The Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMI) is to expand its MOT training offering by opening a new training centre in the South of England.

“It is vital that the government and the EU come together and agree that frictionless, tariff-free terms of trade are in the interests of the whole sector, in order for the retail motor industry to progress and thrive in a stable environment,” said RMI Chairman Peter Johnson, speaking at this year’s RMI Annual Dinner in London last night (11 October 2018).

The Parts Alliance has struck an exclusive automotive UK distribution agreement with Champion air compressors.

It may not have been the Ryder Cup, but competition was fierce when NGK Spark Plugs (UK) Ltd held its 27th Northern Ireland annual golf day.

TRICO  provided almost 100 winners with prizes recently following a promotion it recently ran with A1 Motor Stores.
 
TRICO has been working with A1 members for nearly 10 years and its latest incentive, with a minimum £50 spend on its wiper blades, offered them the chance to win an Apple Watch, Amazon Echo or iPad, along with a selection of multi tools and wiper blades through a specially designed scratchcard.
 
David Hunt, manager of Specialised Motor Components, managed to scoop the Apple Watch. He said: “I was really surprised and pleased to win. It’s good to know that through such a great incentive, they appreciate our efforts  selling these quality products.”
 
Kilgetty Motor Factors’ (KMF) owner, Alan Holt, a long-standing TRICO customer said: “We were delighted to be one of the lucky ones that won an iPad and a couple of the multi tool sets, which will come in very useful in our store, so thank you TRICO!”
 
Shabbir Rajani from Hinckley Motor Spares won the Amazon Echo. He added: “It got the work place excited as we all took turns on a scratchcard. We are over the moon with our Amazon Echo, and we hope there are more promotions to come!”
 
Mark Doney from Mon and Border Motor Factors said:  “We are very pleased to have won an Amazon voucher, which will come in very useful.”
 
Senior Product and Brand Manager at TRICO, Sam Robinson, concluded: “We have been working with both A1 Motor Stores and the members for a long time and we really appreciate their support and feedback - so this is our way of giving something back - I hope the winners enjoy their prizes.”

Top Technician 2019 is back for 2019, and is open for entries.

New changes to the MOT testing rules mean that 65,000 MOT Testers must complete new annual training assessments to remain compliant.  In response, the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), has launched updated Tester training which includes a free eLearning course enabling Testers to access the new assessment via their smart device and qualify them to test under the new EU directive.  

A new tongue-in-cheek multi-media campaign with an underlying serious message for ZF brand Lemförder, is about to go live across Europe. The campaign, which deals with the Germanic obsession with precision and perfection – underlines a very serious safety message.

The Race Group has announced that it has strengthened its partnership with Castrol with a new five-year contract, extending its supply of lubricants for automotive and heavy duty vehicle customers in the South of England.

Morris Lubricants ambassador Rebecca Jackson is presenting Modern Wheels or Classic Steals, a new series on TV channel Dave where, together with Elo King (the owner and founder of The London Motor Museum), she will guide confused buyers to find their ideal car, whether it be a contemporary vehicle or a vintage ride.

Malvern-based Daniels Vehicle Services has become the 100th garage to join the Servicesure garage network in 2018.

Changes  in the way the Lucas brand reaches the market in the UK and Ireland were announced at Automechanika Frankfurt this week.

NGK is a big supporter of Speedway racing and now one of its managers has been testing his own skills on the track.

The Parts Alliance is rolling out ‘The Big Drive’ as the latest in a series of national promotions. Billed as the ‘Luxury Edition’ and running until the end of November, the promotion gives garage customers the chance to win a Jaguar XE in either the Portfolio or R-Sport models.

Launching today (Tuesday 11 September) at Automechanika Frankfurt, the IMI is showcasing its new Electric Vehicle eLearning modules designed to transform the way people undertake training within the workplace.

NGK Spark Plugs (UK) Ltd will be holding product training sessions at the forthcoming MechanEx exhibition at Sandown Park following their success at its sister show in Manchester earlier this year.

The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), has voiced its concern for the safety of technicians after electric vehicle sales reach a record high.

Dayco has completely redesigned its websites. In terms of content, the new sites highlight Dayco’s growing product portfolio and technical innovations.

The Parts Alliance is gearing up to run its second major event of 2018, announcing its Winter Trade Show will be held in November in the South West.

