Number of Vehicles in Use and Consumer Education Efforts Promote Aftermarket Demand

Aftermarket demand for automotive filters in North America is forecast to advance at a steady rate through 2021 to $4.1 billion.

Sales will be boosted by:

• growth in the size of the region’s light vehicle park and the number of miles driven annually, boosting sales attributed to routine maintenance

• high income levels in the US and Canada and rising income levels in Mexico, which promote adherence to suggested maintenance schedules, as well as the purchase of higher-value filter products

• increasing market penetration of, and ongoing consumer education efforts by manufacturers and automotive technicians regarding the existence and replacement of cabin air filters

• increases in raw material and product prices

• relatively stringent environmental regulations in the US and Canada and the enactment and enforcement of stricter environmental controls in Mexico, which promote the sale of better-performing, higher-value filters

Market advances, however, will be constrained by:

• improved operating efficiencies of the systems that employ filters

• the longer replacement intervals associated with hybrids, as well as the lack of demand for oil, air intake, and transmission fluid filters for EVs, though H/EVs will continue to account for an extremely small share of the total light vehicle stock

• better filter technologies and longer-lasting filter products, such as washable and reusable filters and filters installed in a permanent, modular setup

Key Findings in the Automotive Aftermarket for Filters Study

US to See Largest Net Gains through 2021, Mexico Fastest Growth

While the pace of market advances in the US will lag those of its neighbors, the US will still account for 72% of all North American automotive filter sales gains through 2021 in dollar terms due to its large light vehicle park, high average number of miles travelled per light vehicle, and consumer adherence to recommended vehicle maintenance schedules.

Aftermarket filter demand in Mexico will expand at the fastest rate in North America, albeit from a relatively small base.

Factors buoying demand in Mexico include:

• improving GDP and personal income levels, which promote sales of higher-value filters and better adherence to recommended replacement schedules

• consumer education efforts that encourage filter replacement, as well as investment in manufacturer-specified, vehicle-specific filters rather than cheaper filters not recommended for use in that vehicle or application

• the comparative immaturity of the Mexican market

Oil & Air Intake Filters Dominate

Oil and air intake filters together accounted for the vast majority of aftermarket filter sales in North America in 2016. These products owe their leading position to the regularity with which they must be replaced, as well as their more tangible effects on vehicle performance if left unserviced.

Study Coverage

This industry study presents historical demand data (2006, 2011, and 2016) and forecasts (2021 and 2026) by product category (oil filters, air intake filters, fuel filters, cabin air filters, transmission filters, and other filters), country (US, Canada, Mexico), and performer (professional and consumer/DIY). The study also evaluates company market share and provides a competitive analysis of key players that include Autoparts Holdings, Bosch, CLARCOR, Denso, Federal-Mogul, Freudenberg, K&N Engineering, MAHLE International, MANN+HUMMEL, UCI International, and Valeo.