Head of Product Management at Nissens Steffen Bjerg Jensen looks into how the company’s EGR valves present an opportunity for factors.
As an integral part of a vehicle’s exhaust emission control system, influencing the operation of the engine and its combustion process, motor factors are now very familiar with the increasingly popular exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve.
The EGR valves used in more than seven million European VAG diesel applications can be particularly problematic, as they are especially susceptible to heat and vibration, as well as excessive engine load. Naturally, the faulty valve has to be replaced, but as the issues are largely due to the design of the OE part, factors must be aware that these malfunctions can occur both in the original, and a replacement part. Therefore, opting to supply their workshop customers with a superior solution provides them with a great opportunity.
Fortunately, Nissens’ Efficiency & Emissions division has stepped in to provide such a solution by addressing the issues that contribute to the valve’s premature failure, and ensuring its proper function and long lifespan, despite exposure to the harsh working conditions it has to deal with.
By applying several design improvements over the original and proving them over a series of comprehensive tests – including an optimised gearbox design, an improved design of the valve stem, and an upgrade to the design of the DC-motor – we have developed a durable replacement part. Our component supersedes 10 OE part numbers and performs to the standards defined by the VM, and therefore provides the aftermarket with a competitive solution. For more information, click here.
Offering what matters
The right product, available and delivered on time, is the cornerstone of the service motor factors provide their customers. However, several other matters contribute to enable them to develop the full potential of their businesses, including being able to offer a wide range with high vehicle parc coverage. In order for them to achieve this objective, Nissens has, for many years, promoted a product programme that is able to address this need.
Our product range provides perfect adaptation to the market’s needs, so in addition to the right technology and excellent quality, we thoroughly consider the car parc when developing our offering.
For us, it is not the number of products in the programme that counts, but how well the range caters for the vehicles on the road. Therefore, our role is to provide product solutions that factors can use efficiently, so the sales potential of a given part is an essential consideration before we add it to our product portfolio, because increasing competitiveness through optimised operating and logistical costs reduces their net working capital.
As a result, although the Nissens parts programme may contain fewer parts in some specific categories, it actually provides much higher coverage – upwards of 94% of the European car parc – in some product groups.
Acquiring and using multi-regional data concerning the car parc and new vehicle registrations means that we are able to be first in the market with many products. Another vital element to the Nissens offering is precise and optimised catalogue data, an advanced research discipline that captures all the applicable vehicles and OE references to ensure all relevant information links to the product to deliver accurate part selection results, which allows factors to maximize their business potential.
Besides making the process easier for factors, the correct data also helps us adjust the depth of our range so that our customers can benefit from stock optimisation by avoiding duplicated reference numbers and the related extra costs.
