The Auto Care Association is contacting with Pricedex Software Inc. to develop heavy duty truck product information standards through a comprehensive research project.
Auto Care Association, joined by its Heavy Duty Distribution Association segment community and parts manufacturer subject matter experts, seeks to develop a best practice to assist in the identification and dissemination of product information relevant to support the heavy duty aftermarket, the association said.
According to the Auto Care Association, the project goal is to provide tools and resources to facilitate heavy duty parts manufacturers’ coding efforts for product information and product hierarchy, which could be incorporated into an electronic catalog.
“The strength of the heavy duty marketplace lies in the knowledge of the counterperson to make hundreds of part recommendations each day. We aim to make that process more efficient by giving them the data they need in a format they are familiar with,” said Bill Hanvey, president and CEO, Auto Care Association. “The subject matter expertise and vast knowledge and experience of Pricedex in delivery of product data solutions to the global automotive, heavy duty and industrial aftermarkets, combined with our creation of a heavy duty industry advisory panel representing the entire supply chain, will ensure increased efficiency and market effectiveness for all stakeholders.”
Phase one of the research project will study how heavy duty parts are cataloged and provide framework for a unique product data set, “leveraging portions of the Product Information Exchange Standard (PIES), that can also be applied to the commercial and “off highway” aftermarkets,” the association said.
