CAPA sees record increases in parts approvals

Aug. 11, 2014
Not only has there been a dramatic increase in CAPA Certified parts in the market, but since the end of 2013, CAPA increased participating manufacturers by 25 percent.
For the first six months of 2014, manufacturers participating in the CAPA program have certified 61 percent more part applications than they did in the first six months of 2013. In addition, they have put 30 percent more CAPA Certified parts into the market than they did in the first 6 months of 2013.

Not only has there been a dramatic increase in CAPA Certified parts in the market, but since the end of 2013, CAPA increased participating manufacturers by 25 percent, adding 10 manufacturers to its program so far this year. CAPA now has 50 manufacturers fully capable of meeting CAPA’s high standards for quality and safety.  For a list of CAPA manufacturers, go to http://www.capacertified.org/participatingmfr.asp

These statistics are a strong demonstration of the importance of CAPA Certified parts to both insurers and collision repair shops.  “Most importantly, given reports such as those recently released by Honda, they show that insurers and shops understand the risks associated with the use of non-CAPA Certified parts,” said Jack Gillis, Executive Director of CAPA.  “While insurers and shops are reducing the risks associated with aftermarket parts, the big winners are consumers who are getting more and more fairly priced, high quality parts for one of their most prized possessions, their vehicle,” said Gillis.

The CAPA Seal remains the key to protecting consumers from poor quality and potentially unsafe parts.  More and more shops are using CAPA’s unique two-part seal to prove to both their customers and their insurance partners that they insist on true quality when alternative parts are used.

Not only is the presence of the CAPA Seal the only way to prove that a particular part is CAPA Certified, but each seal comes with a unique barcode and number to allow both uncontested confirmation of CAPA Certification and full traceability through the CAPATracker.   

“CAPA is able to compile specific statistics on part usage in the marketplace because every seal is uniquely numbered and every part with a seal is registered—as such, we know exactly how many CAPA Parts are available in the market,” said Gillis.

 “We often hear shops complain that they ordered a CAPA part, but there was no seal,” said Debbie Klouser, CAPA’s Director of Operations.  “The fact is, it doesn’t matter what was ordered, how the part was listed on an estimate, or what appears on an invoice, if there is no CAPA Seal on the part it is not CAPA Certified,” said Klouser. 

Given the wide range of the quality performance of alternative parts available in the market, it is imperative to Look for the CAPA Seal.   As former ASA Chairman and former CAPA Board Chair, Bob Anderson of Anderson’s Automotive in Sheffield, Ohio has said about the CAPA Seal, “If it’s not on the part, don’t even start!”

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