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By Counterman
NEXUS Automotive International’s global event, the NEXUS Business Forum, took place at the SwissTech Convention Center in Lausanne, Switzerland, between March 31 and April 2. The forum gathered 300 companies and more than 700 attendees from 96 countries.
It included the fourth edition of NEXUS Climate Day, “The Future is Ours” plenary session, and more than 3,000 speed-dating meetings that created new business opportunities and strengthened relationships within the N! Community. NEXUS CEO Gaël Escribe issued the “Lausanne Appeal,” urging the N! Community to embrace greater collaboration, particularly in unpredictable times, to achieve success and contribute positively to the overall automotive aftermarket industry.
“The Future is Ours” plenary session: unprecedented discussion with aftermarket associations
During “The Future is Ours” plenary session, NEXUS Automotive International hosted a roundtable bringing together, for the first time, leaders from influential aftermarket associations such as Bill Hanvey from the Auto Care Association and Chris Gardner from MEMA, representing the United States; Frank Schlehuber from Clepa and Sylvia Gotzen from Figiefa, representing Europe; and Wilson Ni of the Chinese Automotive Intelligence Society. During the session, the leaders of these organizations shared their insights into the short- and medium-term challenges that are redefining the industry.
Beyond identifying trends, they established a framework for cross-functional collaboration designed to advance the aftermarket ecosystem, turning regional concerns into a collective drive for progress.
“The Wise Guys” session: leaders share perspectives on the market’s evolution
A major highlight was “The Wise Guys” session including Arnd Franz, CEO of Mahle; Neil Fryer, vice president and general manager, global aftermarket, for PHINIA; Todd Hertzler, regional president, MA North America, Bosch; Cedric Dackam, president and general manager, automotive aftermarket, MANN+HUMMEL; Randy Buller, co-founder and chairman, The Parts Authority; and Gaël Escribe, NEXUS Automotive International’s CEO. This platform featured key industry players who shared perspectives on the market’s evolution.
In a display of strategic transparency, these leaders examined short- and medium-term challenges redefining the ecosystem. By establishing a framework for cross-functional collaboration, they turned individual concerns into a collective drive for progress and reinforced the N! Community’s role across the industry.
NEXUS Climate Day: from competitive advantage to value creation
The fourth
link hidden, please login to view Climate Day convened more than 300 participants to develop tangible solutions and share best practices. The event brought together sustainability specialists, suppliers and members of the N! Community, representing the entire NEXUS value chain. Panel discussions and proof-of-concept (POC) projects developed by Bosch, MANN+HUMMEL, SKF and TotalEnergies provided concrete guidelines for embedding sustainability within the industry. Escribe appealed for the foundation of an alliance to structure battery repair in Europe and territories where the EV car parc will generate major maintenance soon.
While individual efforts within the industry are taking shape, forming alliances across ecosystems can create the only answer to this major challenge: a collaborative approach.
Redesigned award ceremony
The annual
link hidden, please login to view award ceremony named DRiV as Supplier of the Year and Goldwagen as Member of the Year. In the heavy-duty category, Europart & Wijlhuizen were both recognized as Members of the Year. Individual honors went to industry leaders: Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia from GSF was awarded Man of the Year, while Elodie Luce from TotalEnergies and Hasmeet Kaur from MANN+HUMMEL were both awarded Woman of the Year. North American partners Randy Buller from Parts Authority and Robert Roos from The Pronto Network were recognized with a Leadership Excellence Award and NEXUS Commitment Excellence Award.
ElringKlinger and MANN+HUMMEL shared Growth Champion in the Strategic Supplier category, while Purflux Group took the award for Preferred Supplier and ZF for Heavy-Duty. The bilstein group was named Customer Experience Champion.
NEXUS leadership on value creation and collaboration
“This Business Forum reflects the growing maturity of NEXUS and the new stage we are entering,” said Escribe. “We are becoming a group fully structured around high-value creation for our supplier partners, members, and the wider aftermarket ecosystem, in a context defined by transformation, growth, and collaboration. The 2026 NEXUS Business Forum has acted as a catalyst for building a more resilient aftermarket of tomorrow.”
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By Counterman
O’Reilly Auto Parts has opened a new 550,000 square foot distribution center in Stafford County, Virginia, marking another expansion of the company’s North American supply network. The company said the facility will strengthen service across the Mid-Atlantic region.
