AFM'25 Summit Organized by OSS Brought the Industry Together!
AFM'25 Summit Organized by OSS Brought the Industry Together!
The Automotive Aftermarket Products and Services Association (OSS) held the second edition of its Aftermarket Summit in Istanbul, following the success of the first summit in 2023. The event attracted wide participation and featured 8 sessions and 20 distinguished speakers, where industry challenges and future trends were discussed in depth.
Ali Özçete, Chairman of the OSS Board, emphasized the export success of the spare parts sector, stating: “Perhaps it is not widely mentioned, but last year, the automotive sector became the export champion with 40 billion dollars. Unfortunately, when people think of the automotive industry, they only think of new vehicles and assume that the 40 billion dollars comes from that. This is absolutely not the case. The real fact is that the largest share within the 40 billion dollar automotive exports comes from the spare parts sector, with 14 billion dollars. Therefore, we are the driving gear of the country’s economy — the spare parts sector is Turkey’s true export champion.”
Highlighting how geopolitical shifts are deeply affecting the industry, Özçete added: “The transformation of conflicts into economic wars instead of traditional ones has significantly impacted our sector. As OSS, we strongly reject this trajectory. We are not part of a sector that should be used as a tool in conflicts. We do not want to navigate our path based on commercial wars in our country or the world. Instead, we want to make long-term plans, define long-term strategies, align our framework accordingly, and plan our investments in line with those strategies.”
Bringing together leading national and international suppliers, global trading groups, and wholesale companies in the automotive aftermarket channel, OSS held the second Aftermarket Summit at DasDas in Istanbul. With strong interest and broad participation from all segments of the industry, the summit addressed the profound transformation in the automotive industry and its reflection on the aftermarket, as well as proposed solutions to the sector’s key challenges. Organized around themed sessions, the summit featured important speakers delivering in-depth presentations on how to adapt to change and shape the future of the industry.
We Are the Strongest Link in the Independent Aftermarket!
The AFM’25 Summit, sponsored by Maysan Mando Shock Absorbers, Automechanika, Spazio Smart Storage Solutions, Mann+Hummel, Schaeffler, and ERD, hosted 20 distinguished speakers. Opening the event, OSS Chairman Ali Özçete noted that the summit also marked the 30th anniversary of the OSS Association. Reflecting on the progress of the sector over three decades, Özçete stated:
“Thirty years ago, there were people carrying spare parts on their backs between wooden shelves, salespeople waiting for orders to come through fax machines, and repair shops struggling to provide basic service. Today, our industry is fully integrated with the world and has spread across Turkey, backed by solid technological infrastructure and investments. Our sector continues to develop not only in Turkey but globally, and we are evolving along with it. We are the strongest link in the independent aftermarket, and OSS is the only Turkish association affiliated with FIGIEFA. In all our activities, we adopt approaches that prioritize the independent aftermarket and ultimately serve the best interests of the end consumer. At the same time, we are witnessing a major transformation in our industry.”
Özçete also touched on the shifting dynamics between independent and authorized aftermarket services:
“Authorized service centers, which typically operate within the dependent aftermarket, are now beginning to offer services for multiple vehicle brands. Moreover, private workshops certified with TS12047 are now able to service vehicles still under warranty. On the other hand, vehicle manufacturers are becoming key aftermarket players with their own private label brands. Distributors are also offering both aftermarket and OES (Original Equipment Supplier) branded spare parts under one roof for the benefit of the end consumer. This evolution demonstrates how rapidly the structure of our sector is changing. In the future, we may no longer talk about ‘independent’ and ‘authorized’ aftermarket — we may simply call it the ‘aftermarket’. As an association, we focus not only on today but on the future.
We Are Not a Sector That Serves as an Instrument of War!
Reminding attendees of the spare parts sector’s export success, OSS Chairman Ali Özçete stated:
“Perhaps it's not often emphasized, but last year the automotive industry became Turkey's export champion with $40 billion. Unfortunately, when consumers think of the automotive sector, they only think of new vehicles and assume that this $40 billion comes entirely from car production. That’s absolutely not the case. The truth is that the largest share of this $40 billion in automotive exports—$14 billion—comes from the spare parts sector. In that sense, we are the driving gear of the country. The spare parts industry is Turkey’s true export champion.”
Özçete also voiced strong concern about the broader challenges facing the industry:
“While we are focused on our business, innovation, and growth, we are also severely affected by geopolitical shifts—especially the transformation of warfare from weapons-based to economic conflicts. As OSS, we strongly reject this trajectory. We are not a sector that serves as an instrument of war. We do not want to be caught in the middle of intercontinental trade wars. We don’t want to find our direction based on such conflicts, either domestically or globally. We want to create long-term plans, develop long-term strategies, and align our framework accordingly. Our goal is to plan our investments based on sustainable, forward-looking perspectives.
Industry Challenges and the Roadmap Ahead Were Discussed!
Following OSS Chairman Ali Özçete’s opening remarks, key industry representatives shared their insights with the audience. These included Vecibe Kaplan Arslan, Sales and Business Development Manager at Maysan Mando; Michael Johannes, Vice President of Mobility & Logistics at Messe Frankfurt; Uğur Yılmazer, Domestic Sales Manager at Spazio Smart Storage Solutions; Cemal Çobanoğlu, Director of Automotive Aftermarket at Mann+Hummel Turkey; and H. Ömer İren, Sales Manager for Schaeffler Vehicles Lifetime Solutions Turkey & Azerbaijan.
Next, Hakan Doğu, Founding Chairman of the Sustainable Mobility Initiative, delivered a presentation titled “The Present and Future of the Automotive Industry.”
The summit continued with a panel discussion on “Women in Automotive,” moderated by OSS Board Member Beylem Leblebici Birsen. The panel featured Gupse Kaplan, General Manager of PEUGEOT Turkey; Nadine Perahya, Chairwoman of the Board at İntermobil; and Yeşim Keser, General Manager and Board Member at MA-PA.
The European Agenda Was Put on the Table!
The afternoon session of the second Aftermarket Summit began with a panel titled “What’s Happening in the Global and Turkish Economy?” Esteemed journalists Hakan Güldağ and Vahap Munyar shared their evaluations on current economic developments.
Following this, Mubarak Moosa, Automotive Practice Leader at Frost & Sullivan, delivered a presentation titled “Future Trends and Opportunities Shaping the Automotive Aftermarket.”
One of the summit’s most noteworthy sessions was the panel “Turkey’s Influence in the AEMEA Region.” Moderated by Mesut Urgancılar, Regional Director for the Middle East, Africa, and India at Groupauto, the panel featured key insights from H. Burak Akın, Vice President of Valeo Service for the Americas, Middle East and Africa; Murat İnce, Sales Manager (EMEA) at MAHLE Aftermarket GmbH; and Tufan Baysal, Director of Aftermarket for the Middle East, Africa, and Eurasia at Niterra.
The second Aftermarket Summit concluded with a special session by renowned historian, academic, and author Prof. Dr. İlber Ortaylı.