Bodyshop News
- iRG has announced that Steve Peart has been appointed as Executive Chairman.
- Chipsaway South Essex has unveiled its new bodyshop in Wickford, Essex.
- Halo ARC has unveiled its 33rd location, situated in Aberdeen.
- Nissan Approved Bodyshop Program Manager Jordan Chinn delivered a new Nissan sign to Autocraft Group’s Telford site.
- The Vella Group has unveiled its new site in Manchester East.
- Devonshire Motors Accident Repair Centre has successfully passed it VWG Paint & Body audit.
- Vertu Accident Repair Centre has welcomed Mike Holland as Manager of its Exeter site.
- The ARC Group’s Chippenham site is now an official Suzuki Approved Body and Paint Centre.
- FMG Repair Services has cut the ribbon on its new 21,000 sqft Dundee site.
- Fix Auto Sittingbourne has relocated to a new 21,000 sqft site that effectively doubles the size of the operation. The move enables the business to diversify into repairing LCVs, campervans, large motorhomes and even HGV cabs.
- HB Accident Repair Network Ltd has opened a new site in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.
- Trenton Dambrowitz has announced he has stepped down at CTO at Halo ARC.
VM News
Euro NCAP and UK’s What Van? applaud Ford’s commitment to business safety
In collaboration with the UK’s What Van? Awards, Matthew Avery, Euro NCAP’s Director of Strategic Development, has presented Ford with the Safety Award for the Transit Courier. Ford also received a ‘commended’ for the Transit Custom. Full story
Fully electric Volvo EX30 SUV scores maximum five-star rating in latest Euro NCAP safety tests
The Volvo EX30 has scored a maximum five-star rating in the latest round of Euro NCAP safety testing. It delivers modern restraint technology, as well as a structural design that fulfils the brand’s pioneering in-house safety requirements. Full story
Stellantis and Zeta Energy announce agreement to develop Lithium-Sulfur EV batteries
Stellantis NV and Zeta Energy have announced a joint development agreement aimed at advancing battery cell technology for electric vehicle applications. The partnership aims to develop lithium-sulfur EV batteries with game-changing gravimetric energy density while achieving a volumetric energy density comparable to today’s lithium-ion technology. Full story
Euro NCAP closes 2024 with a raft of five-star ratings
Euro NCAP has announced the final set of safety results from the year, with 15 models assessed and 11 achieving a top five-star rating.
It tested the very first electric pick-up on the European market, with the eTERRON 9, produced by Chinese firm Maxus, achieving a highly commendable five stars. Full story
Innovative direct recycling at the BMW Group
The BMW Group is building a Cell Recycling Competence Centre for battery cells in Kirchroth, in the Straubing-Bogen district of Lower Bavaria, where it will implement a process referred to as “direct recycling”. Full story
Nissan AMIEO harnesses power of AI and machine learning to accelerate digitalisation in partnership with Anaplan
Nissan has entered a new strategic partnership with Anaplan, a scenario planning and analysis platform provider, to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies that will enhance business optimisation across the AMIEO region. Full story
Stellantis boss abruptly quits in boardroom clash
The boss of car making giant Stellantis, Carlos Tavares, has quit with immediate effect following a boardroom clash. His abrupt exit from the company – which owns brands including Vauxhall, Jeep, Fiat, Peugeot and Chrysler – comes two months after Stellantis issued a profit warning. Full story
Geely EX5 debuts at 41st Thailand International Motor Expo
Geely Auto has unveiled its all-electric SUV, the Geely EX5, at the 41st Thailand International Motor Expo. This strategic move positions Geely as a key player in Southeast Asia’s electric vehicle market, driving sustainable mobility forward. Full story
Industry News
Direct Line accepts improved Aviva bid
Direct Line has accepted an improved £3.6bn offer from Aviva. The two insurers have reached a preliminary agreement which values Direct Line at 275p per share. This is the third offer made by Aviva, after initial offers of 250p and 261p per share were rejected in the last week. Full story
AkzoNobel embarks on £2.5m investment in global network of Automotive Training Centres
AkzoNobel has embarked on a multi-million-euro global programme to expand and upgrade its network of Automotive Training Centres (ATCs) to further upskill painters, bodyshop managers and OEM engineers on a new generation of coatings and technologies to support the industry in delivering a more sustainable future. Full story
Work volumes and skilled labour are key repairer challenges
A survey of more than 100 vehicle repairers who attended this year’s Enterprise Rent-A-Car Repair Partner Event has revealed that almost half (47%) think work volumes are the biggest challenge for the repair industry. This was closely followed by skilled labour shortages, with a third (32%) of respondents saying this is their second biggest concern. Full story
New discount rate announced
The Lord Chancellor has announced that the new personal injury discount rate in England & Wales will increase from –0.25% to +0.5%. The change will be effective from 11 January 2025. Full story
PRASCO UK’s stock levels at an all-time high
Prasco UK has added 2,600 new items to its product line over the last six months – and now further plans are in place to double that figure by the end of the first quarter of 2025. Full story
£1,000 apprentice cashback for employers
Apprenticeship Central has revealed that employers can claim up to £1,000 tax free when taking on an apprentice under the age of 19.
