Tenneco to expand dealer support with videos, resources and expanded SKUs

MONROE, Mich. — Tenneco Inc. is planning to launch a series of installation videos, instruction sheets and other resources designed to help aftermarket distributors and service providers grow their businesses with Monroe suspension conversion kits.

The kits enable technicians to replace expensive air-ride or electronic suspension systems with conventional mechanical systems without activating the vehicle's electronic warning signals, the company said.

The new technical resources will be available on monroe.com, the Monroe Shocks mobile app and on the “TennecoInc” channel on YouTube.

“Demand for Monroe conversion kits continues to grow as service providers and consumers discover how expensive it can be to repair a factory air or electronic suspension,” said John Perrin, executive director, product management, North America Aftermarket, Tenneco.

“Our new installation videos and other value-added content are designed to help accelerate this market growth by guiding users through each step of the job.”

Replacing an air-ride suspension with OE-style replacement components can cost thousands of dollars, he said, while the out-the-door cost of an installed Monroe conversion kit can be significantly less. Each Monroe kit is engineered to restore factory ride height and provide stable, comfortable ride and handling performance, he said.

Tenneco offers vehicle-specific kits for the following conversion projects: air spring to coil spring; air shock to Monroe OESpectrum Load Assist shock; self-leveling to standard suspension; and electronic suspension to passive suspension.

These kits cover millions of vehicle applications, including Buick, Cadillac, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GMC, Isuzu, Oldsmobile, Lexus, Lincoln and Mercury models equipped with factory air-ride or electronic suspensions. Several new Monroe conversion kit part numbers will be introduced by year-end.

“The conversion market is a prime opportunity for repair providers to demonstrate their unique expertise and deliver extensive value to consumers,” Mr. Perrin said.

“This category is an area of focus for Tenneco and Monroe as well. We intend to provide our channel partners and front-line service businesses with the resources they need to capture more of this business.”

Tenneco said it is on schedule to surpass 700 Monroe Quick-Strut part numbers by the end of 2017, completing a 71-percent single-year increase in the company's premium replacement strut assembly product line.

With 255 Quick-Strut part numbers introduced through October and an additional 42 to be launched by the end of the year, Tenneco said it will have extended the coverage of its strut replacement products by more than 27 million registered vehicles. More than 140 of this year's new Quick-Strut part numbers have been the first available for their respective vehicle applications.

“Our aggressive investment in new coverage answers a need we hear almost every day from repair shop owners and professional technicians: ‘I wish I could use a Monroe Quick-Strut assembly for this vehicle,'” said Mr. Perrin.

The products are assembled in the company's manufacturing facility in Paragould, Ark.

Tenneco expects to launch hundreds of additional Monroe Quick-Strut assemblies during each of the next two years, according to Mr. Perrin, noting that the new part numbers will address vehicles that will soon enter their prime age for ride control service.

“Our product strategy offers channel partners and their customers the greatest potential for sustained business growth through coverage that addresses each stage of a vehicle's aftermarket lifecycle,” Mr. Perrin said. “It is vital for these businesses to establish and maintain strong customer relationships by offering leading, trusted brands and premium-quality, guaranteed products.”