Spectra Premium certified its first CAPA products to become the first and only manufacturer of CAPA-certified radiators.
This is the crowning achievement of the Spectra Premium- CAPA partnership, which began earlier this year.
“This achievement is another testament to our commitment to always go above and beyond our customers’ needs,” said Jason Best, senior vice president – aftermarket, Spectra Premium. “The new CAPA 601 certification for the radiator category clearly differentiates our Spectra Premium from other radiators in the collision industry. We are proud and honored to be granted this first-in-the-market CAPA product certification, which consolidates our efforts to position the Spectra Premium brand as the first choice for superior-quality automotive replacement parts.”
For the first time, radiators are identified as a certified collision replacement part under the CAPA 601 Radiator Standard, which assesses fit, material composition, dimensions, appearance, function, construction and retaining features. The CAPA fraud-proof and trackable seals on the parts ensure that repair shop installers and vehicle owners are getting superior-quality, certified aftermarket radiators.
“We welcome Spectra Premium as the first company in the world to comply with our standard designed to give the consumer, the shop and the insurance industry confidence that using a CAPA-certified radiator will in no way compromise the operation of the vehicle,” said Jack Gillis, CAPA’s executive director. “Spectra Premium’s compliance with CAPA’s comprehensive standards is the best insurance the market can get to avoid the serious consequences of a poor quality, ill-fitting and underperforming radiator. As engine technology becomes more and more sophisticated, the need for precise, accurate, and effective cooling systems has become critical. Going forward, the demand for quality alternative radiators will increase exponentially, and Spectra Premium is the first to meet that demand.”
In the collision repair segment, insurance adjusters recognize CAPA-certified aftermarket radiators as functionally equivalent to car-company brand replacement radiators, thus strongly encouraging their use for collision repairs, according to the Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA).
“Accordingly, this distinction presents auto repair shops with an advantageous choice for a quality alternative,” the association added.
In June, Spectra Premium received CAPA Facility Assessment approval for its Canadian production manufacturing plant on the north shore of Montreal. The assessment included the evaluation of the environment and processes for radiator production and laid the foundation for CAPA product certification.
Spectra Premium first began producing aftermarket radiators 20 years ago following the acquisition of seven Canadian radiator companies. The company then consolidated its radiator production the next year with the construction of a 170,000-square-foot production facility in Laval, Quebec, the same factory that was granted CAPA approval to produce CAPA-certified parts.
