(NSF: Las Vegas) -- NSF International is developing a automotive aftermarket collision parts distributor certification program that will close the gap in the supply chain between part manufacturers and body shops. The Automotive Body Parts Association (ABPA) is working closely with NSF to identify the key features that will form the basis of the new program, which is scheduled to launch during the first quarter of 2011.

The NSF Automotive Aftermarket Collision Parts Distributor Certification Program will be open to all distributors and will require them to have quality systems in place that address traceability and quality issues for both certified and noncertified parts. The NSF Distributor Certification Program will be designed to meet the needs of collision repair shops, insurers, and ultimately, consumers. Because this is a distributor certification program, not a parts certification program, distributors will not be authorized to apply the NSF Mark to products. To earn NSF Automotive Aftermarket Collision Parts Distributor Certification, some of the requirements that distributors will be required to meet include:

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