The Auto Parts Dilemma: How a New World Will Lead to The Critical Need for Packaging Versatility

Like the relaxation of the world’s industries, the automotive landscape is altering.

Thanks to provide chain problems, new vehicles are more durable to get, and labor problems are compounding the problem. Shoppers are maintaining their autos for a longer time and there is a soaring demand from customers for vehicle parts — whether or not new or refurbished.

Included to that are the influences of growing tendencies this sort of as electrical automobiles, automation, and the desire for sustainability. All of this has set the relevance of the provide chain in the spotlight, and developed a want and an chance for firms to reassess their supply chain administration approaches to create increased efficiencies. 

Let us Dive Into the Lack Debacle

We’re looking at the great storm of supply chain challenges — semiconductor chip shortages, rising freight expenditures, labor shortages, logistics challenges and port delays. 

In accordance to SEMA (The Specialty Gear Marketplace Association) study, about 80% of providers in the specialty gear field have been seriously or reasonably impacted by provide chain disruptions. Automobile producers have been strike the toughest by the disruption with 92% reporting a severe or moderate impact on their enterprise. Parts and item brands (86%) are also emotion this effect. Automotive aftermarket distributors are very likely feeling double the impact of it in conditions of both equally sourcing product and getting it to customers.

This current point out of unpredictability generates worries, but also delivers possibilities for development.

Substantial Demand from customers for Areas  

With less new automobiles getting manufactured, there is a important maximize in the selection and age of older automobiles on the road. This usually means that repairs are up and, along with it, the will need for distinct substitution pieces from a extensive variety of car or truck kinds, products and years.  

In addition, the lack of new vehicles is driving up the charge of employed automobiles. Individuals are hanging on to present automobiles and investing in repairs that they may perhaps not have paid out for usually. 

Also, the trend of driving more mature vehicles longer doesn’t seem to be to be slowing down. According to IHS Markit analysis, the average car or truck age was 11.9 several years in 2020, 12.1 years in 2021 and is anticipated to be 12.6 by 2025. Electrical automobile registrations also continue to maximize. As they start off to become far more popular in the utilised-car or truck market, the aftermarket will get started to see maintenance prospects change in reaction to the enhanced EV market place share. 

Why You Need to have the Appropriate Form of Protection 

Today’s automobile elements are more sophisticated than ever. Rather than being commodities popular to most cars, pieces are now often closer to minicomputers, each and every with remarkably differentiated capabilities and capabilities. Electronic traits are foremost towards far more electronics, more sensors, additional screens and as a result, a lot more fragility and more durable to switch components.

In its “Automotive Software package and Electronics 2030” report, McKinsey appears to the upcoming of this sector, stating that ACES trends (autonomous driving related motor vehicles, electrification of the powertrain, and shared mobility) is a considerable driver of an envisioned 7% compound once-a-year expansion amount (CAGR) in the automotive program (SW) and electrical and electronic parts (E/E) sector concerning 2020 and 2030.

At this rate, the SW and E/E market place is envisioned to vastly outpace expansion in the general automotive industry, which is estimated to mature at 3% CAGR in the similar time span. 

Furthermore, as the value and complexity of areas raises it results in much more incentive to refurbish or remanufacture those parts. According to a Technavio report, the remanufactured automotive pieces market place has the prospective to develop by 10.55 billion USD through 2021-2025, and the market’s growth momentum will speed up at a CAGR of 3.92%. 

Along with the application and electronics evolution, the requirements for packaging to secure these complex elements gets to be even much more critical, not to mention the price of customer dissatisfaction if the element is destroyed and has to be re-created and re-ordered.  

All these are fantastic reasons why the cost of delivery hurt has much more influence than ever and why the packaging you pick can make all the big difference in preserving your solution and your status. 

Product Defense for the Most Fragile and Expensive Parts  

On the surface area, it may well seem to be problematic for the aftermarket business that electric powered autos (EV) and intelligent automobiles have significantly fewer elements than internal combustion motor vehicles. 

On the other hand, even though they are much less, they may well be lighter, additional fragile and far more high-priced, so it is critically vital to present dependable, specific security for these elements, like the security you’d come across from a customized-engineered packaging solution.  

It is also significant to note that the packaging you use for mechanical areas is not the exact same packaging you are going to need for high-benefit electronics areas, which demand specifically built packaging to protect towards shock, vibration, and electrostatic discharges. 

In addition, as OEMs compete for EV battery cost variety, lightweighting of assembly areas is a common technique to cut down in general car body weight. These lighter overall body panels, windshields, and even tires are additional delicate and consequently call for much more specialised safety in transit. 

Optimizing Distribution Charge 

When it comes to delivery, sizing and excess weight make all the big difference. Whether or not your packaging is small and light or huge and heavy, optimizing packaging can reduce freight expenditures. 

Almost everything from proper-sizing and package deal structure to eradicating boxes and cutting down body weight can make a huge big difference in cost along the provide chain. 

Examining manufacturing, shipping and delivery and storage needs, and defining the fragility of the product or service will assist in picking the appropriate packaging products. 

Minimizing Waste — It’s Very good for the Earth and Good for Business enterprise 

A single of the greatest things in sustainability is recyclability. The pursuit of packaging that cuts down transport and storage volume and body weight ought to normally consist of recyclability as all of these components are aimed at creating larger effectiveness.   

Even so, recyclability just cannot arrive at the expense of protection and effectiveness. Ruined shipments and solutions will have an even higher unfavorable environmental affect. You’ll want to look at all these factors when contemplating your packaging:

• Materials sourcing — with a shift towards recycled, renewable, lessened plastic
• Reduced waste — via rightsizing and automation
• Performance — for injury resistance and diminished excess weight
• Reusability — so that secondary packaging can be employed a lot more than the moment   

Consider of the sustainability of your packaging options not just in conditions of environmental impression but also in conditions of building a a lot more efficient small business.

Packaging for Omni-Channel Achievement

The rise of Diy car upkeep and mend provides but yet another thing to consider to what sort of packaging options you will need. The possibilities for DIYers on how they purchase their items is as various as the packaging that goes with it.

Now, shoppers have a number of selections for how they acquire and obtain their vehicle areas and components. They can have goods transported to their repair centre of option, decide on up in shop, ask for dwelling shipping and delivery, or program a mobile installation.

They can also purchase every little thing from a spark plug to an motor block from significant worldwide e-tailers and have any merchandise sent to their house in a make any difference of days.

Packaging is a Significant Component of Your Source Chain System

As you look at approaches to develop a much better provide chain, don’t forget that automotive pieces packaging is not a just one-dimension-fits-all proposition, in point it’s very the reverse. 

Whether you’re packaging for e-commerce, OEMs, suppliers or dealers, selecting the ideal packaging products for each individual application not only will safeguard your products and enable lessen hurt, it can also enable optimize pack dimension, lower freight price tag, minimize labor and make improvements to achievement velocity.

The base line is: Really do not permit packaging be an after-assumed in any section of your method. Versatility and versatility are important to successfully navigate the unprecedented challenges the automotive business faces now.

The suitable packaging options are vital to unlocking efficiencies, minimizing squander and answering the desires for the myriad products you are going to be shipping and clients you will be reaching now and in the long run.

Dan Healey, is advertising and marketing director, transportation & producing, at Sealed Air