The intense competition in the truck and trailer parts aftermarket has made it even more important to choose genuine parts and components from trusted retailers like PACCAR Parts and TRP stores.
According to the latest ARTSA data on truck registrations, as of 2021 Australia had more than 190,000 heavy-duty trucks registered and on the road. The sector grew 17 per cent from 2015 to 2020 and with current trends on truck sales, it’s showing no signs of slowing.
And if that’s the stats on trucks, it is easy to imagine the follow-on effect this has on the growing demand for truck and trailer-related parts and accessories.
Wanting to get a piece of the pie, online retailers from around the world are offering generic parts at bargain prices, preying on cost-conscious operators working in a low-profit margin industry.
According to Trevor Dickson, PACCAR Parts Technical Sales Manager, the problem with the increasing competition is that the truck and trailer aftermarket is saturated with both original equipment (OE) and generic aftermarket products.
Due to challenges created by the complexity in enforcement of component parts standards in Australia, retailers can sell parts that have not been tested or, if they have been tested, may not meet specific application requirements as a way to cut prices.
“If you use genuine or known-quality brands then you can have peace of mind when it comes to quality and performance,” he said.
However, there is another way you can purchase competitively priced aftermarket parts with a proven quality guarantee. The team at PACCAR Parts has also developed the TRP range of truck and trailer components.
“We developed the TRP range to be able to put a brand out there that’s backed by a major OEM, PACCAR. We have the testing resources, and we use them,” Dickson said.
In terms of testing TRP products, Dickson says PACCAR will first look for an Australian Design Rule (ADR) to meet the standards.
“Where ADR standards exist, then we test to those standards,” he explains. “Otherwise, we use independent US FMVSS and European ECE testing, depending on the component.”
The “Australian-first” method also applies to parts sourcing, Dickson adds, pointing to the Australian-manufactured spring suspension equaliser pins in the TRP range as an example. “When we do source overseas, PACCAR has either offices there or supply quality managers that visit the parts facilities on a regular basis to ensure that they are being manufactured as promised,” he adds.
As such, the company is so confident in the quality of the components in the TRP range that each product boasts a minimum 12-month warranty.
“If a TRP part fails from a manufacturing fault, as long as there is no clear evidence of part abuse and installation was performed correctly by a qualified technician, then we’ll honour the warranty straight away.”
Visit the PACCAR Parts stand at the Brisbane Truck Show at Foyer 40. For more information call 03 9721 1500 or visit paccarparts.com.au.