Sam Rusenovich, is the director of consumer experience at Brake Parts Inc (BPI) while also serving on the Manufacturers Advisory Council of the California Automotive Wholesalers’ Association (CAWA).
At BPI he directs the field-based team as they focus on education, training and operational support for the company’s WD customers and their technicians. Rusenovich additionally assists customers as they implement marketing programs and product launches.
Prior to joining BPI he spent much of his career in a variety of positions at NAPA, starting as a delivery driver while attending college and working his way up to store manager -- culminating in a series of promotions to become a regional vice president. Along the way he earned the Triple Crown Award, NAPA’s most prestigious in-house honor.
Rusenovich recently responded to a series of questions posed by Aftermarket Business World:
Is the reduction in pad copper content to less than 5 percent by 2021 still a pending issue for you?
The environment is a key priority. Brake Parts Inc continues to be deeply involved in an industry-wide voluntary initiative to reduce copper and other materials that may affect our environment.
We are actually ahead of this initiative and currently employ and offer copper-free formulas. As a leading innovation company, we are continually developing environmentally compliant brake products with superior performance.
Are new materials being developed and moved into production?
As the leader in friction innovation, we have a legacy of investing in proprietary engineering, testing and manufacturing. This includes a new state-of-the-art R&D center in McHenry, Ill. that significantly accelerates our ability to offer drivers the latest formulation technology.
How do EV brake systems differ from ICE-applied systems?
With electric vehicle braking, we don’t see the wear rates that we would typically see with engine braking, regenerative braking, etc., but what we have seen is that because they are used less, the slide pins tend to freeze up from lack of use.
On the topic of regenerative braking, the “brake by wire” system integrates with the regenerative braking on EVs. This will be a game-changer for brake manufacturers as the system does away with hydraulic components like master cylinders and brake hoses, and changes the way calipers work by incorporating DC motors to apply and release the pistons rather than hydraulic pressure.
Besides lower wear rates, we’re seeing a reduction in the sizing and weight of traditional brake components as compared to ICE vehicles since the braking forces of the foundation brake need not be as high for everyday braking.
However, the foundation brakes still need to be powerful enough to stop the vehicle safely in an emergency if the electrical system fails. It’s likely that in the future, either electric vehicles will have enough redundancy and safety features built in to do away with the need for traditional foundation brakes, or not, and traditional foundation brakes are here to stay as a failsafe, but with much slower wear rates.
What are some of the other newer trends that you are seeing?
Increased accessibility to product purchases and product knowledge. The e-commerce channel allows another product access point for DIYers and professionals to shop and purchase on demand.
YouTube, blogs and brake websites offer a wealth of selection and installation knowledge. This is a great opportunity for any aftermarket parts marketer. For quite some time, we have invested resources, technology and talent to meet the needs of our direct customers and everyday drivers.
We are seeing a great mix of vehicles equipped with electric parking brakes (EPB), which require a new level of service knowledge. Many of these EPBs require a diagnostic tool or scanner in order to perform the repair. Most DIYers won’t purchase that special tool.
Manufacturers and aftermarket wheel makers are offering many more “open wheel” designs, which expose much of the brake system components. Drivers are now looking for cosmetic improvements to these brake components with zero concession on performance -- personal trucks and SUVs seem to be leading this trend.
Brake systems continue to evolve and incorporate more electronics (electronic wear sensors, electric parking brakes and electric actuation versus hydraulic actuation). This is requiring more experience, knowledge and specialty equipment to service properly.
Electrified cars with regenerative braking, new “open wheel” designs and recent reduction in driving miles (COVID-19) is causing excessive corrosion/rust build up within the pad-to-caliper interface. This impacts brake performance and is cosmetically unsightly. This natural rust build up is normally managed with everyday driving. The brake industry is addressing this emerging need with more corrosion prevention parts.
What are some sales opportunities within this segment?
We have seen a decline in sales of new vehicles since March of this year, and in the face of economic uncertainty, consumers are more inclined to hold on to their vehicles longer. As a result, we are seeing average age of the fleet start to creep up.
In the post-quarantine world, consumers are relying on personal vehicles for getaways and road trips. Recent research shows that consumers want quality-branded parts to keep their vehicles safe and running longer.
This combination of factors, we think, will provide various sales opportunities, not only to increase the number of brake jobs, but also a chance to upgrade to more premium brake offerings.
We also have seen an increase in activities involving towing/hauling and longer road trips, leading to opportunities for Raybestos Truck and Medium Duty semi-metallic brake pads and Raybestos specialty fleet grade or Element3 coated rotors.
Have brakes sales declined during the pandemic?
While there has been a decline in sales during the pandemic, we have been less impacted that we originally anticipated.
There are several factors contributing to the better-than-expected results, and one of the primary reasons is that the general public is relying on their personal vehicles more now than ever, and public transportation and air travel are not viable options for many.
As a result, vehicles within the household are being used for road trips and consumers that may have used alternate transportation before are now choosing to drive themselves.
In addition, the heavy duty/commercial vehicle markets are booming due to increased demand for delivery services. Emergency services departments are also extremely busy, and as a result their need for parts and supplies has also risen.
Do you have any tips as to how aftermarket businesses can sell more brake products?
Brakes is a highly competitive category with seemingly endless options for consumers. The best way to increase sales is to go to market with a complete package, the knowledge to back it up and a product that is marketed and formulated to fit the needs and wants of the customer base.
Selling a complete brake solution allows a shop to stand out because Raybestos products are formulated to work best when paired together.
Because we test our products for thousands of hours prior and we own the quality control, research/development and manufacturing processes, a shop is selling more than a fancy box or catchy tagline. They are selling a complete brake solution for the end user.
