US Dominates Automotive Aftermarket in North America

The US dominates the North American automotive aftermarket for powertrain components, accounting for 86% of overall sales, or $10.3 billion, in 2016.  Through 2021, US aftermarket demand for engine, transmission, and drivetrain components will rise 1.6% per year, a slight uptick from the 2011-2016 period but trailing advances in the smaller Canadian and Mexican markets. These and other trends are presented in Automotive Aftermarket in Powertrain Components in North America, a new study from The Freedonia Group, a Cleveland-based industry research firm.

Factors promoting aftermarket sales of powertrain components in the US include:

• increases in the size and the average age of the light vehicle park, the latter of which stood at 11.4 years in 2016
• climatic extremes, including snow in some regions and heat in others
• technological improvements, such as the incorporation of computers and sensors, that raise the average per-unit cost of repairs and replacements
• growth in the total number of light vehicles involved in accidents

Sales growth will be restrained by:

• technological improvements that reduce the frequency of maintenance and replacement intervals
• increased reliability and durability of many powertrain components

Automotive Aftermarket for Powertrain Components in North America (published 03/2017, 127 pages) is available for $4900 from The Freedonia Group.  For further details or to arrange an interview with the analyst, please contact Corinne Gangloff by phone 440.684.9600 or email [email protected].

Related studies include:

• #3480 Gasket & Seal Market in the US, 12th edition (December 2016)
• #3458 Rechargeable (Secondary) Batteries (September 2016)