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Heavy Duty Market
France’s truck and trailer market is dominated by the French truck brands Renault and Iveco, and mainly composed of European brands such as Mercedes, DAF, Volvo, Scania and MAN. In 2017, France registered 50,428 new trucks and trailers and 53,275 used trucks and trailers. More opportunities can be found for truck cabin accessories and equipment rather than spare parts. Online catalog websites such as www.truckchocdiscount.com benefit from a good market share.
Specialty Equipment Market
Customizing a vehicle in France is allowed under certain conditions. France follows European regulations regarding the diameter of wheels and has specific requirements (prefectural approval) regarding parts involving security.
Parts such as chrome and stainless wheels, technical accessories (suspension kits, shock absorbers, exhaust systems, brakes and sport air filters), body styling accessories (spoilers, underbodies, deflectors, splitters, fenders), interior accessories (gear stick and hand brake knobs, steering wheels, sport seats, colored dials, carpets, dashboard coverings, door handle covers) and sound systems are popular in France. Systems increasing horsepower are illegal in France. Customers invest in equipment allowing the improvement of engine pick-up instead. Specialty Equipment products are mainly sold through online specialized websites.
Used and Remanufactured Market
When looking at information about used and remanufactured (reman) parts for the French market, professionals in the industry classify them as “pièces en échange standard” in a unique category. Those are used parts entirely remanufactured to match OE quality and security requirements.
This market is still a growing sector, as France is behind compared to other European countries. To reduce costs, insurance companies now allow the use of used/reman parts over more expensive replacement parts. This market represents 2% of the total aftermarket automotive spare parts market in France and is expected to grow by 10% in the upcoming years.
For More Information about exporting to France contact:
Stephanie Pencole
Commercial Specialist - Global Auto & Smart Mobility Team
U.S. Embassy Paris, France
+33 1 43 12 71 38
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