The Car Care Council has announced an agreement with the Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA Canada) and the Asociación Nacional de Representantes, Importadores y Distribuidores de Refacciones y Accesorios para Automóviles, A.C. (ARIDRA) to create Car Care Council North America, which will direct the “Be Car Care Aware” consumer education campaign in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

“Car Care Council North America builds on the positive reputation and image of the current Car Care Council, that has been funded and directed by the Auto Care Association for nearly 20 years as a credible source of information about the benefits of vehicle maintenance, care and repair,” said Rich White, Car Care Council executive director.

“As everyone working in the global auto care industry knows, proper vehicle maintenance is a universal issue and a challenge that has no borders. Expanding the Car Care Council initiatives in Canada and Mexico is a logical next step in educating consumers about the benefits of regular vehicle upkeep,” said Bill Hanvey, Auto Care Association president and CEO. “We are thrilled to reinforce our association’s ongoing partnerships with AIA Canada and ARIDRA.”

“The North American automotive aftermarket industry is more connected than ever before,” added Jean-François Champagne, president, AIA Canada. “Establishing the CCCNA as an organization that reaches across borders to provide extensive consumer education on vehicle care and maintenance in all three countries together is a clear reflection of that interconnectivity. AIA Canada is proud to be a part of this initiative.”

Alejandro Calderón, ARIDRA president, commented, “The creation of the expanded council seeks the unification of services in the United States, Canada and Mexico, to ensure that vehicles have preventive and not corrective maintenance. We intend to create consumer awareness to keep the vehicles in optimal condition.

“For ARIDRA, it is an honor to join Car Care Council North America, which will surely help reduce accidents and increase vehicle passenger safety,” said Calderón.

AIA Canada is the national trade association that brings together the entire automotive aftermarket supply and service chain, with a mandate to promote, educate and represent members in areas that impact the growth and prosperity of the industry.

ARIDRA is a civil association based in Mexico City, which includes manufacturers, representatives, importers and distributors of automobile spare parts and accessories. Founded in 1943, it represents the image of the aftermarket in Mexico, and has been acting on behalf of its members for 75 years on matters of common interest to help its strategic development and improving their business environment. ARIDRA currently has 151 members in Mexico.

According to the three participating organizations, the key goals of Car Care Council North America (CCCNA) include:

• Substantially increasing the number of consumers reached with information about proper vehicle care and maintenance on behalf of the three associations’ respective members and industries as a whole.
• Structuring CCCNA to ensure a level of autonomy to accommodate country-specific cultural, language and other unique needs for each of the U.S., Canada and Mexico organizations, while centralizing the organization under the umbrella of the current U.S. Car Care Council to leverage economies of scale.
• Creating an advisory group with representatives from each association to help guide CCCNA to ensure that the needs of their respective members, motoring public and industries are being met.
• Launching a central web portal where consumers, industry professionals and the media can locate and download car care content in English, Spanish and French from each of the U.S., Canada and Mexico websites.
• Increasing the number of service and repair businesses throughout North America participating in the “Be Car Care Aware” consumer education campaign by providing them access to communications materials, marketing tools and other helpful resources.