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The ARC360 on demand Supply Chain Special (1.30pm Wednesday 14 July) takes a closer look at what is happening across the supply chain right now and provides an in-depth insight into what it might mean for the claims sector.
Featuring: • Paul Sell, Associate Director, Trend Tracker • Kelvyn Waugh, MD, Prasco UK • Richard Steer, CEO, Steer Automotive • Jeff Mack, National Account Manager, NWVA • Mike Partridge, Paint & Body Business Manager, VWG UK
CAPS reports big leap in claims exchanges
CAPS has reported a big leap in unique claims exchange volumes with a 13% month-on-month increase from May to June 2021.
The data highlights how June saw a return of claims volumes to 82% of pre-pandemic levels, increasing from 69% in May. Supply chain transmissions also rose by 14% month-on-month, reaching 87% in June compared to 73% in May.
Great British Motor Claims Survey launched
ILC and ARC360 have teamed up to launch the 2021 issue of The Great British Motor Claims Survey.
Support by Trend Tracker the survey will provide a snapshot of current sentiment from across the sector on a host of topical issues.
COVID-19 pandemic is and could potentially impact on the UK’s incident repair sector moving
Industry Leader Interview: Simon Powell, Client Director, Innovation Group
Here, ILC – parent company to ARC360 – catches up with Corporate Partner Innovation Group’s Client Director, Simon Powell to talk challenges and solutions; learnings; the benefits of hindsight; and predictions for the future.
AW rolls out Thatcham methods and support
In a reinvigorated relationship, AW Repair Group has chosen Thatcham Research as its preferred supplier of choice for methods repair data and technical support.
Following a short trial, AW has returned to the Thatcham Research ‘escribe’ platform, an online repair methods solution designed to help the industry return crash damaged vehicles safely and efficiently to pre-accident condition.
Sherwin Williams partners with Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team
Sherwin Williams has partnered with the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team.
Both organisations share the objectives of driving technical innovations in the automotive industry, bringing people, products and platforms together and working towards a better, more sustainable and more inclusive future around the world.
Survey set to reveal EV readiness
ARC360 has once again teamed up with Trend Tracker and NBRA to survey the sector about its readiness for electric vehicles (EVs).
The survey aims to reveal just how the industry is gearing up to manage the rapidly increasing electrification of the UK car parc.
Redde Northgate Board confident of repair turnaround
The Board of Redde Northgate Plc are confident the integration of FMG RS, following the acquisition of Nationwide on 4 September 2020, will be earnings enhancing in FY2022 following a loss-making initial period.
In its preliminary audited results for the 12 months ended 30 April 2021 the business reported the integration of FMG RS ‘progressed well in the second half of the year, including the appointment of a new management team’.
Registrations rise but hampered by supply
New car registrations in June grew 28.0% year-on-year to 186,128, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT)’s latest figures.
Compared with the previous decade average, however, monthly registrations were down -16.4%, while total registrations for Q2 2021 fell short of industry expectations by around 9,000 units partly as the ongoing global semiconductor shortage acted as a limiting factor on supply. As a result, overall registrations for the first half of the year are down -26.8%.
Meanwhile, the light commercial vehicle (LCV) market saw 34,363 vans registered in the month, down -13.9% on 2019 meaning a shortfall of some 5,566 units as supply shortages affected production volumes and caused delays in the market.
Kangoo and Mokka receive four stars
The latest two cars to be tested by Euro NCAP – Renault Kangoo and the Vauxhall Mokka – achieved strong results across all categories in impact and crash avoidance testing, resulting in four-star rankings for both.
Matthew Avery, Director of Research, Thatcham Research comments: “These are family friendly cars, so it is really positive to see that young passengers are well protected.”
However, both vehicles fell short of the maximum five-star rating, in part due to performance in lateral impact testing.
Allianz invests in used car platform
Allianz X, the digital investment unit of the Allianz Group, has invested in Mobility Trader Holding GmbH, the parent company of used car platform – heycar.
Existing investors include Volkswagen, Volkswagen Financial Services, and Daimler Mobility.
Allianz Partners will become the insurance partner of heycar for the next five years in all existing and future markets. The cooperation will extend the heycar platform with Allianz insurance products and services by seamlessly integrating them into the digital customer journey.
IFED arrests 7 in ‘ghost broking’ crackdown
The City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED) executed 10 warrants in a week as part of a crackdown on ‘ghost broking’ across the country, resulting in seven arrests.
The arrests formed part of a week of action led by officers from IFED, a specialist police unit dedicated to tackling insurance fraud which is hosted by the City of London Police.
Officers were deployed across 11 operations in London, Essex, West Yorkshire, Bristol, West Midlands, Derbyshire and Wales from Monday 28 June to Friday 2 July 2021.
ARS appoints ACIS
Automotive Repair Systems (ARS) has appointed ACIS Ltd to be sole supplier of its paint refinish products to serve its mobile repairers effectively.
Phil Howlett, operations director of ARS, said, “As we continue to expand our operation with new vans out on the road to service our customers successfully, we’re confident the supply arrangement with ACIS will add considerable value to our organisation.”
DM Keith makes moves
DM Keith Ltd has increased its representation across Yorkshire with the acquisition of Ringways Motor Group.
Family owned, DM Keith now represents six brands, with 13 showrooms and two accident repair centres – DM Keith Leeds and Ringways Leeds – across 10 Yorkshire and Lincolnshire locations.
The business has also joined the Retail Automotive Alliance (RAA) as a shareholder expanding the RAA UK coverage through the 27 member businesses. The RAA has a turnover of £3.47bn through more than 200 sales outlets.
Axalta set to acquire UPol
Axalta Coating Systems is set to acquire U-Pol Holdings Ltd from Graphite Capital Management LLP and other holders for £428m.
Based in the UK, U-POL manufactures repair and refinish products for automotive refinish and aftermarket protective applications including fillers, coatings, aerosols, adhesives, and paint related products.
U-POL’s manufacturing plant and R&D lab is in Wellingborough, England.
Listen up…
In this episode of the ARC360 podcast we have the pleasure of catching up with Volkswagen Group UK bodyshop development manager, Franco Iannotta who shares with us how his love of cars and a passion for knowing how things work got him started in the automotive sector. He also mentions his passion for F1 and Astro physics.
