting California legislation (SB350 and SB 427) that will recognize the importance of quality certification and prevent ‘part switching’ in the marketplace. 

CAPA is working with NCOIL (National Congress of Insurance Legislators) leaders who are again expressing concern about part quality and proper repair practices. 

CAPA has also mounted an effort to educate insurance commissioners about the part choices that insurance companies are making when it comes to crash repairs. 

From what is to what could be--that’s where Gillis next took his audience. He said that there was a potential for 30 million certifiable parts on estimates but that CAPA parts represented only three million in the marketplace. That’s just 10 percent, folks!

In a recent analysis of the top 100 CAPA parts, only eight percent are available as certified. He used this to state the obvious--that manufacturers are choosing to certify very few of their parts to the CAPA certification standards.

And that across the board, from parts in categories 101, 201 and 301, the percentage of parts which can be certified versus that which actually are have proven miniscule.

Well, on the sheet metal side, 38 percent are certified but that means 62 percent are not.  Of the 201 product category, there are close to 16,000 certifiable parts and only four percent are certified.

That same four percent number holds for the 14,307 certifiable parts in the lighting category where nearly 96 percent are not certified.

But in reviewing market sales, CAPA knows that lighting and non-CAPA parts sales are up.

As if to admonish his listeners, Gillis said, “When you choose not to purchase CAPA Certified parts, you are sending a loud and clear message to the market about your true concern about quality. 

“Believe me,” he adds, “the insurers hear you and so too do the body shops.” 

Essentially, Gillis said that part distributors have been handed an incredible gift in CAPA. 

Millions and millions of dollars have been spent refining, insuring credibility and creating a tool that they can use to insure that the products they offer their customers are truly comparable to car company brand parts. 

Instead of taking advantage of this gift and simply insisting that their venders meet this level of quality, which all manufacturers clearly can do, distributor purchase behavior essentially says, “We really don’t care about quality, non-CAPA Certified parts are just fine with us.”  

Gillis went on to say, “that is certainly your choice and you are certainly free to make it, but you are the only entities in America that are buying these parts from CAPA manufacturers and while it may be cheaper for you to ignore quality, you may want to consider the ultimate cost of this decision.”  

Turning his attention to the public and its perception of the industry, as well as the CAPA program, Gillis indicated that CAPA would be embarking on a significant program to explain the difference between parts meeting the CAPA standard and those that don’t.  

“For too long I have been one of America’s most ardent defenders of the importance of aftermarket parts, and now its time to let the public know that “all aftermarket parts and not created equal”. 

It is time to let people, including insurance commissioners, legislative bodies, trade press, and consumer groups know that given a choice, many are deciding to order and accept non-CAPA Certified products over those that meet our standards. 

Parts that meet the CAPA standard are clearly head and shoulders above those that don’t, he said.

They are made of the right materials, have the right number of welds, have built in corrosion protection, fit, and, most importantly, meet all government safety standards. 

Those that don’t meet the CAPA standard? 

Well, who knows?  And it is time the public knew the difference.  Ironically, that is why the ABPA created a certification program which eventually became CAPA.

With certification of parts, consumers and the market could identify high quality alternatives to car company brand parts. 

So the mandate is to insure that both the public and public policy makers know the difference between CAPA and non-CAPA.

Said Gillis, “This is exactly what ABPA intended years ago when they created a certification program because distributors could not identify acceptable from unacceptable parts and they needed a way to let the public know that they cared about quality.”   

When members of the audience expressed concern that Gillis’s message may cast aspersions on all aftermarket parts, Gillis responded:  “The choice is yours, you can continue to ignore CAPA standards or you can embrace them.               

“Going forward, by continuing to choose non-certified over CAPA Certified, you are making the choice to be accountable for lights that fail FMVSS, non-galvanized sheet metal, plastic with poor coating performance and parts that simply have not been properly test fitted  on a vehicle.  

He added, “But again, that is solely your decision.

“The good news is that you continue to have a strong, credible, legitimate certification standard to depend on….if you want.”