On Thursday 23 November 2023, the Congress of the Association of Automotive Distributors and Manufacturers (SDCM) took place at the Sound Garden Hotel in Warsaw. This is one of the most important events in the automotive industry in Poland. Traditionally, the representatives of Inter Cars could not miss it.
The meeting of the most important companies and experts of the automotive industry was held for the 18th time. As the congress has come of age, there was no shortage of summaries during the scheduled panels. An interesting presentation about the 30-year history of the market was given by Alfred Franke, co-founder of SDCM and currently President of the Moto Focus Group. Above all, however, the numerous discussions focused on the industry's current situation and future forecasts and development prospects.
More than 10 substantive sessions were scheduled during the congress. Among the topics discussed were:
· the current situation of the European automotive market,
· the impact of geopolitics on the development of this industry on the Old Continent,
· the current situation and possible future of MOT control stations,
· circular economy issues in the automotive sector,
· consumer preferences regarding repair parts,
· talent acquisition by automotive companies.
Inter Cars representatives took part in panels, organised during the congress, on the last two of the above topics.
What parts do consumers have to choose from today?
Participants on the panel “Consumer preferences for repair parts” were:
· Przemysław Wołosewicz. Remanufacturing and Circular Economy Director at Inter Cars,
· Piotr Grzemski from OTOMOTO Group,
· Zbigniew Nowak from Antałex,
· Sławomir Weleziński from Delphi Technologies.
During the session, interviewees assessed the choice customers have when deciding to repair their cars. The starting point for the discussion was the fact that motorists can opt not only for new parts - OE or IAM - but also for a range of remanufactured and used parts.
With a word of introduction in this context, Przemyslaw Wołosewicz talked about the division of used parts into three categories: used parts suitable for further use, used parts in a condition allowing the use of the core for the production of remanufactured parts and used parts which become waste. He also pointed out that the popularity of remanufactured and used parts is influenced by the spread of a zero waste culture and economic changes.
During the debate, the need to strengthen consumer education on the characteristics of such parts - their quality, price and the production process for remanufactured parts - was raised. With the right knowledge on these issues, they could make better decisions for them.
The panellists pointed out that non-new parts could be a good alternative for a wider customer group than just users of older cars and people for whom issues of reducing the use of planet resources are important.
In these times of environmental exploitation and climate change challenges, a major advantage of remanufactured parts is the reduction in the production of materials used to create the components. The consumption of raw materials in the remanufacturing process is 50 to 90 per cent lower than when a new spare part is manufactured from scratch. Factory remanufactured parts reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 800,000 tonnes in 2020, equivalent to the carbon footprint left by 120,000 statistical inhabitants of the European Union.
The market for such remanufactured and used parts is growing, but, as the participants of the discussion noted, it faces several challenges. One of the most important is the difficulty of sourcing re-sellable used parts from the market (with a known history and meeting quality standards) and those that can be used in the remanufacturing process.
How to attract talented employees?
One of the panels at this year's congress continued the discussion already undertaken last year. It was a session entitled "Talents in the automotive industry vol. II", whose participants were:
· Krzysztof Soszyński, V-ce President of Inter Cars SA,
· Stephane Freitas of NEXUS Automotive International SA,
· Fotios Katsardis of TEMOT International Autoparts GmbH,
· Michal Tochowicz of Moto-Profil sp. z o.o.
· Among other things, the participants discussed the fact that the search for ways to attract people to the sector's labour market must take into account how its current perception is influenced by history and the old habits and mentality of previous generations. One of the themes taken up during the discussion, was that for the automotive industry to attract innovative people, it needs to show them its innovative face. In the quest for such employees, automotive companies' competitors include technology giants such as IBM.
· It is also not insignificant how diverse 'industries within industries' professionals can now develop in, building a career in the auto-moto sector - from advanced technical engineering through global logistics to cutting-edge IT solutions. For companies, this is a challenge, as each department has different requirements and, when looking for employees, has to make a tailored offer to the group. However, a feature that characterises the entire broader industry is its innovation - an advantage in the eyes, mentioned in the panel's topic, of talents.
· The automotive industry has a case for promoting itself as a place where you can be employed to affect big change. Automotive parts’ manufacturers lead Europe in terms of new patents filed each year. Companies in the sector invest more than €30 billion a year in research and development, meeting global challenges, including sustainability goals.
· The industry needs talented, out-of-the-box thinking employees. That is why encouraging the right people to choose a career in the automotive sector was the theme of one of the panels at the current and last year's SDCM Congress.
Meeting at the automotive summit
· The annual SDCM Congress is one of the most important industry events in the European market. The association, which organises it, brings together more than 100 of the largest players in the automotive parts industry and market, representing companies worth nearly PLN 140 billion and creating more than 330,000 jobs annually. SDCM also belongs to the largest European organisations such as: CLEPA (European Association of Automotive Suppliers) and FIGIEFA (European Federation of the Automotive Aftermarket Distributors).
· This year's congress was attended by more than 30 top-class speakers and several hundred participants. Media patrons included trade and business media. Business organisations, ministries and government agencies working in the area of business development and innovation covered the event under the patronage of honour. Expert panels could traditionally be followed on-line at kongres.sdcm.pl.
