BY Andrew Marsh, Engineering Director, Auto Industry Consulting Ltd The automotive aftermarket does rely to a significant extent on the manufacturing capability in the region. Even if many products are made outside the EU and UK, the aftermarket parts supply generally flows in a better way, especially if the required parts are used in a vehicle built in the region, or were fitted to previous models also built in the region. It is the bench mark. For importers without this benefit, it is the standard by which they are judged. If the manufacturing ceases in the region (UK and EU27), parts supply will be more difficult and the pressure to deliver/cost control will be undermined. Europe, excess capacity and rising costs How is it being undermined though, and by whom? Not that I want to point fingers, but let’s start with former Prime Minister Theresa May who enshrined in law ‘Net Zero by 2050’ with no cost/benefit analysis or plan. Then there is the EU 30 AFTERMARKET MAY 2023 TECHNICAL www.aftermarketonline.net DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY Are politically motivated policies leading to the destruction of the European motor industry? And what does the Ford Maverick have to do with it? Commission, the political elite whose decisions ran our legal system. So much for politics – what has this got to do with vehicles? Well, we find ourselves sharing with the EU27: • Vehicle Whole Type Approval, which the UK so far is not leaving. This allows vehicle manufacturers and importers to minimise costs by standardising performance criteria, setting aside that UK and Eire drive on ‘the other’ side of the road. • The aim to eliminate all internal
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