WorldSkills UK winners celebrated
The best apprentices in the UK were celebrated at WorldSkills UK’s glittering ceremony at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall.
More than 6,000 young people registered to take part in the WorldSkills UK Competitions, with the winners announced following six months of local and regional qualifiers and two days of competition at the National Finals.
Uninsured driver hotspots revealed
New data has revealed that Leeds, Bristol, Salford and Manchester top the UK list of uninsured drivers.
The figures have been released by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau ahead of the launch of Operation Drive Insured, an annual campaign to get uninsured drivers off the road.
Steer plans to nearly double apprentice numbers
Steer Automotive Group plans to nearly double its apprenticeship numbers by the end of next year.
It already has 159 apprentices employed across 90% of its 98 sites but plans to increase that substantially in the next 12 months so apprentices make up 16% of its technical workforce.
Meanwhile, it has also welcomed apprentices from the Apollo and Balgores regions at 3M’s state-of-the-art training centre.
Fix Auto UK expands service and footprint
Fix Auto Penzance has installed a bank of on-site electric car chargers for customers and colleagues alike. The company has installed two 40 KW fast charge DC units along with a 20 KW AC fast charger, while an app enables drivers to pay for the service ensuring there is no cost to the business.
Meanwhile, the Fix Auto UK network is continuing to grow in Northern Ireland with the appointment of MRB Auto Body, a 10,000 sqft site which will now operate as Fix Auto Ballymoney.
Ben pilots apprenticeships with driving lessons
Automotive charity Ben has joined forces with industry body The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders to support apprentices progress in the sector through funded driving lessons.
The pilot scheme, Drive to Thrive, will offer apprentices from disadvantaged backgrounds up to 44 hours of funded driving lessons while they are learning their trade.
Making the most of the autonomous revolution
The road ahead has been cleared for autonomous driving in the UK, with the government committed to a ‘transport revolution’ in the coming years.
In this contributed feature, ARC360 partner Repairify considers the implications for automotive repair sector, and what opportunities self-driving may present.
Mixed reviews to Autumn Budget
The NBRA has given mixed reviews to the government’s Autumn Statement, welcoming general measures to boost industry but highlighting a lack of support directly targeting the automotive repair sector.
Executive director Martin Rowley said, “In the aftermath of the Autumn Statement, NBRA acknowledges certain government initiatives supporting our members. However, we underscore the ongoing need for precise support measures aimed at sustaining the automotive repair sector amidst economic uncertainties.”
Trio celebrate Lotus accreditation
Steer Prestige, Farnham (South), Chaplane Colchester and East Bilney Coachworks have all been named approved repairers for Lotus.
Accreditation recognises the company’s long-standing commitment to meeting the exacting standards of the prestige vehicle manufacturer in terms of training, tools, repair methods and on-site facilities.
Accreditation achievements
Fix Auto Leicester, L&I Eaton Sheffield and Elite Carbody in Milton Keynes have all secured a positive recommendation to transition to BS10125:2022.
Meanwhile, Coventry-based C&C Vehicle Services has also passed its BS10125:2022 Stage 2 audit.
SMMT welcomes manufacturing investment
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has welcomed the government’s £4.5bn investment in strategic manufacturing.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “This government investment reflects the fact the UK automotive sector has the talent, the innovation and the determination necessary to thrive in the face of fierce global competition. It will deliver benefits not just for the automotive sector but for the whole country in terms of growth, high value jobs and productivity. It also sends a powerful signal that the UK is open for business.”
Stellantis cuts ribbon on sustainability hub
Stellantis has unveiled its SUSTAINera Circular Economy Hub in Turin, Italy.
The Hub has been created to extend the life of parts and vehicles where possible, and recycle the materials of parts that can’t be reused.
Stellantis supports AutoRaise at recruitment festival
Stellantis supported AutoRaise at the recent National School and College Leavers Festival in Birmingham, donating vehicle parts and panels to enable the charity to better showcase the skills and opportunities within the sector.
ITAS introduces spot repair courses
ITAS has introduced a range of new courses focused on spot repairs. It recognises that new technology is making smaller repairs more commonplace and is committed to ensuring the industry has the skills to carry them out safely.
ThingCo cuts speeding events by a quarter
Telematics solutions provider ThingCo has revealed that its wireless telematics device Theo has helped cut speeding events by 25% and reduce speed on 60mph roads by six per cent.
ThingCo collects data every second and ensures precision in identifying speeding events.
Report warns of growing EV battery production gap
A report by a cross-party Committee of MPs has warned that the UK is falling behind other countries in creating an attractive environment for EV battery production.
Batteries for electric vehicles has warned that the UK faces a huge ‘gigafactory gap’, with less battery production capacity than needed for the nation’s future needs.
JLR fights back against thefts
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) UK has reported that models built on its most advanced electrical architecture, which feature the latest security features, are proving nearly theft-proof.
Since 2020 just 0.07% of new Range Rover and new Range Rover Sports have been stolen and only 0.3% of new Defenders.
Eco Repair Systems and FMG agree training deal
Eco Repair Systems has announced a new training partnership with FMG Repair Services, which operates 65 repair sites nationwide.
As part of the deal, Eco Repair Systems will supply plastic repair equipment to FMG for use in its IMI-approved technical training centre.
VW unveils EV transition tools
Volkswagen has unveiled new digital resources to support customers transition to EVs. The three e-mobility tools provide instant data on range, charging times and running costs for each VW model.
Euro NCAP and ANCAP sign MOU
Euro NCAP and its Australian equivalent ANCAP have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cement their existing relationship and pave the way for closer collaboration in the future.
Happy first birthday
PartsXChange is celebrating its first birthday. It now has more than 400 users buying and selling new and used parts on its platform and has been nominated for three different industry awards in three different sectors.
Dean Shines in charity challenge
Dean Meadows of Shine! has so far raised more than £260 as part of the Movember challenge. He is cycling and walking 190 miles to support men’s mental health, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer.
Porsche goes live with First Contact
Porsche has unveiled its new First Contact customer services solution ahead of schedule.
The objective of First Contact is for Porsche to support every customer contact in Europe itself. This required designing new processes, implementing new IT, and hiring 140 experts for its new Porsche Customer Relations Hubs.
Nissan confirms £1.2bn Sunderland investment
Nissan has confirmed it will invest about £1.2bn in its Sunderland plant to manufacture the electric Qashqai and Juke models, protecting about 6,000 jobs.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said: “This new announcement underlines Britain’s position as an increasingly competitive location for electric vehicle production.”
People
Repairify has appointed Richard Davis and Toby Anderson to join its team of technicians at its Luton-based technical centre of excellence.
