The Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) reported “across-the-board increases” in the number of CAPA-certified parts available to the U.S. market in 2017.

In addition, CAPA has qualified six new manufacturers that have passed CAPA’s intense factory-approval program.

“Clearly, these 68 CAPA manufacturers see a significant market advantage in meeting CAPA’s quality standards for true functional equivalency,” CAPA Executive Director Jack Gillis said.

Based on distribution of the unique yellow and blue CAPA quality seal, manufacturers have increased seal requests by 19 percent over last year, according to the association, adding up to a record total of 9.9 million in 2017. The number is 1.6 million higher than 2016.

The 19-percent increase significantly exceeded the 12-percent annual average increase CAPA has been experiencing during the past five years, according to the association.

As of Dec. 31, CAPA increased the number of part applications in the program by 14 percent, with total part applications approved jumping from 23,721 to 27,053. This is second-highest number of new part applications added to the program (3,332) in CAPA’s 30-year history.

The statistics “are a strong indication of the importance of CAPA-certified parts to collision shops seeking to keep vehicles repairable without compromising quality,” CAPA said in a news release.

“While shops and insurers are using (and requesting) more and more CAPA-certified parts to reduce the risks associated with aftermarket parts, the big winners are consumers who are getting more fairly priced, high-quality parts for their vehicles,” Gillis said.

Since 1990, CAPA has certified, and collision repairers have installed, nearly 92 million parts, according to the association, which expects to approach 100 million parts in 2018. The numbers are “a tribute to the commitment of those manufacturers who choose to CAPA-certify their parts and those shops and insurers who insist on the CAPA seal.”

“What is particularly important about these statistics is that the CAPA program requires that all CAPA Certified lights be tested for full compliance with all FMVSS 108 safety requirements and structural bumper parts go through dynamic testing,” said Debbie Klouser, CAPA director of operations.

The CAPA seal is the key to protecting consumers from poor-quality and potentially unsafe parts, according to CAPA.

“Given the wide range of quality in alternative parts in the market, it is imperative to look for the CAPA seal,” Gillis added.