“This new DC is an important step in serving more people in this area of the country,” said Brent Kirby, president of
link hidden, please login to view. “We want to ensure they always experience our unmatched auto parts availability. If a retail customer is in the middle of fixing their car or a professional customer is making a repair for their client we know having the right parts when you need them is essential.” O’Reilly Facility Supports Jobs and Career Growth
The new facility already employs more than 225 team members, with additional hiring planned. According to Stafford DC manager C. Jones, the site also reflects O’Reilly’s emphasis on internal advancement.
“Several of our managers, including me, relocated to the area to lead work in this new facility, advancing our careers alongside the company’s growth,” Jones said. “Those promote from within opportunities are available to everyone who comes on board, works hard and dedicates themselves to learning more.”
Automation and Safety Shape Distribution Operations
The distribution center combines automation technology for dense parts storage with traditional material handling systems. O’Reilly said hazardous materials are stored in sealed, separate areas to protect employees and the surrounding community.
Expanding the O’Reilly Distribution Network
The Stafford facility becomes part of O’Reilly’s broader network of 32 large distribution centers across the U.S., Mexico and Canada. Additional projects are underway in Lakeland, Florida, and Fort Worth, Texas.
“With all the growth that’s happened since our company’s founding with one store in 1957, what’s so exciting to me is that most of our growth is still ahead of us,” said CEO Brad Beckham. “This is our latest step in providing the best service to more people in more places.”
Click
link hidden, please login to view for more information on O’Reilly’s new distribution center. The post
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By Counterman
Volumes One, Two and Three of the 2026
link hidden, please login to view Status Report are now available, offering essential data and forecasts for the automotive aftermarket sector, the organization said. Market Insights
Volume One provides the latest data related to:
Current aftermarket size and projections for the next three years, sourced from the Joint Channel Forecast by S&P Global. Alternative sizing of the aftermarket, based on average annual maintenance costs. Select product category sizes informed by replacement rates data. The extent of underperformed and unperformed maintenance. Characteristics of the DIY population. Distribution and Sales Analysis
Volume Two includes estimates of:
Vehicle usage and maintenance frequency. Number of vehicles on the road, categorized by powertrain/propulsion. Miles traveled annually. New and used vehicle sales. Sales comparisons through retail, dealers, and distributor/service channels. Canadian Market Overview
Volume Three focuses on the Canadian aftermarket, including:
Canadian economic data. Size and scope of the Canadian automotive aftermarket. Vehicle sales and production data. This report is available in Excel workbook format, allowing for direct data manipulation and integration into existing documents.
Access and Pricing
link hidden, please login to view members can access all three volumes now. Non-members can purchase each volume for $250. The post
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By Counterman
Stellantis announced a more than $41 million investment in a new Mopar Parts Distribution Center in Forsyth, Georgia. Located about 60 miles south of Atlanta, the nearly 422,000-square-foot distribution center will strengthen Stellantis’ U.S. parts distribution network.
It will support faster, more efficient service for dealers and customers of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Alfa Romeo and FIAT brands throughout the Southeastern United States, the company said.
“This facility represents a critical investment in Mopar’s long-term growth strategy and our ability to support the dedicated workforce that drives our success,” said Darren Bradshaw, senior vice president of Mopar North America. “It provides our UAW-represented employees with the tools, technology and environment they need to deliver exceptional service to our dealers and customers while supporting our commitment to efficiency and sustainability.”
Automation and Efficiency Upgrades
The facility will include a 16,000-square-foot AutoStore automated storage and retrieval system. The AutoStore system uses 66 robots designed to retrieve parts from a high-density grid of bins. The robots transport them to processing stations where PDC employees prepare final shipments.
link hidden, please login to view said the next-generation automation improves order processing speed, accuracy and inventory control. It also reduces the physical footprint required for storage. Creating Jobs and Expanding the Network
The Georgia PDC will support about 90 UAW-represented jobs. Stellantis said the investment builds on its broader transformation of the parts distribution network. In July, the company announced a $388 million investment to create a
link hidden, please login to view, its largest PDC project to date. Earlier this year, Stellantis also celebrated the opening of a link hidden, please login to view. The post
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