Merry Christmas and thank you
As 2025 fast approaches and this is the last ARC360 Weekly News of 2024 we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support throughout the year.
The ILC community has continued to grow in number, extend its reach, and develop throughout 2024.
We now have in excess of 10,500 engaged ‘followers’, whilst across all sectors we have 40 Corporate Partners, as well as 29 Insurer Partners.
Our events continue to be market-leading – with another year-on-year increase in attendees and App users in 2024.
We have also been delighted to significantly increase our digital content efforts – generating more insight for the market, driving website traffic and, ultimately, culminating in the introduction of ILC Daily Motor News in September – a product the market requested, and we delivered.
And, of course, the ongoing support for our charity partner Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity goes from strength-to-strength with 2024 seeing us surpass our best-ever annual fundraising figure to date.
All of this is only possible with the support of the ILC community – and we’re excited to continue our ‘better tomorrow’ drive for 2025 and beyond.
We will be back with our regular news feeds week beginning Monday 6 January.
In the meantime, wishing you all a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.
Repairer News
Drive Motor Retail has unveiled its Direct Bodyshop which will provide enhanced support for both customers and business partners,
Nova Automotive Group has named Rob Dixon, Witham MET, as Employee of the Year, and Lucia Fowles, a Prep/Paint Apprentice Colchester, as Apprentice of the Year.
Total Motor Care has passed its latest British Standards Institution audit.
Vehicle Bodycare Centre has invested in significant upgrades to its Leeds-based office and service areas.
KC Autos Stockport has successfully completed its first BS10125:2022 audit.
JDK Technology welcomed Samsons of Bolton to its site recently, ahead of their closer working partnership next year.
VM News
European manufacturers call for decisive action on end-of-life vehicle regulation
The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) has called for decisive action on End-Of-Life Vehicles Regulation from EU Environment Council. It wants a stepwise approach to plastic recycled content targets, to consider the challenges of limited closed-loop secondary raw material availability, the need for mandatory dismantling measures, and to consider the particularities of heavy-duty vehicles. Full story
Honda and Nissan hold merger talks
Honda and Nissan are understood to have held exploratory talks about a potential merger to help them compete against electric vehicle (EV) makers, particularly in China. The discussions are in the early stages and there is no guarantee that a deal will be agreed, BBC News understands. Full story
Suzuki Ignis crowned most reliable 4×4, Land Rover Discovery remains moneypit
The Suzuki Ignis has been crowned the most reliable 4×4 in the UK, according to new findings from warranty specialist Warranty Solutions Group (WSG). Based on over 1,500 vehicle repair claims from the last 12 months, the data highlights the top-performing models in terms of reliability, with the compact Ignis boasting an impressive claim rate of just 3.57%, with an average warranty claim cost of £595. Full story
GWM to launch Haval SUV in UK, priced from £23,995
The Chinese company behind the Ora Funky Cat will expand its portfolio by bringing SUV brand Haval to the UK next year – and it will undercut many of its well-established competitors on price. Full story
Dawn of a new era at Mercedes Benz Vans
Starting 2026, Mercedes‑Benz Vans will introduce its newly developed, modular and scalable Van Electric Architecture (VAN.EA). VAN.EA allows for a clear differentiation between privately positioned vans in the luxury segment and commercial vans in the premium segment. Full story
Industry News
ARC360 2025 event to focus on ‘new era’
ILC’s highest rated event of 2024 is back on 22 May 2025, bringing you the most engaging and interactive automotive incident repair/motor insurance claims focused event of the year. Discussing the business-critical areas to impact the industry, ARC360 will bring together industry leaders to share experience, insight and knowledge to align with ARC360’s ethos of ‘gaining ground together’. Full story
Solera announces Farvima partnership
Solera has announced that Farvima, one of Italy’s largest pharmaceutical companies, will deploy Roadnet Anywhere, its AI-powered fleet logistics solution. Roadnet Anywhere will reduce its fleet’s carbon footprint and provide fleet managers with data-driven insights. Full story
Thatcham Research welcomes latest intake
Thatcham Research has welcomed its latest intake of apprentices to its Academy. Eight new learners from Activate Group, Solus and The Vella Group joined its Vehicle Damage Assessor (VDA) programme, Meanwhile, Thatcham Research has also welcomed Japanese company Sompo Group for discussions on the challenges around ADAS. Full story
Trend Tracker Market Report now available
Trend Tracker’s UK Motor Claims and Body Repair Report 2024-2025 has revealed a new increase in the number of bodyshop in the UK to 2,743. However, with just 6,450 jobs per working day in October this works out to little more than two jobs per site per day. Full story
Seven million more potholes to be filled next year as public urged to report roads in need of repair
