Andreas Kimmerle, Head of Product Management Aftermarket

The vehicle population in Europe, the Middle East as well as in Africa is characterised by permanent growth. In a relatively saturated Western Europe, the average annual increase in registered vehicles over the coming 5 years will be about 2.1 % for passenger cars and 3.1 % for commercial vehicles, while the growth rates in the more expansive markets of the Middle East and Africa are predicted to be more than
5 %.

At the same time, the technology transfer from Europe into the Middle East and Africa can clearly be noticed on the roads: the vehicles with innovative and complex products that drive today on Europe’s roads can be seen tomorrow in the Middle East and Africa – and extend therefore the operating range of the series products from MAHLE. At the same time the average age, and therefore the demand for high-quality products in the international aftermarket is increasing.

Also in Saudi Arabia, the largest automobile market in the Middle East, new vehicle registrations will increase rapidly – from 402,000 newly registered vehicles predicted for 2008 to 520,000 vehicles in 2010. This corresponds to 30 % increase in 2 years. Also in the commercial vehicle sector an above average increase in the growth rate is anticipated due to a strong building boom.

We see a growing appetite for high-quality automotive components in these markets. As original equipment manufacturer and producer of innovative and high-quality products for all aspects of the combustion engine, we regard it as our duty to serve these markets adequately – with uncompromising quality and a comprehensive product range. An important contribution is our product offensive in the HGV sector as well as in farming and construction equipment, which we have introduced in the past couple of months. The first results can be seen in the increasing number of new additions to this segment. Moreover, our recent acquisitions have enabled us to significantly increase the product cover of engines and vehicles with products from our programme.

The original equipment expertise of the newly acquired brands has been helpful especially in the rings and bearings sector. In the engine components sector, this has allowed us to get a significant step closer to a complete engine components programme, which includes special applications such as Renault Trucks as well as Iveco and Scania. The expertise and the product range as well as the product quality of Glacier Vandervell will be continued under the two brands MAHLE Original and Perfect Circle from 2009 onward, who can both now offer around 3,000 different references in the bearings sector alone.

In the engine components sector, the product programmes of Perfect Circle and MAHLE Original including valves will be identical the beginning of next year. A consolidation that contributes to making our strong brands even stronger – and which will thereby strengthen the competitiveness of everybody involved.

A lot has also happened in the filter programme. For example, we have significantly extended the applications for HGV’s as well as farming and construction equipment and have added many new filters for air, oil, fuel and the vehicle cabin – filters that offer you lucrative sales opportunities.

We have addressed all these topics in varying form on the following pages. With all this, we should have succeeded once more in creating an interesting issue of the MAHLE Aftermarket news – I hope you will enjoy reading our magazine!

Yours sincerely
Andreas Kimmerle