LIQUI MOLY is continuing to expand its sport sponsorship: the company is now also the official sponsor of the 2019 World Handball Championship, which is will take place in Denmark and Germany in January. "This world championship is one of our global lead sponsorships," says Peter Baumann, Marketing Director at LIQUI MOLY.

Federal-Mogul Motorparts is sending two lucky technicians from Top-notch Motor Repairs in Tamworth to the USA to see the thrills of NASCAR at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida. The winners entered a prize draw sponsored by MOOG, Federal-Mogul Motorparts’ steering and suspension specialist. MOOG has sponsored NASCAR for over 50 years and supplies parts to all cars in both the European and US series.   The grand prize was a trip for two to watch a NASCAR race in the US, including flights, accommodations and track transfers. Runner-up prizes included hospitality tickets for the Brands Hatch leg of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, while over 500 limited edition prizes were also awarded, including t-shirts and caps.   “We have only just taken in the good news,” said winner Kevin Taylor. “To say we are both really chuffed is an understatement. We chose to go to the race at Daytona in Florida so that we can take full advantage of the trip and indulge our other great passion, big game fishing. We are both keen anglers and the combination of Florida, NASCAR and some time out on the sea is just about as perfect a holiday as we can imagine.”

The Parts Alliance says it is continuing to see impressive sales growth across its DriveTec range.

Euro Car Parts has added a distribution hub in Maidstone, Kent and two new branches in London and North Yorkshire to its rapidly expanding UK network.

Automotive marketing agency Chicane has launched new recruitment service. Chicane Executive Search (CES) will find the right candidates to fill key vacancies in the sector.

Motaquip has launched its brand new website with the aim of supporting its customer base both at home and abroad.

Bosch has congratulated Top Technician 2018  winner Shaun Miller and runner up Matthew Pestridge on their achievements in the 2018 competition.

Andy Savva – ‘The Garage Inspector’ – has become Schaeffler’s first UK Brand Ambassador.   Andy has been supporting Schaeffler’s REPXPERT team by presenting at various trade fairs and training events over recent months, sharing his expertise on building up a workshop brand and profile, while also offering tips and best practice techniques on how to make a business profitable.   Following a positive and successful start to their working relationship, Andy has now accepted an invitation to become an official ‘Brand Ambassador’, which he described as “overwhelming”.   On being offered the role, he said: “To be associated with a leading global brand, like Schaeffler, a company that I trusted for its quality of components during my years owning and running workshops, the opportunity was one that I simply couldn’t turn down.   “I am very proud; over the years, I have endorsed the use of original equipment parts, so I am a perfect match for Schaeffler. I have a passion for helping the independent sector, and this new role will only help my ambition of achieving that.”   Because of his familiarity with the workshop business, Andy will be mainly focused on supporting the REPXPERT team, as well as conducting various media duties. REPXPERT users will also be able to redeem bonus points to enrol on one of his one-day business courses held at various UK locations throughout the year.   In a message to technicians, he said: “We are here to help, guide and assist REPXPERT users. The challenges of running a workshop today, and in the future, are huge; therefore, this is a unique partnership, which will enable all users to not only access excellent technical training, but also benefit from my business acumen on the same platform”   Schaeffler Managing Director, Nigel Morgan, said: “Andy is a familiar face to most vehicle technicians, who appreciate the fact that he has been there, done that and got the T-shirt to prove it.

Progress Recruitment Solutions (UK) Ltd is working with the Independent Garage Association (IGA) to make their MOT Tester training courses more accessible to automotive technicians throughout England and Wales.

The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) has voiced its support for a campaign by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO), to raise awareness about the risks posed by counterfeit car parts. This comes as various seizures of counterfeit car parts and accessories have occurred in the UK in the past two years.

An annual survey of 1,000 car owners conducted by The Motor Ombudsman has revealed that consumers have an increasingly favourable perception of the vehicle service and repair sector when compared to the same period last year. The study showed that 51% of respondents enjoyed a positive experience, versus 44% in 2017, whilst 39% of individuals expressed a neutral view in 2018 compared to 45% 12 months earlier.

Working age people in the motor industry are contacting Ben in increasing numbers due to financial concerns and mental health challenges according to the charity’s Impact Report for 2017-18 87% of those who contact the organisation to discuss low income, anxiety and depression are in work, according to the latest issue of the annual study.

