By Ed Salamy, Executive Director

As the calendar page turns over to a new year, many people take time to look in the rear-view mirror at the 12 months just ended. It was quite a ride!

But I prefer to keep my eyes focused on the road ahead. What does 2017 have in store for the aftermarket parts industry? Here are a few humble predictions:

• The GM MyPartsLink™ program that had the industry in a panic just a year ago – only to discover its impact was so far has been negligible to our members – will continue to be monitored.
• As with recent years, we will continue to see an increase in the number of certified parts in the marketplace.
• There will be more opportunities for qualified distributors to develop relationships with MSOs and insurers in 2017.
• The ABPA’s Annual Meeting & Convention in Atlanta this April will see the highest attendance and engagement we’ve experienced in many years. Our annual get together has become a “must attend” event.
• The legal action ABPA has taken against Ford will continue to move forward in 2017. Your continued support is critical! Please reach out to me directly for more information.
• Self-driving vehicles will continue to make news when they work as advertised, and even bigger headlines when they do not. Also, safety features such as blind spot detection and lane departure warnings will continue to grow in popularity in less expensive vehicle models.
• ABPA membership will continue to grow, as aftermarket parts manufacturers and distributors see the value in presenting a unified front in the face of OEM pressure and collision repair shop indifference.

As always, your ABPA leadership will continue to monitor events on Capitol Hill, at state legislatures, in the courts and across the industry. Happy New Year!

Ed