The Auto Care Association recently hosted its Canadian and Mexican counterparts at its Spring Leadership Days to discuss areas of collaboration and to share information.
The Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA Canada) represents the automotive aftermarket supply and service chain while the Asociación Nacional de Representantes, Importadores y Distribuidores de Refacciones y Accesorios para Automóviles, A.C. (ARIDRA) represents automotive parts and accessories manufacturers, representatives, importers and distributors.
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), one of the topics discussed, is supported by the associations, because it allows the three nations to integrate supply chains and move goods across borders easily. The three associations reaffirmed a unified commitment to NAFTA and cautioned that any changes to NAFTA could disrupt tightly-integrated supply chains, increasing production costs and affecting job growth.
Similarly, an April report by Scotiabank said that modifying NAFTA would negatively affect the auto industry, causing job losses.
Integration “has boosted productivity and enhanced the industry’s global competitiveness, enabling it to increase its share of global exports,” senior economist Carlos Gomes said in the report. “For example, auto industry exports from NAFTA to the rest of the world have advanced by four percent annually over the past decade, a percentage point faster than the increase in global auto industry exports.”
The ACA holds meetings twice annually with its more than 30 committees and its board of directors. Networking opportunities for members also are held.