Meritor reaffirms commitment to aftermarket

TROY, Mich. — Meritor WABCO Vehicle Control Systems marked its 20th anniversary by emphasizing its strategies to grow its aftermarket business.

Meritor WABCO, a joint venture of ArvinMeritor and the WABCO Automotive Control Systems, notes its aftermarket business has grown five percent each year since 1990 and has shipped over 8.1 million units to date.

The company attributes the growth to α diverse product line, quality parts, diagnostic and field support, its Xpresswayplus.com suite of electronic ordering and fulfillment services; and a vast distribution footprint around the world.

At a press conference at the Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week in Las Vegas, ArvinMeritor CEO and president Charles "Chip” McClure, stressed the company’s ongoing commitment in the heavy-duty aftermarket sector and commended the recent efforts of Joe Mejaly, who was named vice president and president of the aftermarket and trailer unit in November.

"The (aftermarket) a core competency of ours," said McClure, noting that the company’s recent divestments of the light-duty businesses have allowed it to focus more on heavy-duty offerings and customer support.

McClure noted that, previously, the company’s aftermarket business was mostly recognized for electronics such as analog braking, but has since expanded exponentially in areas such as ABS, compressors, wheel ends, as well as diagnostic tools to help end users troubleshoot problems.

"One of the main differences between the light-vehicle and commercial vehicle businesses is the type of coverage and presence on the OE side, as well as listening to your customer’s customer. We’ve got all that."