By Ed Salamy, Executive Director When the ABPA announced our opposition to the recently introduced legislation that would regulate auto body parts use in Maryland (Maryland House Bill 1258) we knew that not everyone in the industry would agree with our stance. There are even those within our industry who came out in support of the bill, Read more…
By Ed Salamy, Executive Director With the success of our 2015 convention in Chicago and a surge in membership growth, the ABPA is unified in moving forward in 2016 and beyond. Which makes our upcoming annual convention in sunny Miami, Florida on April 26-29 an even more exciting and eagerly anticipated event. As always, the ABPA convention Read more…
By Ed Salamy, Executive Director Hanging my 2016 calendar on my office wall led me to think about what is to come in the year ahead. The aftermarket parts industry is certainly in the middle of some very interesting times. Parts manufacturers, distributors and the collision repair shops we serve are facing many challenges. But that also Read more…
Now is the time to reserve your sponsorship and tabletop display for the ABPA’s 2016 Convention and Trade Fair on April 26-29 in Miami, Florida. A select number of sponsorship opportunities are available on a first come, first served basis. Our annual convention is an excellent opportunity to showcase your company’s products and services in front of Read more…
The annual AAPEX (Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo) and SEMA automotive trade shows once again combined forces in Las Vegas in early November. A local marketing expert – the cabbie who drove me from the airport to my hotel – informed me that “auto week” is the largest single draw in Vegas every year, with 140,000 people flocking Read more…
By Ed Salamy, Executive Director The aftermarket parts industry has quickly become familiar – and comfortable – with NSF International. The globally respected organization has delved deeply into the testing and certification of aftermarket parts, and has extended this service further down the supply chain by certifying parts distributors and body shops. NSF’s Bob Frayer is a regular Read more…
By Ed Salamy, Executive Director The annual Car-Part.com Industry Conference was held August 6-8 at the Holiday Inn in Erlanger, KY, just a stone’s throw away from the Cincinnati airport. Our friends at Car-Part.com, in particular Jeff and Janice Schroder, hosted a great convention that was not only educational, but entertaining. Many ABPA members know the Schroders Read more…
By Ed Salamy, Executive Director The “Motor City” of Detroit played host to NACE, one of the automotive industry’s largest events. This was the second year in a row that NACE was held in Detroit, and it will return again in 2017, after a stop in Anaheim, CA next year. NACE officials claimed attendance was up from Read more…
By Ed Salamy, Executive Director Summertime means that NACE is just around the corner. Last year was the show’s first in Detroit and attendance seemed to have increased significantly compared to the prior shows in Las Vegas. Personally, I will not miss having to attend two shows in Las Vegas, separated by only two weeks. I will Read more…
By Ed Salamy, ABPA Executive Director At the conclusion of this year’s ABPA annual meeting in Chicago, our organizations’ Chairman, Dan Morrissey, proclaimed that, “Our association is stronger than it’s ever been.” That sentiment seemed to echo throughout the week, as leading aftermarket parts manufacturers and distributors came together to assess the state of the industry, to Read more…
