Litens Aftermarket's Scott Howat on the AMN Drivetime Podcast: Engineering, Dolz, and the Easy Button Latch
Litens Aftermarket is not a company that shouts. It engineers, patents, and then quietly lets the product do the talking. That approach came through clearly in the latest episode of AMN Drivetime, where Babcox Media CEO Bill Babcox sat down with Scott Howat, director of sales and marketing for Litens Aftermarket N.A.
Howat joined Litens in 2022 with more than 30 years of sales, marketing, and product management experience. He was promoted to director of sales and marketing in March 2025 and now oversees the company's North American aftermarket operations. His message on the podcast was straightforward: Litens differentiates itself through engineering depth, not marketing volume.
The 1979 Origin Story That Still Defines Litens
Litens was founded in 1979, the same year its engineers developed the world's first automatic tensioner for the accessory drive belt. That first application was for the 4.9L V-8 Ford Mustang and Mercury Capri. More than four decades later, Litens is the world's largest supplier of original equipment belt tensioning and routing products.
Howat emphasized that the company's engineering-driven approach allows it to do something most aftermarket suppliers cannot: design complete belt drive systems, not just individual components. The tensioner and pulley system sit at the center of that architecture. This systems-level expertise, Howat said, is what allows Litens to deliver innovative tensioning solutions to the aftermarket rather than simply repackaging OE parts.
Dolz: A Phased Approach to a European Acquisition
The most substantive news from the episode was Howat's update on Dolz, the Spanish water pump manufacturer that Litens acquired in November 2022. Dolz has been engineering water pumps for nearly 90 years and currently supports almost all European vehicle brands, covering roughly 90% of the European car parc.
Howat explained that Litens is taking a phased approach to introducing Dolz to the North American aftermarket, mirroring the strategy it used to establish the Litens brand itself. A marketing campaign launched this year, and Howat confirmed plans to formally introduce the Dolz brand at AAPEX. The timing matters. AAPEX is one of the largest aftermarket trade shows in North America, and a formal brand introduction there signals that Litens is ready to move Dolz from "European legacy" to "North American contender."
The Easy Button Latch: A Small Innovation With Real Technician Impact
Howat highlighted one specific piece of technology that illustrates Litens' engineering-first philosophy: the newly patented Easy Button Latch. The innovation incorporates the locking mechanism directly into the tensioner, eliminating the locking pins that technicians traditionally have to manage during installation.
The Easy Button Latch uses TAP (Technician Assist Pin) technology to hold the tensioner in a retracted position, making belt routing easier and reducing physical strain. Because the latch stays on the tensioner, future service is faster. The system is designed to make tensioner replacement a one-person job, addressing one of the most physically awkward tasks in accessory drive service.
Litens has been expanding the Easy Button lineup throughout 2026. In July, the company added 29 new SKUs, including three tensioners featuring Easy Button latch and TAP technology. The technology was first introduced on tensioners for various 2015–2022 Ford models, including the Edge, and has since been expanded across multiple applications.
Why This Matters to the Aftermarket
Litens occupies an unusual position in the aftermarket landscape. It is an OE supplier first, which means its aftermarket products carry the same engineering DNA as the parts that leave assembly lines. Howat's point on the podcast was that this OE data and expertise allow Litens to identify opportunities to improve upon existing OE designs rather than simply replicate them.
That distinction matters for technicians and shop owners. Aftermarket parts that are engineered from OE data — and then improved — can reduce comebacks, simplify installation, and extend service life. The Easy Button Latch is a concrete example: it solves a real installation problem that technicians have complained about for years.
The Dolz integration adds a second dimension. European vehicles represent a growing segment of the North American car parc, and water pumps are a high-failure-rate component. Bringing a European-engineered water pump brand into the Litens portfolio gives distributors and shops a single source for tensioners and water pumps from a company with OE credibility in both categories.
What to Watch
Litens has signaled that AAPEX will be the formal North American debut for Dolz. The company has also been steadily expanding its Easy Button SKU count, and the 29 new SKUs added in July suggest that expansion is not slowing down. Howat's appearance on AMN Drivetime was, in effect, a preview of both stories.
The episode also included a lightning round where Howat shared personal insights, a standard feature of the podcast format.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Litens Aftermarket?
Litens Aftermarket is the aftermarket division of Litens Automotive Group, a global OE supplier founded in 1979. The company invented the first automatic belt tensioner and is now the world's largest supplier of OE belt tensioning and routing products.
What is the Dolz brand?
Dolz is a Spanish water pump manufacturer with nearly 90 years of history. Litens acquired controlling interest in Dolz in November 2022. Dolz covers approximately 90% of the European car parc and is being introduced to the North American aftermarket.
What is the Litens Easy Button Latch?
The Easy Button Latch is a patented Litens innovation that incorporates the locking mechanism directly into the tensioner. It uses TAP (Technician Assist Pin) technology to hold the tensioner in a retracted position, making belt installation a one-person job.
Sources
- Tire Review — "Litens Aftermarket's Scott Howat on Being a Brand Champion" (Oct. 5, 2026)
- Shop Owner Magazine — "Litens Aftermarket's Scott Howat on Being a Brand Champion" (Oct. 1, 2026)
- AftermarketNews — "Litens Aftermarket's Scott Howat on Being a Brand Champion" (Oct. 1, 2026)
- Podscan.fm — AMN Drivetime Episode 95 metadata (Oct. 1, 2026)
- Litens Aftermarket — Official product and company pages
- Litens Automotive Group — "Litens acquires controlling interest in Industrias Dolz" (Nov. 7, 2022)
- Litens Aftermarket — "Dolz North America – Powered by Litens Aftermarket" (March 5, 2026)
- Litens Aftermarket — "Adds 29 New SKUs, Expands Easy Button Tensioner Lineup" (July 9, 2026)
- Litens Aftermarket — "Promotes Scott Howat to Director of Sales and Marketing" (March 18, 2025)
- Litens Aftermarket — "Tech-Friendly: Easy Button Latch" (Jan. 13, 2026)