Month: July 2023

CLEPA 2023 General Assembly elects new leadership

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In the context of its General Assembly, CLEPA, the European association of automotive suppliers, approved its membership composition, annual accounts and its new statutes. CLEPA members elected Mr Matthias Zink, CEO Automotive Technologies at Schaeffler, as incoming President of CLEPA. Mr Zink will assume the role in January 2024, succeeding Mr Thorsten Muschal, Executive Vice President of Sales at FORVIA, who has successfully led the association over the last four years.  

in CLEPA, 27-07-2023

Expressing his enthusiasm for the new role, Mr Zink states, “As the group representing the interests of the European automotive supplier industry, CLEPA has a significant role to play in the process of shaping more modern and sustainable automotive mobility. CLEPA’s task is to ensure that the interests of all stakeholders are taken into account during this process. I am pleased that I will be able to support and help shape this important function in a key position together with other sector colleagues from the beginning of the coming year.?As a European and as a businessman, I am convinced that the relevance of CLEPA will significantly increase during the next few years, not least to ensure that European interests are heard at an international level.” 

Reflecting on his term, Mr Muschal notes, “I am proud of the achievements we have made together at CLEPA, especially considering the unprecedented challenges we have faced over the past three years. The transition is only beginning, and it is crucial that we continue to work together towards shared objectives. I look forward to actively carrying out my full mandate, and to the handover with Mr Zink.” 

The CLEPA General Assembly served as an important forum for cooperation, empowering the association’s members to tackle industry challenges collectively and promote a harmonised approach towards the mobility transformation in Europe. 

The CLEPA membership is presently composed of more than 140 members, including 116 corporate members, 12 national associations and 19 associate members. Since June 2022, CLEPA has welcomed 12 new members, reinforcing its position as the voice of the sector. The most recent members are:  

  • Aurobay  
  • BASF 
  • DuPont 
  • FEV 
  • Harman 
  • Klimator  
  • Qualcomm 
  • Tallano Technologies 
  • STMicroelectronics 
  • Stratvision  
  • Swissmem 
  • Wayve 

 

 

CLEPA | Automotive and battery manufacturing coalition signs joint letter of concern on Carbon Footprint Rules for Electric Vehicle Batteries

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The EU JRC (Joint Research Centre) has recently issued a final draft of the “Rules for the calculation of the Carbon Footprint of Electric Vehicle Batteries (CFB-EV)”, entering a phase of consultation. Battery and automotive manufacturing organisations have jointly addressed representatives from the European Commission (DG GROW and DG ENV) with a letter of concern regarding these Rules.

in CLEPA, 27-07-2023

“While the effort to regulate and provide additional guidance on the carbon footprint calculation of electric vehicle (EV) batteries is both sensible and appreciated, the draft contains some aspects that raise concerns for the industry, particularly regarding the assessment of the impact of recycled material (and the so-called modelling of the “end-of-life”)”, they write.

The JRC document proposes to apply the so-called Circular Footprint Formula (CFF) to the calculation of battery carbon footprint, in reference to the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) method, as a way to model the end-of-life of EV batteries. The coalition raises that this calculation not only adds a significant complexity burden for practitioners and reporting companies, but also deviates from other globally recognised accounting practices. Therefore, they recommend EU institutions to use the widely adopted and recognised “cut-off” approach for the modelling of end-of-life of EV batteries, instead of the CFF.

 

 

Forum on Automotive Aftermarket Sustainability to officially establish as new European association

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  • Leading players in the aftermarket sector consolidate efforts to drive innovative sustainability solutions and best practices through new EU association
  • Official presentation to take place during FAAS Sustainability Day at FuturMotive Congress on 16-18 November in Bologna

in CLEPA, 14-07-2023

Just nine months after its successful launch last September, the Forum on association. Comprising 28 prominent members, the FAAS is a forward-thinking initiative dedicated to advancing sustainability, promoting greener practices, and delivering solutions within the automotive aftermarket sector. Automotive Aftermarket Sustainability (FAAS) announces the formation of a legally registered, non-profit European association. Comprising 28 prominent members, the FAAS is a forward-thinking initiative dedicated to advancing sustainability, promoting greener practices, and delivering solutions within the automotive aftermarket sector.

Under the guidance of the FAAS Secretariat, initiated by CLEPA (the European Association of Automotive Suppliers) and FIGIEFA (the European Association of Automotive Aftermarket Distributors), preparations are underway to establish a governance structure, formalise the FAAS as a legal entity, and launch an awareness campaign to expand its membership base. Additionally, the new association is set to introduce new membership categories to foster broader participation and engagement.

The official presentation of this initiative will take place during the highly anticipated FAAS Sustainability Day, scheduled for 16-18 November in Bologna as part of the ‘FuturMotive’ Congress. Laurence Eeckhout, FAAS coordinator on behalf of FIGIEFA, shares the enthusiasm shown by the unanimous support from members during the recent plenary meeting: “We are pleased that members are engaged in a journey where actors in the aftermarket sector are joining forces to enhance collaboration, exchange best practices, and foster sustainable initiatives that will have a lasting impact along the entire supply chain. Together, we anticipate substantial growth in our membership,  as well as the optimisation of packaging, re-use and re-manufacturing of parts, and digitalisation of  logistics.”

Frank Schlehuber, CLEPA’s Senior Consultant Market Affairs, emphasised the importance of collective action within the automotive aftermarket: “While numerous stakeholders operate within the industry, we all share a common goal. Effecting meaningful change requires the acceptance and support of all market players. Therefore, a joint initiative involving stakeholders across the value chain is essential to achieve swift and impactful results.”

The mission of the FAAS

The FAAS represents a unique collaborative endeavour initiated by CLEPA and FIGIEFA, uniting  the automotive aftermarket supply chain in a holistic pursuit  of greener and more sustainable solutions for the European aftermarket.

To achieve its sustainability objectives, the FAAS currently operates four working groups comprising a wide range of relevant actors from the European automotive industry:

  • Working Group 1: Conducting a comprehensive study to assess the CO2 footprint of the automotive aftermarket sector and the CO2 impact of maintaining a vehicle on the road for longer vs. replacing it with a new vehicle.
  • Working Group 2: Addressing existing barriers to component remanufacturing through improved knowledge and understanding, while emphasising the significant contribution of remanufacturing to the circular economy, with the aim to increase the market share of remanufactured products.
  • Working Group 3: Developing a standardised Product Carbon Footprint methodology applicable to all players in the automotive aftermarket sector, consistent with other initiatives in Europe.
  • Working Group 4: Focusing on optimising supply chain logistics by forming strategic partnerships between suppliers and wholesalers, and developing recommendations to reduce the environmental footprint of shipping.