APAA show: waxes, polishes, little innovation - Automotive Parts and Accessories Association trade show, Chicago, Illinois

Discount Store News, Nov 4, 1991 by Richard C. Halverson

APAA Show: Waxes, Polishes, Little Innovation

CHICAGO - New products at the Automotive Parts and Accessories Association show leaned toward those that further slice the static waxes and polishes market, rather than revolutionary new items.

Attendance dipped 9.6% to 20,136, from 22,282 in 1990. The number of exhibitors fell 8.8% to 737 from 809. Total net square footage leased in McCormick Place East fell 7.9% to 207,000 square feet from 224,800. "Fewer red badges were running around at the show," said Jim Minarik, APAA show chairman and senior vice president, sales and marketing, Sparkomatic.

Low attendance is evident at many shows. "With mergers, acquisitions, bankruptcies and liquidations, there are fewer buyers today," Minarek said.

All the major and mid-level players were there, except for Pep Boys - Manny, Moe & Jack. Citing a buildup of skus, Pep Boys declined to attend, saying it had seen the new products and planned no purchases until 1992.

Despite the decreased attendance, vendors left the show in an "upbeat mood," Minarik said. They had more time to spend with key accounts and found buyers receptive to new products, he said. New products were evolutionary, rather than revolutionary, Minarik conceded.

A definite feeling that seemed to be shared by all was that a combined show with SEMA (Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association) "would be in the best interests of the automotive aftermarket," Minarik said. "Buyers clearly want one show."

All the major vendors were there, acknowledged Ken Ryland, accessories buyer for Kmart, but many of the secondary and smaller vendors did not attend.

"Shows are losing their impact," Ryland said. "They continue to decline in popularity and importance. I saw very little in the way of new products."

Some exceptions he cited were new "splash" decals from Silvatrim and two or three dress up products from Ralley. He also liked a new window tinting film that is easier to install because it doesn't have a sticky back.

"Everybody has splash decals," he said. These are peel-off vinyl decals that resemble paint that is splashed on a car's finish.

Appealing to green marketing, a dozen or so vendors introduced oil changing containers, including Rubbermaid.

Rubbermaid attended the APAA Show for the first time to introduce its new Drain-Tainer Oil Pan, which is expected to retail for $8 to $10. Rubbermaid also markets a line of plastic gas cans, auto care brushes, and truck and car storage containers.

In other "green" developments, Valvoline expects to start production in December of its Ecogard motor oil that contains 25% re-refined used oil. In addition, Evergreen Oil introduced its Evergreen Environmental Motor Oil, the first re-refined motor oil to be priced at a premium.

Producers of appearance chemicals continued to slug it out for market share, introducing a number of new waxes, polishes and protectant products that will help to further segment a flat market.

Turtle Wax brought out Finish 2001 soft paste polish to complement its 1990 introduction, Finish 2001 liquid; along with Finish 2001 car wash concentrate; and Turtle Wax Clear Coat Paint Sealant, which pushes price points to the $19 to $20 range.

First Brands (Simoniz) introduced Prism, which it describes as a revolutionary car polish that you wipe on and then spray off with a hose; and Total Image car polish, a non-wax polish in a neon-colored can that is aimed at the youthful car owners.

First Brands also took on No Touch foam tire cleaner with its own version, STP Son Of a Gun! One-Step Tire Care. Not to be left out, Armor All brought out its own Armor All Tire Foam.

Armor All further fragmented the protectant category it pioneered with a protectant for leather, Leather Care, and protectant-filled Sponge Packs.

And it brought out Rain Dance Advanced Formula, a wax-free polish.

In auto sound, Royal Sound formed a licensing agreement with Kawasaki to "Let the Good Tunes Roll." It developed a line of Kawasaki brand car stereos that will be sold separately from speakers, for about $299. Speakers will retail for about $80 to $250.

For "thumping cars," Sparkomatic introduced its Bass Cannons, 6 1/2-inch and 8-inch versions of $200 and $300 amplified tube subwoofers that will retail for $69 and $89. And for pickups, it introduced a $129 retail package of a Bass Cannon along with two satellite speakers.

Following 15% to 20% growth over the previous two years, truck accessory sales have skidded to a halt, and even shifted into a 5% to 10% decline for 1991. "Truck accessories have lost their steam, that's for sure," a Rubber Queen sales rep said.

Not only are pickup sales down 7% for the year, but also, buyers of units that do sell aren't spending $2,000 to $3,000 to doll them up. And if they do buy accessories, they tend to buy the cheapest.

Nonetheless, Rubber Queen introduced a new cargo mat, about $11 at retail, for vans and utility trucks, and a set of floor mats, around $20 retail, made 100% out of recycled soda pop bottles (PET plastic).

Moreover, the Jeep and Ford Explorer, off-road segment of the market, still is booming. Gabriel has been shipping, for example, its performance truck shock, with boots in day-glo colors to the 440 Wal-Mart stores that offer auto service.