It has highlighted this after its own research revealed that few bodyshops are aware of this potential benefit. Full story
Skills for Future Automotive Professionals
The IMI has launched its brand-new member conference: Skills for Future Automotive Professionals. Taking place on 27 February, the event will address key challenges and opportunities in the sector in seminars and panel sessions involving industry leaders and respected strategic thinkers. Full story
Thatcham Research partners Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service
Thatcham Research has welcomed Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service for a hands-on exercise with the latest electric vehicles. Teams from across the county gained valuable insights and practical experience of post-impact vehicle safety procedures. Full story
Silverlake Automotive Recycling awarded Salvage Company of the Year 2024
Silverlake Automotive Recycling was awarded Salvage Company of the Year for the second year in a row at the prestigious ATF Professional Vehicle Recycling Awards.
The award recognised the innovation Silverlake applies to its UK-wide operations which sees the business process 33,000-plus salvage vehicles a year. Full story
How swarm data is paving the way for automated driving and road safety
Connected Friction, a project by CARIAD and its Swedish subsidiary NIRA, collects real-time data on road slipperiness, roughness, and weather conditions across Europe and North America. This project allows vehicles to share critical safety data with each other, benefiting not just individual drivers but entire road systems. Full story
NASVE goes live
The National Association of Stolen Vehicle Examiners has gone live on LinkedIn. NASVE is a dedicated association committed to showcasing and supporting the expertise of Qualified Stolen Vehicle Examiners (QSVEs). Full story
BASF Coatings and Koch International rely on electric trucks for long-distance transport
BASF Coatings, a leading partner for innovative surface solutions, and Koch International, an international logistics service provider based in Osnabrück, have successfully tested the use of electric trucks for long distances and have now implemented this sustainable transport solution for BASF Coatings in long-distance transport. Full story
GSF Car Parts celebrates year of progress
GSF Car Parts celebrated the past year with more than 400 branch managers recently, highlighting successes such as 403 new vans, 15 new branches and 525 new team members. Full story
Autoglass opens new site
Autoglass has cut the ribbon on a new branch, situated in Waltham Abbey. Full story
R-M Global celebrates ‘remarkable milestone’
R-M Global has celebrated what it calls a ‘remarkable milestone’ achieved through its eSense products. It has revealed that for each five-litre can of clear coat, two end-of-life tires are recycled into pyrolysis oil, substituting fossil feedstock via the mass balance approach. Full story
College unveils hydrogen vehicle training workshop
South & City College Birmingham (SCCB) has unveiled a new hydrogen vehicle training facility which has been developed following £1.5m of capital funding from The Office for Students. Intended to support the automotive industry as it upskills its existing workforce to address the growing demand for hydrogen fuelled vehicles, including light vehicles, PSVs and HGVs. Full story
Zapmap reveals findings of latest EV driver survey
Conducted during October 2024, the Zapmap annual survey offers unparalleled insights into the behaviours, attitudes and satisfaction of EV drivers, helping to shape the UK’s evolving charging landscape. Responses show that overall satisfaction continues to improve, while also highlighting areas which require industry focus. Full story
Motorists urged to avoid falling foul of vehicle cloning scammers
Motorists must guard against unscrupulous car cloning criminals to avoid fines and penalties for offences they’ve not committed, warns leading vehicle data and valuation specialist HPI. Full story
Christmas at the pumps set to be cheapest since the pandemic
Despite a slight rise at the pumps in November, drivers are on track to enjoy the cheapest Christmas at the pumps since the pandemic, according to new data from RAC Fuel Watch. Full story
Insights from the FISITA World Mobility Summit
Speaking at the FISITA World Mobility Summit at the GM R&D centre in Warren Michigan, USA, Ben Townsend, Head of Automotive, Thatcham Research, highlighted the critical role that insurance plays in sustainability, pointing out that sustainability has always been at the very core of insurance. Full story
UK drivers face potential nationwide pavement parking ban within weeks
Sweeping reforms to UK driving regulations could soon come into effect, touching upon every corner of the nation. Motorists have been put on high alert with the potential for a nationwide ban on pavement parking. Full story
Supplies of used BEVs are exceeding demand in Europe reports INDICATA
Sales of used BEVs are slowly increasing across European according to the latest INDICATA Market Watch report accounting for a 5.8% market share in October. However, supply continues to exceed demand with BEVs accounting for a 7.6% share of overall stock with countries such as Spain reporting a Market Days’ Supply figure of well over 100. Full story
Red weather warning issued as Storm Darragh targets UK
A red weather warning has been issued by the Met Office as Storm Darragh is set to bring damaging winds to many parts of the UK.The Met Office issued the red warning, the most serious kind, for wind for the coasts of south and west Wales, valid from 3am to 11am on Saturday. Full story
People
- Nissan GB has announced the appointment of Matt Duncan as its new network development and customer quality director.
- The Motor Insurance Bureau has appointed Harkamal Phagura as Chief Finance Officer on a permanent basis.
- Gareth N. has been appointed National Sales Manager at Autocure Repairs and Diagnostics.
- Ash Holmes has announced that he is now officially registered as a Chartered Engineer with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
