OEM stands for "Original Equipment Manufacturer." It refers to a company that produces components, parts, or products that are used by another company in the final assembly of their own products

. Key points about OEM:

• OEMs manufacture parts or subsystems that other companies integrate into their finished products. For example, a computer manufacturer might buy motherboards from an OEM to include in its computers

• In the automotive industry, OEM parts are those made by the original manufacturer of the vehicle's components, used during the vehicle's initial assembly. These parts are typically considered higher quality and identical to the original parts in the vehicle

• OEM differs from aftermarket parts, which are produced by other companies for replacement or enhancement after the original product is sold

• OEMs usually focus on business-to-business sales, supplying parts to companies that then sell finished products to consumers

• In software and IT, OEM can also refer to software versions bundled with hardware by the hardware manufacturer but developed by another company, such as Microsoft providing an operating system for a PC maker

In summary, an OEM is the original producer of components or products that are incorporated into another company's final product, playing a crucial role in manufacturing and supply chains across industries like automotive, electronics, and IT