CAPA, Intertek and China’s Automotive Technology and Research Center Sign Agreement Regarding Aftermarket Parts

Chicago – The Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) and Intertek, a leading Total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC), formalizing their cooperation to encourage the development of high quality, certified aftermarket automotive parts in China.  Under the agreement, the organizations will work together to develop Chinese standards and promote cooperation among automotive companies, testing agencies, certification entities and other institutions in the U.S. and China.

“We are pleased to support the efforts to make high quality, certified aftermarket automotive parts available to Chinese consumers, collision shops and insurers,” stated Jack Gillis, Executive Director of CAPA. “We look forward to working with CATARC and Intertek to exchange information and ideas that will help develop a certification program in China.”

Prior to January 1, 2015, only original equipment manufacturer (OEM) replacement parts could be used for insurance-based repairs in China. Since then, the market has opened up to aftermarket parts—parts made by independent manufacturers—provided they are certified to be comparable to those made by the OEM. Currently, several Chinese agencies are working to define those certification standards, including CATARC.

“CAPA’s vision, openness and expertise, along with that of Intertek, is greatly appreciated by the Chinese aftermarket industry,” said Ms. Jie Ma, Vice Director of Automotive Engineering Research Institute at CATARC. “We look forward to working with both groups to promote the development of part certification standards in China and providing more options for our domestic automobile industry.”

CAPA’s standards have been used in the United States to certify that high quality aftermarket auto parts are comparable to their OEM counterparts, based on their design, materials and construction. Intertek Transportation Technologies has served as a partner to CAPA in certifying these parts based on years of expertise in performance, quality, and reliability standards and expectations for the automotive industry.

“Intertek is committed to providing comprehensive solutions to our customers in China and across the globe,” said Tim Hubbard, Sr. Vice President at Intertek. “As CAPA’s long time validator in the U.S., we look forward to working with them to potentially bring their ideas and insights to the Chinese aftermarket industry with CATARC.”

The memorandum was signed by all three groups on June 2 in Washington, D.C.

About CAPA

The Certified Automotive Parts Association, founded in 1987, is the nation’s only independent, non-profit certification organization for automotive crash parts whose sole purpose is to ensure that both consumers and the industry have the means to identify high quality parts via the CAPA Quality Seal. CAPA is an ANSI accredited standards developer for competitive crash repair parts. For more information see CAPAcertified.org.

About Intertek
Intertek is a leading Total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide. Our network of more than 1,000 laboratories and offices and over 40,000 people in more than 100 countries, delivers innovative and bespoke Assurance, Testing, Inspection and Certification solutions for our customers’ operations and supply chains.

www.intertek.com

Bringing quality and safety to life.

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