LKQ Europe whitepaper calls for aftermarket coordination
LKQ Europe has published a new whitepaper calling for a coordinated approach to parts to ensure the aftermarket remains sustainable and commercially viable.
The paper, Safeguarding the future of vehicle repair: How Europe can keep mobility cost-effective and sustainable, draws on expertise from LKQ Europe’s aftermarket, remanufacturing, salvage, EV repair and public affairs operations.
A major focus of the paper is expanding the use of used part in repair, highlighting that using the ‘right part for the right repair’ can help control rising repair costs while reducing environmental impact. However, it says this will depend on improving availability, traceability, warranty consistency and integration of used parts into insurer and repair workflows.
The paper also highlights the growing importance of EV battery repair capability and specialist high-voltage expertise, and warns that without greater investment in training, the aftermarket risks developing repair bottlenecks as vehicle technology becomes increasingly complex.
To help address this, LKQ Europe has committed to upskilling 24,000 technicians across 13 European countries by 2028 through EV diagnostics, high-voltage safety and modern repair training programmes under the European Commission’s Mobility Transition Pathway initiative.
Priorities:
- Treat cost effectiveness and sustainability as inseparable goals
- Scale the adoption of reused, recycled and remanufactured parts
- Professionalise alternative parts supply chains across Europe
- Improve quality, warranty and traceability standards
- Expand access to vehicle and parts data
- Accelerate EV and battery repair capability
- Invest in technician training and workforce readiness
- Encourage greater collaboration across the repair ecosystem
- Support repair-first decision making
- Build greater trust and transparency across the aftermarket.
Turning point
Andy Hamilton, president and executive managing director at LKQ Europe, said:“ European vehicle repair is approaching a critical turning point. Workshops and bodyshops are under pressure from rising costs, increasing vehicle complexity, electrification and growing sustainability expectations – all while motorists and insurers continue to demand affordable repair outcomes.
“The central argument in this paper is that economic sustainability and environmental sustainability can work together. Done properly, sustainable repair should help reduce costs, extend vehicle life and improve repair viability across the aftermarket.
“But no single business, insurer, repairer or policymaker can solve these challenges alone. The future of repair will depend on the entire ecosystem working together – alongside commercially workable regulation and better access to repair and vehicle data – to build a more connected, circular and economically sustainable repair model.”
