OESAA, Original Equipment Suppliers Aftermarket Association is taking its campaign about the benefits of workshops fitting parts from original equipment (OE) suppliers on the road in the UK this spring, attending events that will be visited by many Irish garages.

The Association will have stands at the forthcoming MechanEx shows in London and Manchester and the Commercial Vehicle Show at the NEC Birmingham, where it will be demonstrating to visitors the merits of fitting quality parts.

With a slogan of ‘Our Quality. Your Reputation’, OESAA represents 14 producers and suppliers of OE automotive parts to the vehicle manufacturing industry. The main aims of the organisation are to promote the benefits of fitting OE quality components and to ensure that workshops and distributors are able to make an informed choice when purchasing spare parts.

Members will be exhibiting examples of their OE parts alongside some non-genuine alternatives currently available in the automotive aftermarket at the forthcoming MechanEx shows at Alexandra Palace, London on March 24th and 25th and at Event City, Manchester on May 19th and 20th. Sandwiched between these events is an appearance on stand 5J100 at the Commercial Vehicle Show taking place at the NEC on April 14th-16th.

OESAA Chairman Nigel Morgan, Managing Director of Schaeffler Automotive Aftermarket, owners of the LuK clutch, INA tensioner & FAG wheel bearing OE brands, said OESAA’s campaign is relevant to anyone who fits parts, whatever the type of vehicle they are working on. He commented, "As well as supplying OE parts to the passenger car sector, many of our members also supply parts for HGVs and, of course, LCVs. These shows give us the ideal opportunity to take our message directly to those who fit parts for all types of vehicles.” 

Nigel adds, "Vehicle manufacturers and OE suppliers invest millions in R&D and testing to ensure that their products offer the highest levels of performance and safety to the consumer. The end-user experience is key to this message, namely that a vehicle is more likely to ‘feel the same and drive the same’ if the original parts are replaced ‘like-for-like’.”

OESAA members say that some aftermarket parts suppliers are claiming to ‘match OE quality’, even though it is clear by physically comparing the components that they don’t.

Members only use the OESAA logo to promote products that are supplied and fitted as original equipment; they do not use it for non-OE product publicity.