Electronic data interchange (EDI) is a fact of life for most retailers and consumer goods manufacturers; these companies have been trading electronic documents like purchase orders, bills of lading and advance ship notices (ASNs) for decades. But EDI has only recently gained traction in the automotive aftermarket.

William Haser is vice president and CIO of Lake Forest, Ill.-based Tenneco, a leading manufacturer of emission and ride control sytems. A graduate of Northwester University's Kellogg School of Management, he also holds a BS in chemical engineering from Cornell. He has been with Tenneco in a variety of positions since 1983.

Phil Hutchens is director of category management for Standard Motor Products (SMP), an independent manufacturer, distributor and marketer of aftermarket parts.

Distributors, retailers and suppliers are always looking for ways to improve their supply chains, but often have to make these improvements in a vacuum?How can you improve your logistics or warehouse operations if you don't know how well you're performing now, or how other companies in the market are performing?

The Federal Cash for Clunkers incentive burned through $1 billion in a week as consumers rushed to trade in gas guzzlers for more efficient models, spurring Congress to add another $2 billion to the program. But many consumers hoping for the $4,500 credit discovered that their older cars did not quality for the program, or that they couldn't afford to purchase a brand new car, even with the credit.

Because the engines in the vehicles being turned in must be disabled and the cars crushed, the program has not only removed otherwise usable cars from the used vehicle market, but also deprived aftermarket repairers of valuable salvage parts.

The bankruptcies of GM and Chrysler are affects the parts supply chain.

New enterprising systems offer distributors streamlined sales, management opportunities.

Henry Day is the vice president of fixed operations with Asbury Automotive Group in Duluth, Ga.