Posts Tagged ‘asian companies’
Automotive Aftermarket, Baby
Even today, almost no industry is more important to the United States economy than the car business. Certainly, European and Asian companies have made a huge mark in the automotive world, but that has only partially diminished the importance of the so-called Big Three U.S. automakers: Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors. Even so, for all the power of these manufacturing giants, they are joined by another large and thriving largely U.S. based industry, the automotive aftermarket. Name a factory auto part or accessory on your car and rest very assured that an aftermarket version of it is available. Be it air bag suspension, air conditioners, or air intake valves. you can get aftermarket versions of them that may improve your car’s performance and the one we just named are only a random few that have “air” in their names.
Aftermarket parts are purchased both by diehard do-it-yourselfers and less ambitious auto owners for their mechanics or more gearheaded pals to install. All told, it is estimated that the automotive aftermarket accounts for some $257 billion annually in the U.S. and an additional $16 million in Canada. Although there has been some friction over the years between mainstream automakers and aftermarket manufacturers, and even a great deal of direct legal pressure in the form of intellectual property lawsuits, the industry continues on very profitably as an adjunct to the car industry.
Indeed, ever year in Las Vegas, industry insiders and others can meet with companies that manufacture those aforementioned air bag suspension products and countless other products at the annual trade show put on by the Specialty Equipment Market Association. SEMA has all the bells and whistles of any major convention, including an awards show, “booth babes,” freebies, and all the rest. The fact of the matter is that the car aftermarket is a big business. There’s a lot more to it than some random resource for your mechanic to buy air bag suspension equipment.