Keystone Automotive, a subsidiary of LKQ Corp., said it will sell only aftermarket bumper reinforcement bars that qualify under the company’s quality assurance programs or are approved through third-party testing.

Also, Keystone said it will expand its testing programs to cover additional reinforcement bars and other parts to further its commitment to provide aftermarket parts with collision performance equivalent to OEM parts. The company is dedicated to the quality and safety of all the products it distributes.

The announcement came after industry training professionals and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists cautioned repairers about using replacement crash parts that don’t meet OEM standards. In addition, the Auto Body Parts Association and Taiwan Auto Body Parts Association advised their respective members to stop selling and manufacturing non-certified structural parts.

The controversy was ignited after industry veteran Toby Chess demonstrated the differences between OEM and certain aftermarket parts at CIC meetings in November 2009 and January 2010. See the links below for all these recent articles.