The Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) announced that global automotive supplier HELLA is the first manufacturer to receive CAPA approval to participate in its Tier 1 Replacement Parts Verification Program. The program is available for any Tier 1 supplier that also produces an in-house, alternately branded version of car company original (CCO) or car company service (CCS) parts used for automotive repair.
CAPA strives to be a trusted leader in providing assurance of quality auto parts. For 35 years, CAPA has provided a comprehensive certification program to identify high-quality replacement parts. Drawing on the strength of its certification program and its third-party testing partner’s expertise in testing and certification, CAPA developed this new verification program to expand our offering and brand to Tier 1 replacement parts and their suppliers.
“Historically, Tier 1 replacement parts have lacked clear definitions and been classified as aftermarket parts, making it difficult to determine which parts are truly equivalent to CCOs or CCSs,” said Clark Plucinski, chairman of the CAPA Board of Directors. “The CAPA Tier 1 Verification Program helps clarify these parts by ensuring the same factory, tooling, materials and manufacturing processes are used during the production of the car company part and the Tier 1 Verified replacement part.”
Additionally, CAPA Tier 1 Verified parts must also demonstrate compliance to all applicable federal regulations. These efforts help to ensure there are no differences when a supplier changes production from manufacturing the car company parts to the Tier 1 branded version of the part.
“We are pleased to be the first manufacturer to receive CAPA approval in the Tier 1 Replacement Parts Verification Program,” said Fred Snow, president of HELLA Automotive Sales, Inc., a subsidiary of Faurecia that is responsible aftermarket business for USA and Canada. “We believe that having a CAPA class for original equipment (OE) products that clarifies what the product is for the market is a large step forward. This allows stakeholders in collision repair to fully understand and trust what is being sold and installed. For an OE supplier that is also heavily involved in the aftermarket, this clarity that it is OE quality in the box is paramount.”
With HELLA’s successful completion of CAPA’s approval process, it may begin submitting parts for verification. Verified parts will be announced via CAPA’s weekly updates, and they can be identified by the CAPA Tier 1 Verified label. For more information on CAPA, go to CAPAcertified.org.
