right to repair
The right to repair has become the mantra for constitutional rights for motorists around the world. aBr brings our readers a series of interviews with role
players in the automotive aftermarket, with the intention to shed some light on this intriguing subject. First up to the plate is Richard Pinard, managing
director of TopClass Automotive. TopClass Automotive is a supplier of an extensive range of automotive products, focusing on reputable brands, including
SKF, FTE, Timken, Permatex and DJ Parts.
Gearing up for the Future
RP: Our prices are competitive. I invite
you to do the price comparison
yourself.
aBr: What do you see as the role of
TopClass Automotive in the automotive
aftermarket?
RP: We see ourselves as the parts supplier
of the future. The sourcing of product
and route to market today is different
to what it was five years ago, and
most probably in five years’ time it
will be different to what it is today.
Market dynamics are changing, and
the parts supplier of the future will be
someone who changes with the times.
The customer is changing, and is more
knowledgeable, with internet access,
and a variety of options in sourcing
his or her daily needs. This dynamic
is starting to impact the automotive
aftermarket, and we as suppliers
will need to have smarter and faster
processes to service this new age
customer.
aBr: What is the “value add” that you offer
the market, that stands out from OES
and IAM offerings?
RP: TopClass Automotive brings to
the table knowledge, product
development, catalogue development,
technical training via the internet,
personal service, and most importantly,
a passion for our products and a
passion for our business.
aBr: Are the products that you offer on a par
with “genuine” parts?
RP: Most definitely so. Tier One
suppliers play an important role in
the development of parts for new
vehicle models, and they set minimum
specifications for these parts, in
conjunction with the OEMs. And in
many cases, these suppliers then
enhance these specifications, and
offer these enhanced products to the
aftermarket as premium customised
parts.
aBr: The market appears to be
saturated with offerings from many
OEMs, local manufacturers, local
distributors, and local importers, all
offering a dizzying array of brands
– is there space for all of these
players?
➲ Richard Pinard, managing director
of TopClass Automotive
aBr: When it comes to range, do you
cherry pick?
RP: Our policy is to cover an extensive
range on all the products that we
sell. We analyse the market, and
if there is a demand for a part,
we carry it. And I am proud to
say that this applies to the full car
parc. We carry parts for older cars
as well, and even if the vehicle
is twenty years old, the part will
be of the same quality as that of
our parts for the latest models.
This is not always the case with
other suppliers, some who have a
policy of sourcing cheaper parts for
older vehicles.
aBr: If one compares prices, where do
you sit in the “cost” chain?
| words in action
30
july 2014
RP: No. I have no problems with
the suppliers of quality parts
and reputable brands. There is
definitely space for all of them.
But there is a lot of sub-standard
product out there, where quality
is sacrificed on the altar of cost
cutting. The selling and fitting of
these parts have serious safety
and roadworthy implications, and
is unconscionable. There is also
the issue of counterfeit product.
I know of many cases in this
regard. Bearings are a favourite
target for counterfeiters and I
know of a specific case where a
significant percentage of a certain
type of bearing is being sold as a
counterfeit of a proprietary brand.
All I have to say to the people
sourcing and supplying these
products is “how do you sleep at
night?”
aBr: And finally, you have a good
name in the market – what do you
attribute this to?
RP: It is about giving people a fair
deal, over an extended period of
time. It takes years to build up a
reputation, and seconds to destroy
it. I am not prepared to take any
chances when it comes to product
quality – this philosophy has stood
me in good stead.