OEMs to Increase Aftermarket Investment Over 5 Years: Study

New research from Syncron sheds new light on how manufacturers are navigating a high-stakes landscape of margin pressure, tariff volatility, supply chain fragility, and rising customer expectations and reveals where the industry is headed and what’s holding it back. 

“You can’t afford to run aftermarket as an isolated function anymore,” says Josh Weiss, CEO, Syncron. “If it’s disconnected from the rest of your business, it’s disconnected from your growth.” 

Key takeaways:

·        80% of OEMs plan to increase aftermarket investment over the next five years. Nearly half now cite it as a top strategic priority. 

·        But while intent is strong, execution remains a challenge. The research reveals persistent barriers that limit ROI, from siloed systems and inconsistent data to ongoing ripple effects from tariffs. 

·        OEMs are taking a variety of actions to mitigate the impact of rising tariffs, the most common being optimizing inventory and demand planning, diversifying the supply chain, and exploring new business models. 

• U.S. OEMs are most concerned about economic disruption and trade uncertainty.
• DACH and France are more focused on supply chain fragility.
• Nordics emphasize competitive differentiation and service innovation.