“The Biggest Hidden Champion”: A Vignette from Michael Söding, Industry Veteran from Schaeffler Group

The automotive aftermarket has gained surprisingly little interest in management and academic research literature. Yet, it is a global business with a multifaceted range of business actors, many of those representing also highly global organizations. Particularly those leading suppliers operate in numerous markets across the world while innovating new and better solutions. Innovative products and services often stem from these suppliers and aftermarket businesses that are underexamined, if not hidden in terms of awareness and managerial-scholarly attention. This chapter brings up an expert insight that portrays automotive aftermarket features, dynamics, and future trends and contributes by illuminating also strategic aspects of the global aftermarket supply chain.