4WD Industry Council Chair, Emma Laukens, provides an update on the goings on of the Council

I know I’ve said it before, but this is just such a great segment of the automotive aftermarket. There is never a dull moment – with every model update or new market entrant, there’s a flurry of activity around developing innovative new products, which then activates an entire ecosystem of marketing and ultimately, drives sales.
But the way in which this industry continues to engage with and grow its audience is something we should all be proud of. 4WD accessory customers are not just consumers – they are enthusiasts, and this is such a key element to what makes this industry so unique.
The 4WD culture is just so intrinsically Australian – adventurous, good-natured, inclusive, maybe a little rough around the edges sometimes, but rock solid where it counts.
As an industry, we are not just tapping into a consumer trend to sell more bits in boxes, we are deeply embedded within the culture because we are the culture. And this is not just the companies developing, manufacturing and importing products – it is the retail stores, the TV and online personalities, the 4WD consumer shows, the workshops fitting accessories and modifying 4WDs, the 4WD parks, the 4WD clubs and of course, the 4WD enthusiasts themselves. Every element contributes to the richness of the culture we all share, and in that sense, we truly are a community.
As the committee representing the 4WD Industry Council members, we are passionate about preserving and advancing this great culture. To that end, I wanted to share an initiative with which we would love your support.
Overwhelmingly, the 4WD accessory industry invests heavily in developing products that comply with design standards, modification guidelines, and state and federal regulations, and support safe, responsible, compliant modifications.
Not to say we always agree with regulators, but that is why we need industry bodies like the 4WD Industry Council and the AAAA to negotiate on behalf of the collective industry.
Frustratingly, there is an element within the industry who choose to ignore standards and regulations, selling uncompliant products and modifying vehicles irresponsibly.
When regulators lack the resources to actively enforce the rules, some businesses openly flaunt this fact and brazenly continue to advertise their services, even providing guidance to customers on how to avoid getting caught.
DPF delete/removal is a perfect example. Most businesses will advise customers looking for a DPF delete that it is an illegal modification that they do not perform, and will try to educate the customer as to how to achieve their desired result in a compliant manner. However, we all know that the customer who insists on the delete will simply head down the road to the workshop who openly advertises DPF deletes and get it done anyway. This example rings true of suspension modifications, engine tunes, and external accessories also.
Whilst the committee acknowledges it is not our role to police compliance, nor do we have the resources to do so, we know that businesses who have joined the 4WD Industry Council have done so because they are invested in the long-term sustainability of the industry and share our frustration at sub-standard, non-compliant products and services undermining our collective reputation.
We looked to our colleagues in the Performance, Racing and Tuning Council and their efforts to address similar concerns by encouraging members to use the member logo as a symbol of their commitment to a professional, sustainable industry, and we thought we could replicate this movement for our 4WD Industry Council members.
So, we are encouraging all members to display their 4WD Industry Council Member logo proudly – on your website, your marketing material, your invoices, your buildings. Let’s put pressure on those businesses skirting around the fringes to lift their game or be seen as ‘on the outer’.
This is just the start – we will look at developing communications to further support the message as well, but we’d love to see members proudly displaying their member logo wherever they can.

To receive your copy of the 4WD Industry Council Members logo, please email membership@aaaa.com.au