Brazil. The Auto Care Association, in collaboration with the Office of Business Services of the U.S. Consulate in São Paulo, hosted a data standards conference on March 19, 2024, in São Paulo, Brazil.
The conference was part of the association's trade promotion initiatives, made possible by the U.S. Department of Commerce and International Trade Administration's Market Development Cooperator (MDCP) award.
Attended by more than 70 local executives from the automotive care industry, the conference focused on the development and maintenance of industry standards, including adoption methodologies for existing standards such as the Aftermarket Catalog Exchange Standard (ACES) and the Product Information Exchange Standard (PIES).
Staff from the Auto Care Association, along with Integrate Data Facts (IDF), a Michigan-based company that specializes in automotive aftermarket intelligence, presented at the conference.
IDF is a strategic partner of the association in Latin America, dedicated to facilitating the adoption of standards in the region. In addition, the delegation spent two days meeting with key industry stakeholders to identify partners for the development and implementation of standards in the Brazilian market, according to the Auto Care Association.
"Standardizing product data is critical to streamlining operations and improving supply chain management, ultimately benefiting both businesses and end users," said Arthur Strommer, vice president of MTE Thomson and member of the Auto Care Association.
"We understand the importance of consistent and accurate product information, which is why we advocate for the implementation of robust cataloguing standards," he said.
The conference also featured presentations on the importance of product data standardization by Jonathan Austin, Acting U.S. Consul in São Paulo; Sindipeças, the National Association of Brazilian Auto Parts Manufacturers, which supports the development and strengthening of the Brazilian auto parts sector; and MTE-Thompson, a leading Brazilian auto parts supplier with a global presence.
The Auto Care Association said the success of the conference highlights "its commitment to promoting the benefits of ACES and PIES standards and best practices in new markets." The association plans to host similar conferences on data standards in other key Latin American markets over the next year.
