Over the past 60 years, the acceptance of replacement parts suppliers for engines used in the heavy-duty trucking industry has evolved significantly. Today, the quality, availability, coverage and warranty of products from branded aftermarket suppliers are increasingly rivaling those of their OEM counterparts.
This trend, largely motivated by the goal of producing consistent and high quality parts, and thus eliminating the one “knock” on aftermarket parts, is the result of the increasingly blurred line between OEM and branded aftermarket supplier.
In fact, many leading branded aftermarket suppliers are increasingly acting like OEMs, whether adopting advanced manufacturing and quality assurance programs, incorporating lean manufacturing techniques or offering products individually as well as in kits and sets to facilitate engine overhauls.