Independent Garage Association (IGA) member  Car Services Ltd in Grimsby is one of three garages that recently received a 100% score by the AA Garage guide, the provider of online bookings, Patrol referrals and the ‘Certified Garage Programme’.

VLS (the Verification of Lubricant Specifications), the trade body which provides a means to verify lubricant specifications,  has welcomed Comline Auto Parts Ltd and Motaquip as its newest members. 

Recent investment has provided Klarius with increased manufacturing capacity for automotive OEM and aftermarket emission control products including exhausts, CATs and DPFs.

ZF Aftermarket has announced that its UK warehousing and office facility at Crick, Northampton has received certification against the latest environmental management standard: ISO14001:2015 – ahead of the September 2018 deadline. Using this standard will improve resource efficiency, reduce waste and drive down costs. In addition, the 96,000 sq ft site has been recertified for OHSAS18001:2007 Occupational Health and Safety standard.

WAI product has begun leaving Bognor Regis and arriving at Marathon Warehouse Distribution’s national distribution centre in Redditch and a 14-branch network throughout the UK.

Wendy Williamson, chief executive of the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF), has been re-elected to the Board and made Treasurer of FIGIEFA, and was also recently named in the shortlist for the 2018 Autocar 100 Great British Women awards, which recognise the most influential British women in the global car industry.

BM Catalysts has welcomed the Department for Transport (DfT) decision to reiterate the strict requirements for selling catalytic converters and Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs) into the UK. The firm believes it will help reduce the number of non-compliant products being sold and subsequently fitted in the UK market.The DfT also advises that DPFs cannot be sold for Euro 5 vehicles without the required homologation to meet European standards.

Autoelectro has released a ‘behind the scenes’ video, filmed at its Bradford HQ.
 
The two-and-a-half-minute video offers a comprehensive guide to the remanufacturing process, from stripping down the old core all the way through to packaging and distributing the remanufactured component in Autoelectro’s bright red box.
 
Managing Director, Tony Bhogal provides insightful commentary and is the man in-front of the camera. He explains how the business has developed over three decades, which includes an emphasis on product development, technical information and recruiting expert auto-electricians and fuel injection engineers. He also clears up any confusion between remanufacturing and reconditioning.
 
Tony said: “I was proud to let in the cameras into our home and showcase a warehouse that continues to expand and homes some of the best remanufacturing and testing equipment. Our family of staff members buy into our business philosophy of ‘fit and forget’, which allows us to produce and distribute quality products and fulfil a 100% order rate.
 
“Our recent ISO standard reaccreditation strengthens our position in the marketplace, and our doors are always open to those that want to visit a professional and efficient company on top of its game.”
 
The video can be found on Autoelectro’s website: http://www.autoelectro.co.uk/autoelectro-behind-scenes

With a growing number of workshops becoming increasingly reliant on their Hunter wheel servicing equipment for profit maximisation, equipment supplier Pro-Align has launched a new, industry leading aftersales response commitment.

TRICO won a dramatic penalty shootout to win The TRICO Cup at The TRICO Stadium, despite the media opposition staging a magnificent second-half comeback.   Aftermarket Editor Alex Wells played in defence for the media squad, which included members of the trade press, consumer press and regional press, playing as a team for the first time.

NGK distributors in Scotland have been competing in the ignition specialist’s 2018 golf day which was held this year in Perthshire.

More than 10,000 people visited Automechanika Birmingham 2018, as the event looks forward to 2019 and beyond.

The SMMT today (Tuesday 26 June)  called for swifter progress on Brexit and a deal that, as a minimum, maintains customs union membership and delivers single market benefits.

Top Garage 2018 has named its winner. Cedar Garage of Worthing was identified as the best business in the brand new competition, which launched this year.

Berkshire-based mechanic Shaun Miller has been named as Top Technician 2018, identifying him as the best garage professional in the UK.

WAIglobal has reached a national distribution agreement with Marathon Warehouse Distribution to supply a full range of WAI branded products to motor factors on a same day delivery service through Marathon’s expanding distribution centre network. As part of the agreement, Marathon’s 14 branch network will stock WAI’s 2,500 starter motors and alternators, clutch pulleys, 400+ ignition coils,121 MAF sensors, 56 wiper motors and 2,800 window regulators.

Pro-Align has launched a new logo designed to reflect a number of changes and enhancements being made throughout the business.

NGK Spark Plugs (UK) Ltd has named Mark Peacock its Salesman of the Year 2018.