CAPA announced that its validator, Intertek, one of the world’s foremost testing labs, will open another CAPA Vehicle Test Fit Center in California. The new location will be in addition to CAPA’s Grand Rapids, Mich., facility, the site of CAPA’s original Vehicle Test Fit lab.
"CAPA’s Vehicle Test Fit (VTF) program was developed and implemented by CAPA in 1999," said Jack Gillis, CAPA executive director. "While today, CAPA’s unique vehicle test fit process has become the industry-accepted test for the quality of aftermarket parts, it was completely revolutionary when we originally introduced it. It’s likely that of all CAPA’s extensive Certification requirements, the VTF has played the single most critical role in the universal acceptance of CAPA Certified parts as truly comparable to car company brand parts."
CAPA’s certification program includes a variety of independently developed and publicly available standards that cover a broad array of part types. Its standards enable both insurers and collision repair shops to select fenders, lights, bumpers, hoods, bumper covers, grilles and many more crash replacement part types that CAPA says match the quality of OEM service parts. There are nearly 13,000 CAPA Certified part applications, and CAPA’s new VTF lab will provide the opportunity for manufacturers to submit even more parts, the association says.
CAPA’s new VTF test lab will be located in Orange County.
"This will provide manufacturers who participate in the CAPA Program the option of having their CAPA VTFs and other vehicle-related services performed at multiple locations in the U.S.," said Debbie Klouser, CAPA’s director of operations. "Like the Grand Rapids lab, the California facility will contain state-of-the-art measurement equipment as well as ASE Certified technicians test fitting the parts submitted for certification."
Added Andrew Gleason, Intertek’s operations manager of Automotive Products Certification, "We’re currently in the process of reviewing a number of potential locations and will be making the final decision shortly."
More information:
Certified Automotive Parts Association
CAPA Tour Dispels Myths About Certification Organization
