Quick lube sees a growth opportunity for preventative maintenance amid a buoyant market for M&A; many suppliers they rely on are long-standing AAPEX exhibitors
LAS VEGAS, NV, UNITED STATES, January 22, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The biggest automotive aftermarket trade show will get a little bit bigger in 2026. The Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) and the Preventive Automotive Maintenance Association (PAMA) announced a partnership today that will bring quick lube operators from the International Fast Lube Expo (iFlex) to AAPEX in 2026. The quick lube section of the show will be branded “iFlex @ AAPEX.”
iFlex exhibitors have historically been part of The Car Wash Show, which caters to independent and franchise car wash owners. However, as the average age of the 291 million cars and light trucks in the U.S. has grown to 12.8 years, the quick lube market has observed a growth opportunity in offering additional preventative maintenance services.
“The quick lube industry is best served by aligning iFlex with the automotive aftermarket,” said Jenn Bochnowski, vice president of the board of directors at PAMA. “More than just a trade show, AAPEX is a partner that can help us provide our members with the education, networking and resources quick lube operators need to thrive in the automotive aftermarket.”
Many of the suppliers the quick lube industry relies on are long-standing AAPEX exhibitors. For example, Mobil 1™, Royal Dutch Shell plc, and Valvoline, Inc. are among the top suppliers at AAPEX every year. Such brands are familiar to consumers who frequent quick lube stations.
AAPEX also draws comprehensive participation from across the automotive supply chain. In a typical year, around 2,500 exhibitors, including manufacturers, distributors and suppliers, converge in Las Vegas every November to exhibit and network with potential business partners.
“AAPEX has earned a reputation for networking that leads to business deals – there’s a lot of opportunity for PAMA members and quick lube operators,” said Mark Bogdansky, vice president of Trade Shows and Community Engagement at the Auto Care Association. “Similarly, the participation of quick lube businesses at AAPEX will add value to the comprehensive mix of exhibitors who already attend the show.”
The quick lube market is buoyant
PAMA has 170 memberships that range from single shop owners/operators to quick lube chains and franchises with several thousand locations. Many see the market as a growth opportunity, and it has become buoyant with merger and acquisition (M&A) activity. There were 48 recorded quick lube acquisitions from 2020-2024, according to Aftermarket Matters, an industry trade publication.
The pace of dealmaking continued in 2025. For example, Valvoline closed on a $625 million deal to acquire Breeze Autocare from Greenbriar Equity on December 1, 2025. A market analysis by KPMG said the purchase price was 10.7 times EBITDA. National Oil & Lube News (NOLN) reported that the FTC ruled that 45 locations be divested before greenlighting the transaction.
“There’s a lot of private capital flowing into the automotive aftermarket,” said MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers Vice President of Events Liz Goad. “It’s widely seen as ‘recession resistant’ because vehicle repairs and maintenance are a necessity to keep vehicles operating safely – regardless of the economic outlook.”
Emerging aftermarket opportunity for quick lube
Many quick lube locations have increasingly offered their customers basic repair and maintenance services. According to the 2026 Auto Care Factbook, the quick lube industry provided 5.1% of the overall “collision and parts market,” based on data for the full year in 2024.
“It makes sense from a service perspective,” added Bochnowski. “If a quick lube station has a vehicle on a lift already, and can readily perform preventative maintenance services, that helps consumers keep the vehicles they own on the road longer and in better operating condition.”
Shifting iFlex to AAPEX isn’t the first move that PAMA has made to better support its members as they adapt to an evolving aftermarket. Indeed, it was formerly known as the Automotive Oil Change Association (AOCA). PAMA rebranded in recent years to focus on preventative maintenance and better support its members.
Ready-made oil and lube section at AAPEX
AAPEX made several improvements to the exhibit show floor last year. Principal among them was the reorganization of the exhibit halls to segment supplier booths by market category. Quick lube operators attending AAPEX this year will find they are joining a healthy selection of buyers and suppliers in the ‘oil, lubrication, wax and chemicals’ section of the show.
This segmentation benefited both buyers and exhibitors. For buyers, it made it easier to focus their energy on the suppliers they need to meet without having to trek across 550,000 square feet of space. Exhibitors also found that buyers spent more time perusing the exhibits in their section of the show and are to able meet more customers face-to-face.
“Over a few days at AAPEX, buyers and sellers can meet, face-to-face, with 10, 20, or as many potential business partners as they want,” Bogdansky added. “We are looking forward to working with PAMA and the quick lube community and welcoming them to AAPEX this fall.”
“The U.S. auto aftermarket accounted for $435 billion in spending in 2025, according to the MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers 2025 Aftermarket Size and Forecast Report,” added Goad. “The market is forecasted for continued growth and will exceed $500 billion by 2028.”
About AAPEX
AAPEX unites the more than $2.3 trillion global automotive aftermarket industry and historically draws around 2,500 exhibiting companies from around the globe that display innovative products, services and technologies that keep the world’s 1.6 billion vehicles on the road. AAPEX provides advanced technical and business management training for professionals to maintain excellence and take their businesses to the next level. Industry buyers include automotive service and repair professionals, auto parts retailers, independent warehouse distributors, program groups, service chains, automotive dealers, fleet buyers and engine builders.
AAPEX is a trade-only event and is closed to the general public.
AAPEX is co-owned by MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers and the Auto Care Association. For more information, visit AAPEX 2025 or e-mail: info@aapexshow.com. On social media, follow AAPEX at #AAPEX26.
Frank Strong
for AAPEX
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