The first episode in the second season of “Curbiside Chat,” the podcast series from the Automotive Industries Association of Canada, is now available as a recording for viewing by those who missed the live session.

Featuring guest Mauro Cifelli, President and CEO of major aftermarket distribution player Groupe Del Vasto, and host AIA Chair Bob Jaworski, Auto Electric Service, the discussion focused on key issues facing the automotive aftermarket.

With a theme of  “A North American perspective, trends and insight of the aftermarket supply chain” discussions covered a number of issues including supply chain disruption and the many factors that are continuing to affect the automotive aftermarket’s ability to get service parts into the hands of the technicians.

“There are a number of factors that are causing pain for the automotive parts manufacturers that range far beyond the effects of COVID-19, the pandemic and the initial factory shutdowns,” said Cifelli.

“We started to feel some of the pressures prior to COVID. We had the U.S.-China trade war. And yes the shocks caused by COVID-19 probably were to two major factors.’

But, he went on the say that there was a domino effect from these, including the lack of shipping containers, and the price of those containers sky rocketing.

“And one of the things we tend to overlook is all the congestion in all of the Canadian and U.S. ports. So there are some other factors that are kind of piling onto the disruptions [from COVID].”

Discussion also segued into the plans for AWDA events, now overlapping with the AAPEX event in Las Vegas, rather than preceding them as in the past, “trying to develop a more efficient schedule, designed to reduce our overall stay in Las Vegas. We’re all looking for ways to shorten that time in Vegas and be as productive and efficient as possible.”

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