EVENTS

The development of an Automotive Aftermarket Quality Management System (QMS) Standard will be organized by the Alliance of Automotive Aftermarket Quality Assurance (AAAQA), Shenzhen-based Shentou Supply Chain Management Company and several international aftermarket stakeholders announced in the Project Initiation event on 29 November, during Automechanika Shanghai 2017.

According to the IATF’s rules for achieving and maintaining IATF recognition, sites manufacturing only aftermarket parts are not eligible for IATF 16949 certification. The structures, production scales and product ranges of the aftermarket are markedly different than OEM suppliers. There are also huge difference with the strengths, skills, and potential quality risks among the aftermarket producers. The lack of a consistent and practical QMS standard for the aftermarket has resulted in uneven quality assurance capabilities which create serious challenges to buyers of the aftermarket products.

Shentou, in corporation with Shenzhen Huayu International Certification Company are now working with several aftermarket stakeholders, such as international buyers and product certification regulatory organizations, to set up the AAAQA. The Alliance is expected to develop a set of the QMS standards specifically for the aftermarket, organize global aftermarket supplier assessment for their quality assurance capabilities and provide information to its members with the supplier quality data.

Industry experts suggest that the Aftermarket QMS Standard, to be based on the framework of the ISO9001, will focus on the unique nature of the aftermarket supply chains and include special requirements for producers of products such as safety parts and processes such as casting and machining. At the same time, a rating system will be implemented where key elements of a producer’s QMS will be graded to indicate its effective quality assurance strength. With such a system, buyers could make better decisions based on their requirement of supplier risk management while reducing their supply chain costs.

Many international companies and product regulatory organizations have expressed strong interest to actively participate in the project and join AAAQA to help raise the overall aftermarket quality level, improve the industry’s standardization and increase its transparency.