North American Belts, Hoses, Gaskets, and Seals Aftermarket Driven by Parts Proliferation and Improved Technologies

Business Wire, May 20, 2008

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Vehicle manufacturers have increased the number of components under the hood while making engine compartments smaller. This trend drives unit shipments in the North American belts, hoses, gaskets, and seals aftermarket as changes in engine design necessitate changes in belt design and force distributors to stock a greater number of parts.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.automotive.frost.com), North American Belts, Hoses, Gaskets, and Seals Aftermarket, finds that the market earned revenues of $1.09 billion in 2007 and estimates this to reach to $1.13 billion in 2014.

If you are interested in a virtual brochure, which provides manufacturers, end users, and other industry participants with an overview of the North American belts, hoses, gaskets, and seals aftermarket, then send an e-mail to Sara Villarruel, Corporate Communications, at sara.villarruel@frost.com, with your full name, company name, title, telephone number, company e-mail address, company website, city, state and country. Upon receipt of the above information, an overview will be sent to you by e-mail.

"Parts proliferation and application of improved technologies in belts, hoses, gaskets, and seals are driving unit shipments and revenues in the North American aftermarket," notes Frost & Sullivan Industry Manager Avijit Ghosh. "Demand for belts, hoses, gaskets, and seals are also expected to increase proportionally with the increase in average vehicle age."

Furthermore, the shift from V-belts to serpentine belts significantly increases the weighted average price. For instance, the industry wide average price of V-belts in 2007 was approximately 50 percent lower than the average price of a serpentine belt. As the industry continues to witness an increasing shift from V-belts to serpentine belts, the overall weighted average price of belts will likely continue to increase due to the usage of higher priced belts.

However, the increasing penetration of inexpensive parts imported from Asia intensifies price competition in the aftermarket. The technological capabilities of offshore manufacturers improve every year and the aftermarket for belts and hoses can expect more offshore competition.

"Counterfeiting of parts is also a major challenge for participants in the North American belts, hoses, gaskets, and seals aftermarket," notes Ghosh. "Among the different categories covered in this study, belts and hoses are at greatest risk of being counterfeited."

Aftermarket manufacturers focus on technological improvements in an attempt to overcome the challenge posed by counterfeiting. A majority of today's hoses are made of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) or synthetic rubber that lasts longer than Kevlar compounds. Gaskets used in later model engines are better designed and utilize improved technologies such as multi-layer steel (MLS) and molded rubber.

North American Belts, Hoses, Gaskets, and Seals Aftermarket is part of the Automotive & Transportation Growth Partnership Service program, which also includes research in the following markets: North American Remanufactured Engines and Transmissions Aftermarket, North American Steering System Hard Parts Aftermarket, and North American Class 1-8 Filters Aftermarket. All research services included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends that have been evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants. Interviews with the press are available.

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, partners with clients to accelerate their growth. The company's TEAM Research, Growth Consulting and Growth Team Membership empower clients to create a growth focused culture that generates, evaluates and implements effective growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan employs over 45 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from more than 30 offices on six continents. For more information about Frost & Sullivan's Growth Partnerships, visit http://www.frost.com.

North American Belts, Hoses, Gaskets, and Seals Aftermarket

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