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has announced nearly £1.6bn to fix potholes across England for next year. The funding goes well beyond manifesto pledge, helping councils fix the equivalent of seven million extra potholes next year and saving drivers hundreds of pounds in repairs. Across England, local highways authorities will receive a £500 million uplift in funding. Full story
Car manufacturing down in November as sector seeks an easing of cost pressures
UK car production fell -30.1% in November, the ninth consecutive month of decline, according to the latest figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). 64,216 cars rolled off factory lines, 27,711 fewer than in November last year. Full story
Enterprise research reveals Christmas drivers going the extra mile
New research from Enterprise Rent-A-Car has revealed that festive travellers are driving further this year, but may be worried their cars won’t go the distance. It found that almost half of all trips during the festive season will be by car (47%), while around one in six trips (17%) will include a rental vehicle this season. Full story
Ageas reaches agreement with UK over 50s specialist Saga
Ageas has successfully concluded the exclusive negotiations with Saga plc, the UK specialist provider of products and services for individuals aged over 50. The agreement includes the establishment of a 20-year partnership between Ageas UK and Saga Services Limited (SSL) for distributing personal lines motor and home insurance products to Saga’s customers in the UK. The partnership is targeted to ‘go live’ in the fourth quarter of 2025. Full story
AXA UK partners with Lloyds Banking Group to offer motor insurance products
AXA UK has announced a partnership with Lloyds Banking Group. The agreement, which secures AXA’s solus capacity over a five-year term for the Lloyds Banking Group motor portfolio under its well-recognised brands Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland, will commence from May 2025. Full story
AkzoNobel Vehicle Refinishes extends partnership with LV= General Insurance to help drive a more sustainable future
AkzoNobel Vehicle Refinishes has extended its partnership with LV= General Insurance (LV=), which is part of Allianz, for five years. The partnership underscored the value of AkzoNobel’s sustainable products within the Sikkens portfolio and the benefits they bring to the LV= and Allianz repair networks, comprising over 400 repair bodyshops across the UK. Full story
Jakes and Rowley take on Sahara for charity
Karen Jakes from Thatcham Research and NBRA/VBRA Director Martyn Rowley are walking the Sahara Desert to raise £20,000 for BEN, the Automotive industry’s mental health and well-being charity. Full story
TIDAL UK announces BESA distribution agreement
TIDAL UK has announced a new exclusive distribution partnership with BESA, a global leader in automotive refinish products, for the UK and Ireland markets. This partnership encompasses the full range of BESA’s advanced automotive refinish solutions, including the SINNEK range. Full story
Getaway gridlock: RAC predicts record 29 million festive trips before the 25th
An estimated 29.3m Christmas getaway journeys will be made by drivers to see friends and family in the run-up to the 25th – the highest number since 2013 – with nearly half of these (14.3 million) crammed into this coming weekend, according to new data from the RAC and INRIX. Full story
Drivers want tougher sentences for drink-drivers
Tougher sentences have been found to be the most popular solution among motorists for tackling the scourge of drink-driving, new research from the RAC has revealed. Four-in-10 motorists (38%) believe harsher sentences are the answer to curbing instances of drink-driving which were responsible for the deaths of some 300 people in 2022. Full story
Celebrating excellence in Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
UVAC is delighted, once again, to be a headline partner of WorldSkillsUK’s EDI Heroes Awards 2025, associated with the Institution of the Year award. Especially as this is the fifth year of championing how providers and practitioners from across the world of work, higher and further education pick up the baton and continue the progress towards increased and meaningful levels of social impact. Full story
MoJ responds to the Revisions to the Medical Reporting Process for RTA claims consultation
DAC Beachcroft has welcomed the government’s response to the consultation on revisions to the medical reporting process for road traffic accident claims. It says, “There will be benefit in this change. It is disappointing that the processes are not to be fully aligned, but we welcome the MoJ’s commitment to working with stakeholders to explore the development of an aligned process.” Full story
2024 Year in rear-view: SUVs now the most popular car body style
Auto Trader attracted on average over 82 million site visits and nearly 203 million advert views each month in 2024. The SUV became the most viewed body type in 2024 on the platform with 708 million views, dethroning the hatchback which was the most popular body style last year. Full story
New ‘B’ plates launched for drivers in UK but meaning isn’t a good thing
Drivers, motorists and road users have been urged to use new ‘B’ plates for parking on roads in the UK. The plates would allow new drivers to request patience from other road users while trying to park, and stand for ‘bad parking’, according to campaigners. Full story
People
Barry Williams has announced he is starting a new position as Head of Brand and Partnerships at S&B Academy.
Dave Parry has announced he is leaving his role as Commercial Director at FMG.
The IMI will appoint a permanent executive team to lead the organisation, and is now recruiting for a new CEO to take over from Azlina Bulmer.
