NSF International aims to close supply gap between part manufacturers, body shops

NSF International announced at Automotive Service Repair Week (ASRW) Oct. 12 that it and the Automotive Body Parts Association (ABPA) are forming the NSF Automotive Aftermarket Collision Parts Distributor Certification Program.

Jan. 1, 2020

2 min read

Set to launch in early 2011, the new program will be open to all distributors and cover all parts sold by a distributor, both certified and non-certified parts. The Distributor Certification Program will be designed to meet the needs of collision repair shops, insurers and ultimately consumers, NSF announced in a press conference.

To earn NSF Automotive Aftermarket Collision Parts Distributor Certification, some of the requirements that distributors will be required to have include:

an ISO 9001 certified quality management system,
a part complaint process for defective parts, and
the ability to recall structural parts.

All distributors meeting NSF's rigorous certification requirements will be authorized to utilize the NSF Mark on their website and promotional materials. The certified distributor will also appear on NSF’s certification listings webpage.

"The NSF Automotive Aftermarket Collision Parts Distributor Certification Program closes the gap between the parts manufacturer and the body shop by ensuring that certified distributors have the procedures in place to address traceability and quality issues," says Bob Frayer, director of NSF International’s Automotive Aftermarket Certification Programs and NSF’s Engineering Laboratories. "The new program will complement the existing NSF Automotive Aftermarket Parts Certification Program, which verifies that an automotive aftermarket part meets rigid quality, safety and performance standards in terms of form, fit and function."

To maintain certification, all NSF Certified distributors will undergo ongoing facility inspections.

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"The Automotive Service Association is pleased that ABPA and NSF International have chosen NACE 2010 as the venue to announce the development of the NSF Automotive Aftermarket Collision Parts Distributor Certification Program. ASA appreciates the outreach from ABPA and NSF to include ASA member collision repair shops in the dialog and process that has culminated in this commitment to address the issues of traceability, safety and quality," adds Ron Pyle, President and Chief Staff Officer of the Automotive Service Association.

"As an industry, we believe there is a great need for top quality, independent entrepreneurs to provide a competitive choice for the collision repairers and their customers," says ABPA Board Chairman Charlie Hogarty. "This new NSF program raises the bar and assures that those who comply can provide the kind of quality service the collision industry deserves."

For more information, visit www.nsfautomotive.com.