Originally Posted by crazy4diesel

Yes, indeed this is not news. APA is HQ'd right near me in Simi Valley. There are many companies in China who make car parts, and sometimes you can come across these companies, or B-2-B sites that offer these companies products with contact information. They usually want a commitment for 500 pieces. The problem is you get the part as that company has made it, there's very little "input" into materials, specs or quality. Custom parts can be acquired, by larger companies that put to bid with several suppliers, where there are bid specs, and the company has to match them.

Quite literally, anyone with enough capital (and it really wouldn't be that much, 100's of thousands of dollars, not millions) could set up a parts supply company...less investment required to just buy parts that are already out there...more investment to dictate the parts being proposed.

APA actually does both...the ONE part that has been approved by Mercedes as OEM most likely has been manufactured to specific specs. The lack of disclosure on exactly which part has been approved makes me suspect Mercedes allowed the press release on the condition that the part is not identified. In my mind this opacity does a disservice to consumers, and potentially shows Mercedes-Benz as less than particular about quality.