In 2025, the lines between manufacturer and dealer have never been blurrier or more critical. With some OEMs now owning or operating dealerships, independent dealers are re-evaluating what “partnership” really means. Add in high floorplan interest rates, lingering inventory from the pandemic, and tariff uncertainty, and the traditional manufacturer–dealer model is under more strain than ever. However, in times like these, partnership is not optional. The path forward for lift truck dealers lies in collaborating with manufacturers to grow the one segment most capable of stabilizing revenue and protecting margins: The Aftermarket.
As I have written throughout the year, including my July cover story on the future of customer experience, the dealerships that will thrive are those that simplify complexity for customers and turn technology, data, and training into practical value. The same applies to how you engage with your OEM partners. When you leverage their engineering, product data, and technical resources to strengthen the aftermarket, both sides win.
Manufacturers Owning Dealerships
Some OEMs continue to increase their direct ownership of dealerships (factory stores) to secure market presence, control pricing, and standardize customer experience. For independent dealers, this move can feel like competing with the hand that feeds you. But rather than view it as a threat, smart dealers see it as a blueprint.
When an OEM owns a branch, it tends to focus on lifecycle revenue, such as service contracts and telematics, because these areas are predictable and high-margin. Independent dealers can take that same approach and build on it locally. Instead of relying on new unit sales, they can use the manufacturer’s product strength and technical documentation to dominate in service, safety upgrades, retrofit programs, and predictive maintenance.
The Inventory Hangover and Floorplan Pressure
Pandemic-era forecasting left many dealers carrying more new equipment than they can move, while higher interest rates have inflated the cost of that inventory. As one MHEDA 2026 Business Trend points out, “capital efficiency and cash management will be the new competitive edge.”
Manufacturers can help by offering consignment programs, aged-inventory buybacks, and extended terms, but dealers must reciprocate by focusing on aftermarket revenue streams that generate faster cash flow. A 10% increase in parts and service absorption can offset the financing cost of dozens of unsold units. The math is simple; your aftermarket departments pay the bills when new sales slow.
Tariff and Supply Chain Uncertainty
Rising tariffs and global instability have pressured manufacturers to re-source components, lengthen lead times, and raise prices. Dealers are feeling the pain when parts availability fluctuates and when pricing changes mid-quote. However, these disruptions also create opportunities. The dealers who collaborate with their OEMs to localize sourcing, stock critical parts, and provide early feedback on availability gaps will strengthen trust and secure preferential support. Transparency and data sharing are the new currency in the dealer-manufacturer relationship.
Strengthening the manufacturer–dealer relationship does not require a significant initiative or a new program. It starts with practical, everyday actions that build trust and drive results in the field. Here are some strategies to strengthen your aftermarket strategy through OEM collaboration.
Turn Shared Data into Shared Revenue
Most OEMs are rich in data —failure rates, component lifecycles, and warranty trends —but that information rarely reaches dealers in a form they can act on. At the same time, dealers have valuable insights from usage reports, service calls, and work orders that manufacturers seldom see. The real opportunity comes from bringing these two perspectives together.
Schedule regular aftermarket business reviews with your OEM partners that combine their national data with your local service metrics. Keep the discussions focused on what truly impacts performance, parts availability, warranty patterns, fill rates, and customer feedback. These open conversations often reveal quick fixes that improve communication, boost uptime, and strengthen satisfaction on both sides.
To keep things simple, agree on a few shared KPIs such as fill rate, first-time fix percentage, and time from job completion to invoice. These are easy to track, meaningful to both dealer and manufacturer, and form a solid foundation for continuous improvement. OEMs are managing cost and quality pressures while dealers are fighting to protect margins. Aligning around the same numbers creates accountability and momentum. As MHEDA’s 2026 Trends Report notes, “Data is no longer a back-office tool; it’s a frontline revenue driver.”
Use OEM Training as a Dealer Advantage
Every manufacturer offers technical and safety training, yet many dealers treat it as optional. In today’s tight labor market, training is one of the most under-utilized levers for aftermarket profitability. Work with your OEM to co-develop a training calendar for technicians, parts personnel, and customers. Use the manufacturer’s product experts for advanced sessions, and then document those sessions to create your own internal library. For technicians, training increases billable efficiency and first-time fix rates. For parts staff, building product confidence leads to higher average order values. For customers, it adds value and retention.
Training, when structured and OEM-supported, is not an expense. It is a profit center hiding in plain sight.
Align Inventory and Aftermarket Planning
Dealers burdened with excess new inventory must keep cash turning elsewhere. That is where the aftermarket can balance the books. Ask your OEM for advance access to parts bulletins, model-change forecasts, and discontinuation timelines. This allows you to adjust stocking levels early, liquidate slow movers, and pivot toward consumables and wear items that move regardless of new unit sales. OEMs benefit from better fill rates; dealers free up capital and shorten delivery times.
In short, if your new-unit capital is locked up, free your aftermarket capital.
Innovation with Aftermarket ROI in Mind
Automation and electrification remain dominant trends for 2026. However, pilots fail when the aftermarket is an afterthought. Work with your OEM to ensure that every new technology rollout includes an aftermarket plan, such as parts kits, technician training, service software access, and remote-diagnostic rights. If your OEM is testing an autonomous or fully electric model, volunteer to pilot it, but only with a documented plan for service readiness and inventory support.
This approach lets you shape new-product success while protecting your service team from “unknown” equipment that burns time and profit. Innovation without aftermarket discipline is just experimentation.
Aftermarket as a Cushion against Volatility
Even as OEMs push direct sales and expand vertically, independent dealerships remain essential because of their proximity to the customer. The aftermarket is where that local connection pays off.
According to the Industrial Truck Association, 2025 shipments of new units have softened from post-pandemic highs, but fleet replacement and maintenance remain robust. Customers are keeping equipment longer, often beyond original life cycles. That reality creates ongoing demand for replacement parts, software updates, and safety upgrades, all areas where OEM and dealer cooperation can deliver strong margins.
In short, the industry is moving from a volume era to a value era. Dealers and manufacturers who co-engineer the lifecycle together —install base, data, service, and retrofit —will continue to grow, even when new orders slow.
Looking Ahead to 2026
MHEDA’s latest trend outlook calls 2026 a “pivotal year for alignment.” The workforce gap, automation adoption, and cost pressures will continue. Dealers that rely solely on unit sales will struggle. Dealers that treat their manufacturers as strategic partners in aftermarket execution will prosper. At its core, a strong dealer–manufacturer relationship is not about selling more trucks. It is about building shared value through service, reliability, and the kind of customer support that only comes when both sides are working together. Many dealerships still operate with a wall between parts, service, and sales. Manufacturers often mirror that with silos between product, warranty, and field support. The modern aftermarket demands alignment, both internally and across the OEM-dealer line.
The winners in 2026 will not be those who fight over who owns the customer. They will be the ones who serve the customer together through a stronger, data-driven, service-first aftermarket partnership.
About the Author:
Chris Aiello is the Business Development Manager at TVH Parts Co. He has over 19 years of experience in the equipment business, serving in various roles, including service manager, quality assurance manager, and business development manager. Chris now manages a national outside sales team that sells replacement parts and accessories to various equipment markets, including material handling, equipment rental, and construction and earthmoving dealerships.
