The bilstein group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of wear parts in the automotive aftermarket. The range of more than 80,000 different repair solutions for cars and commercial vehicles is unrivalled in its breadth and depth. To keep it that way, new items are added to the product range of the febi, SWAG and Blue Print product brands every day. Another milestone was reached with the introduction of seven-digit article numbers for febi.
“The previously used six-digit number range was exhausted in March. With the necessary conversion to seven-digit article numbers, we are doing justice to the continuous expansion of the product range and thus the long-term growth of the group of companies,” reports Global Sales Director Philipp Hess. To analyse and select new additions, the team of product managers from Group Category and Brand Developments (CBD) works with various other departments to strategically expand the product ranges of our product brands – by an average of ten new items every day.
A special product for the first seven-digit article number
To do justice to the significance of the overall development, the ‘milestone article’ with the number 1000000 was to be a special product. The choice fell on a repair kit for the rear axle differential assembly, suitable for vehicles with the 5th generation Haldex all-wheel drive system. “Behind the number is a success story that shows what febi stands for: customer proximity, market orientation and sustainable repair solutions. That’s why the first seven-digit article number is dedicated to a special repair kit that was created based on a specific customer enquiry,” explains Jannik Hindenburg, Divisional Product Development Manager at CBD Car.
The story behind the repair kit: A customer’s vehicle was found to have bearing damage on the rear axle drive. The vehicle manufacturer’s only solution was to replace the entire unit – an extremely costly repair. “The febi repair kit is unique in the independent aftermarket and offers a cost-effective and, above all, sustainable alternative to the expensive OE solution,” explains Hindenburg. To create this alternative, the in-house team of specialists carried out sample tests and installation trials and developed a complete repair kit with 16 different parts.
“This includes all the components required to replace the axle drive bearing and give it a second life. In addition to the bearing, the kit also contains the two necessary oils for the differential and the Haldex coupling, as well as all fastening materials. For me, febi 1000000 is therefore a perfect example of how we translate market needs into real solutions in line with the febi claim Solutions Driven by You,” says Hindenburg, summarising the benefits.
The repair kit can be found here in the bilstein group partsfinder.