Schaeffler Automotive Aftermarket

With its brands LuK, INA and FAG the Schaeffler Group stands for pronounced customer orientation, innovative power and superior quality. In 2009 about 61,000 employees at over 180 locations have achieved a sales volume totaling almost 7.3 billion Euro. The Business Unit Schaeffler Automotive Aftermarket is a specialist supplier of components and services around the drive train in passenger cars and commercial vehicles: from the engine over the accessory drive and the transmission to the chassis. The worldwide automotive aftermarket sales business of the LuK, INA and FAG product brands and the dealer brand Ruville is run by Schaeffler Automotive Aftermarket based in Langen, Germany. The company has established a global network of approx. 11,500 distribution partners, thereby remaining close to its customers for more than 30 years. The global service network is closely interlinked with the 27 existing sales and representative offices guaranteeing a superior service level and prompt availability.

Schaeffler Automotive Aftermarket supplies the automotive replacement parts market with spare parts for the drive train, engine and suspension – for all vehicle classes and in genuine OE quality. The LuK product range includes a complete program of clutches and applied solutions, such as RepSet or RepSetPro, complemented by dual mass flywheels and release systems. In addition, LuK specializes in spare parts for the clutch environment for passenger cars and commercial vehicles in the 2.8 to 40 t range, busses and agricultural tractors, along with power steering and vacuum pumps. The brand INA supplies replacement parts for engine and transmission for PC, CV and busses. Alongside single belt drive components for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, also tension roller SETs and KITs are available. This comprehensive range of replacement parts is rounded off by valve tappets, rocker arms and finger followers for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. Under the brand of FAG, Schaeffler Automotive Aftermarket supplies wheel bearings for passenger cars, light commercial vehicles and busses. Customers of the automotive aftermarket can choose between both, single wheel bearings and wheel modules and a complete program of wheel bearing kits for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. Starting in November 2006, seals kits alongside bearings and wheel modules will be available for the commercial vehicle segment. The complete product portfolio of Schaeffler Automotive Aftermarket comprises about 120,000 different articles, the network services 7,000 customers each day around the globe.

Over and above supplying spare parts, the company’s philosophy has always been to provide its customers on all distribution levels with additional services for “added value”. From early on, Schaeffler Automotive Aftermarket has initiated foresighted service concepts and programs for the independent aftermarket and owing to its efforts, garages and car dealers have improved access to information resources. Schaeffler Automotive Aftermarket aims at making independent businesses fit for the future helping to streamline work processes (customer orders, shipments), providing opportunities for training and further education around brand and products, assisting with marketing incentives and strategies to set your business apart from your competitors. It was under the auspices of the specialist of the aftermarket that the communication platform TecDoc was launched which, today, is widely used all over Europe. If it was not for the product and vehicle spare parts information on TecDoc, it would be impossible for independent garages to fit any replacement parts. The further development of TecDoc created TecCom – also an electronic communication system, designed as industry solution for the independent automotive spare parts market which integrates spare parts manufacturers, distributors and repair shops into one common platform and processes customer orders.

Schaeffler Automotive Aftermarket is also a co-founder of Partslife, the waste disposal solution for the spare parts industry. Today, 67 brands of the spare parts industry and trade have a share in Partslife, be it as co-partner or contracting party. A network of 40 companies is responsible for the disposal of any kind of waste accumulating at 8,500 garages in Germany.

With the software program Autoview, Schaeffler Automotive Aftermarket offers its customers a market research tool featuring vehicle stock, market and parts allocation data and which is commonly and regularly used by garages and car dealers.

Trying to improve information supply for garages, LuK-AS has launched yet another innovation in 2005: RepXpert – the internet based knowledge portal. On the portal, independent garages will find information essential for their everyday work from a single source: Alongside a complete catalogue for automotive spare parts – an imperative prerequisite for spare part to vehicle allocation - RepXpert offers a wealth of technical information, for example work allowances, set values, fitting instructions or servicing plans for a wide range of vehicles. Another major topic is training and further development of garages and staff.

At the same time, Schaeffler Automotive Aftermarket continues to work on new projects aiming at keeping the independent repair market fit for the future. Being one of the leading global aftermarket organizations, Schaeffler Automotive Aftermarket has the power and innovative force to continuously improve products and services offered whilst expanding the service market – on the basis of mutual trust and in close cooperation with its customers.