Philipp Hess (bilstein Group): “Logistics is a core competency for bilstein group”

Philipp Hess: We recorded strong overall growth in 2024 and are forecasting growth of around 9%, with momentum across all market segments: passenger cars, commercial vehicles and off -road. For next year, we are forecasting growth in all regions and segments; we have set ourselves a target of +10.2%. 

P.H.: Globally, the independent aftermarket is experiencing moderate growth. This trend will continue as the number of cars worldwide continues to increase. In addition, the average age of cars is increasing, which is good for our business. In China, the IAM is still evolving and highly competitive. In North America, we have managed to grow despite the uncertainty caused by tariffs. Central and South America offer genuine growth potential.

P.H.: Europe remains stable, but the situation varies considerably from one country to another. Germany has seen slight growth this year, Spain is doing better, while Eastern Europe is stagnating. Overall, we expect slow market growth in Europe, with disparities between regions and countries.

P.H.: The group is agile and has been able to adapt fairly easily to change. This volatility seems to be the new norm, and we remain confident that we will be able to manage the risks and seize the opportunities that always arise in such a dynamic environment.

P.H.: This year, we acquired Interauto in Mexico and established our 23rd subsidiary in India. We also completed the integration of Motair, a company specialising in the distribution and refurbishment of turbochargers, which we acquired in 2022. The entire range of OE and refurbished turbos, mounting kits and oil lines has been integrated into the febi brand offering.
We also optimised our central warehouse in Gelsenkirchen by adding 60,000 additional pallet spaces and setting up a second Autostore warehouse at our regional distribution centre in Spain. Logistics is a core competency for the bilstein group.
Finally, from an organisational perspective, after a successful transition period, I took over all the responsibilities of Uli Wiedemuth last January, who retired in November after a 52-year career with the group!

P.H.: With the growing success of Chinese vehicles in many parts of the world, many people are looking for spare parts for these models. We have already added many parts for BYD, MG, Geely and others to our range. bilstein group is building a complete range for combustion/hybrid engines and BEVs. So when these cars start arriving in independent workshops, we will have the necessary spare parts available. This year, we added more than 5,700 new items to our range, which is an average of more than 15 per day!

P.H.: Of the 90 million cars produced each year, more than a third are now manufactured in China. And China is exporting an increasing number of cars to all regions! But very often, no OES aftermarket network has yet been set up. This represents a huge opportunity for the independent market. As a result, bilstein group is expanding its range of parts dedicated to these models. To date, more than 1,000 parts numbers are already available.
Many market players are also trying to expand their proposition for these models. And Chinese spare parts manufacturers are striving to win new customers in all regions of the world.

P.H.: I strongly believe that our group is ready to take on the challenge. Our product development team analyses registration figures worldwide to predict which models will become relevant. This allows us to prioritise our development programme, and we have already identified thousands of spare parts for the most popular Chinese models.

P.H.: While consolidation is still ongoing the pace seems to have slowed, particularly in distribution, where acquisitions are more selective and are being made by players seeking to strengthen their market position.
However, mergers and acquisitions are likely among parts suppliers, following the major restructuring programmes and reorganisations that have taken place over the last 12 months. Some leading equipment manufacturers have split their activities into two branches, ICE and electric, which could lead to consolidation in both areas.