rong>European component distributor, Optimal is set to enter the UK aftermarket from a new central warehousing facility in the West Midlands.

rong>A self-adjusting clutch (SAC) tool kit from Sykes Pickavant has been developed for mounting and dis-mounting SAC assemblies to the flywheel.

rong>In an effort to market new kit to independent garages, diagnostic tool distributor Autoboss UK is due to bring out a new interface.

rong>A range of Sakura hi-visibility products are now ready for winter stocking and are available from Saxon, who also distribute car care and valet products.

A TRIO of technicians reached the grand final of a competition held to find the 'Worker of the Year'.

rong>This little device will remove Sealey plastic wheel nut caps fitted to Audi, Seat, Skoda, VW and Vauxhall vehicles.

rong>High performance engines require additional oil pressure because of the increased demand placed upon various components within the engine.

rong>Clutch and parts manufacturer National Auto Parts has redesigned its product cartons and website to make the products easier to find and the site speedier to navigate.

rong>Suspension manufacturer Cobra has released a spring upgrade kit for the latest version of the quirky Nissan cube.

rong>Aftermarket technical writer, technical trainer, workshop owner, Top Technician supporter and all round fab west-country bloke James Dillon is running some one-day training courses at his new training facility in Bridgwater next month.

GARAGE scheme Motor Codes has hit out at the decision by the Retail Motor Industry (RMI) to launch a rival garage organisation.

/>Despite this, data released by credit company Experian shows that September and October saw a slight drop in garages failing compared with the same period the previous y

An alternator pulley removal kit is the latest addition to Facom's range of workshop tools. It aims to save time and eliminate common pulley removal problems. During changing operations, the sockets used to dismantle the pulley often break because the torque required is very high. In order to combat this, Facom has opted for heat treatment on the bits in its kit to boost their strength and reduce the risk of breakage.

The battery boys and girls at Yuasa have unveiled new range of AGM (absorbent glass mat) batteries for use in the latest stop-start vehicles and if you're one of those slightly obsessive individuals who like long lists of electrical specifications you're in for a treat: The new Yuasa AGM range features four models offering 60, 70, 80 and 92 ampere-hour capacities at 20-hour rate. Cold cranking performance of the batteries is 680, 760, 800 and 850A with reserve capacity of 100, 120, 140 and 160 minutes respectively. The 70 and 92Ah models are available immediately with the 60 and 80Ah cells due for release in spring 2011.

Vintage Tyres has rolled out three new models. The Avon Turbospeed covers Daimler and Jaguar cars while the Vredestein Classic is a popular fitment for MGB, BMW, Rover P6 and Alfa Romeo vehicles

If you like to sit at home and collect automotive parts catalogues, your collection is about to get one bigger (you should probably also try and get out once in a while too, Ed).

Unipart has boosted its choice of rotating electrics by more than 25%. Mike Parsons, Unipart's general manager for product marketing, said customers could expect to see "significant improvements in availability" following the move that adds 2,000 part numbers to the company's choice of units. Suggested selling prices have also been added to all starter motors and alternators in a bid to help garages maximise profits from each sale.

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THE COALITION Spending Review on October 20th announced the biggest set of government cuts since the Second World War but surprisingly it was not all doom and gloom as adult apprenticeships were given a substantial boost.

rong>Chicago Pneumatic (CP) has doubled the warranty period on its Classic range of tools to two years.

No, it's not a trendy eco-toilet for hippy festival-heads, the Filtoo is an exhaust extraction unit from Flextraction. Built by Teka in Germany, it sucks up fumes, dust and gases found in welding, bonding, gluing, brazing, soldering, laser welding and restoration applications.

MG Rover parts specialist XPart has introduced an improved version of the coolant pipes for the MGF and TF cars to help prevent corrosion.

Technology firm 3M has boosted its offering to anyone in the SMART (that's Small to Medium Area Repair Technology, in case you'd forgotten) or LAR (Local Area Repair) businesses.

Euro Garage Solutions (aka EGS, the garage equipment division of Euro Car Pats) has taken on two alignment specialists to give demonstrations of its wheel alignment kit to prospective customers.

/>The report suggested that new customers had been putting off ‘purchases’ – presumably repairs – that they had deemed to be non essenti

/>As part of the new service the firm, previously known as Sunwin Motors and now as the Co-operative Motor Group will carry out a full vehicle safety inspection as standard under its ‘Duty of Care' pled

WITH the return of the CV Show

Exhaust extraction company Nederman is offering a free sander/grinder to anyone that buys one of its P160I portable dust extraction units.

Panther Spectacles and Resolution Goggles might sound like the crime-busting gadgets of a high-tech superhero but the more boring reality is that they're the latest eye protectors from Weldability-SIF.

Goodyear is forging ahead with its Fit & Relax warranty policy on belts. Valid for 30,000 miles or 2 years, the warranty means that should any Goodyear belt suffer what it calls an "honest and fair" failure within the period, Goodyear will pay to repair the engine, including parts and labour.

Exhaust specialists at Eminox have given a glimpse of an Active Regeneration Trap (ART) filter system. If that doesn't mean much to you, the system is basically a DPF system for low temperature applications.

Wood Auto is highlighting the safety and revenue opportunities that effective wiper sales can bring.

ONE in 15 vehicles is missing one or more brake lights increasing the risk of an accident for other road users.

Several new technologies to clean up engines have been showcased by OEM and aftermarket supplier Delphi at a trade show this week.

Emission systems firm Fuel Parts UK has introduced a new bagging system in a bid to encourage proper fault diagnosis, rather than trial-and-error fitment.

The Trademaster T5000 series of brake testers from the Trade Group promises to deliver 'significant operational benefits' to any MOT station.

Tool company Sykes-Pickavant has created a series of wheel hub and wheel stud grinders to help you remove corrosion.

A collection of supposedly intelligent battery chargers has been rolled out of the factory by battery firm Yuasa.

A range of heavy gauge steel cabinets, workbenches and accessories are available which feature an evenly distributed load capacity of 1,000kg and self-locking mechanisms to prevent accidental opening.

/>Tye joined the Goodyear Dunlop, parent company of HiQ in 2006 when the company began the process of relaunching the HiQ brand, including its service standards and franchise mo

rong>A large range of portable and stationary compressors and pneumatic systems are presented by Thorite in its new free brochure, said to be ideal for garages, bodyshops and tyre fitting workshops.

Parts firm Blue Print has launched what it claims is the aftermarket's first seven-piece timing belt kit for the Mitsubishi L200 2.5 Di-D from 2006 onwards.

Trying to persuade customers to spend their cash on new parts that (to them) don't seem necessary is never easy. To help when it comes to lambda sensors, NGK has produced a poster and leaflet aimed at convincing motorists that paying for fresh sensors is the smart thing to do.

Manufacturer and distributor FAI Automotive has published a catalogue supplement detailing the latest additions to its steering and suspension range.

Components company Wood Auto is drawing attention to its choice of bulbs. It offers an own-brand option together with a premium range of Osram bulbs and a choice of work lamps. Bulbs are available in 6, 12, 24 and 48 volt variants and in general and halogen varieties.

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/>Taiwan-based Maxxis produce a range of rubber for both bikes and cars, but it is best known for marketing a street legal ‘drift’ tyre. The product gave mixed results in a recent head-to-head test published in weekly magazine Auto Express. However it has been how other sections of the media have re-reported the test that have angered managers in the compa

Electronic parts cataloguing system TecDoc is traditionally associated with parts suppliers and distributors. However, over the last few months UK boss Shaun Greasley has been on a mission to highlight the benefits he believes it could bring to workshops and even classic car enthusiasts.