Category: Supplier

Major insurers back ARC360 2025

More than 15 major insurance brands have already confirmed their support of ARC360’s 2025 conference, which takes place on Thursday 22 May at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon. The leading insurers already confirmed to attend include Ageas, Allianz, Arch, Aviva, Collingwood, Covea, esure, First Central, Hastings Direct, Inshur, LV=, NFU Mutual, Sabre, Tesco Underwriting and Zurich Insurance. Full story

Steer Automotive Group has acquired Accident Repair Centre Group, a trusted collision repair network operating across the South West of England. With well-placed locations across the region, ARC Group provides an excellent foundation for expanding Steer’s service capacity and enhancing customer accessibility. Full story

Following nearly two years of design, planning, and manufacturing, the doors to Parkway Prestige’s new 32,000sqft centre are set to open.

The M&M Group (Fix Auto Stoke on Trent) is now an official Tesla-approved bodyshop.

IM Accident Repair Group has achieved BSI Kitemark approval, as well as aluminium structural repair approval. The business is now planning to secure more manufacturers approvals.

HB Accident Repair Network in Speke has successfully passed its BSI Kitemark audit within 40 days of opening its doors.

ADAS Solutions has become one of the first ADAS calibration and diagnostics companies in the UK to have a positive recommendation from BSI for BS10125 certification.

Government announces 2030 consultation

The UK government has commenced a consultation on phasing out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030. The consultation is an opportunity to consider stakeholders’ preferences on technology choices and the types of vehicles permitted between 2030 and 2035 alongside ZEVs. Full story

Stellantis partners with dSPACE to accelerate cloud-based development of vehicles

Stellantis and dSPACE have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at accelerating the cloud-based development of Stellantis vehicles. The collaboration will enable faster, scalable development of customer-focused features. Full story

Volkswagen Group stands firm as UK’s leading automotive group

Volkswagen Group UK has confirmed its position as the UK’s leading automotive group, recording total annual sales in 2024 of 472,056, a figure which sees it increase sales by over 9,800 compared with the previous year. Together, the Group’s five car brands accounted for a 22.25% of new car registrations in the UK. Meanwhile, Volkswagen delivered around 4.8 million vehicles to customers worldwide last year, down 1.4% on the previous year. Full story

Hyundai Motor Group partners with NVIDIA to accelerate development of AI solutions

Hyundai Motor Group has announced a strategic partnership with NVIDIA to accelerate the development of advanced AI technologies to drive the future of mobility. The Group aims to further enhance the application of intelligence to its core mobility products, such as software-defined vehicles and robotics, and across its business operations. Full story

Honda presents world premiere of Honda 0 Saloon and Honda 0 SUV Prototypes at CES 2025

Honda has unveiled its new AI-enhanced 0 Series. Models will be equipped with a system that enables the expansion of Level 3 automated driving capabilities, starting with eyes-off technology available in traffic congestion on highways. Meanwhile, Sony Honda Mobility has unveiled the first model to be sold under the AFEELA brand, which pursues an interactive relationship between people and vehicles. Full story

EV batteries at close to 90% capacity, even after 200,000 km

EV batteries lose around five per cent capacity in the first 30,000km, but the trend line remains largely flat from there on in: even beyond 200,000 km, the average battery still maintains around 87% capacity, according to a new study. Full story

Direct Line Group launches industry-leading program to boost vehicle repair standards

Direct Line Group (DLG) has unveiled an innovative Vehicle Damage Assessor (VDA) accreditation programme. Recognised by the esteemed Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), this initiative underscores DLG’s commitment to advancing vehicle repair standards and ensuring customer safety. Full story

Embracing the future: How ADAS technology is transforming workshops and driving the automotive industry forward

The automotive industry is undergoing a rapid transformation, with ADAS leading the charge. Today, nearly all new vehicle launches and registrations feature ADAS as standard, underscoring its growing prominence. In light of this shift, Phil Peace, Repairify’s International Managing Director, highlights key trends that workshops of all sizes should embrace to remain competitive and future-ready. Full story

Motor premiums see record reductions while home insurance stabilises

The latest General Insurance Price Index from Pearson Ham Group for the fourth quarter of 2024 highlights a sharp decline in motor insurance premiums. Prices have dropped consistently every month since April, culminating in a year-on-year reduction of 16% by December 2024 compared to the end of 2023. Full story

Date set for Ageas/NBRA Equipment EXPO

More than 40 automotive suppliers will showcase their latest innovations at the Ageas/NBRA Equipment EXPO, which takes place at the GTG Training Centre on 19 February. Suppliers will reveal their latest developments in diagnostics, parts, distribution, dry goods, recycling, jigs, welding equipment, paint, plastic welding, glue pulling, spraybooths, sprayguns and other bodyshop equipment. Full story

Five possible challenges facing insurers and MGAs

As insurers and Managing General Agents (MGAs) look ahead to 2025, they must contend with a variety of evolving challenges, from navigating more complex regulations to adjusting to shifting customer behaviours. To help navigate these challenges as much as possible, S&G Response is exploring five key call outs. Full story

Legal – defendant

Claims inflation, fraud and growing regulatory pressures were the key topics addressed during a presentation by Emma Fuller, Partner and Head of Motor & Casualty Market Strategy at DAC Beachcroft LLP, at ILC’s Exclusive Motor Claims Conference. Full story

Every young person in England will have access to an apprenticeship

The Get Britain Working White Paper is just the start of sweeping reforms that could reshape apprenticeships and workforce development across the UK throughout 2025 and beyond. Apprenticeship Central will publish a full report next week looking into how these reforms could create real, lasting impact and new opportunities for growth. Full story

Silverlake joins NBRA as Gold Supplier Member

Silverlake Automotive Recycling has become a member of the National Body Repair Association [NBRA]. The move comes as the business continues to collaborate with the industry to meet the growing demand for its green, reclaimed parts. Full story

Martyn Rowley to tackle a charity challenge of a lifetime

Executive Director of the NBRA and VBRA Martyn Rowley is taking on the Great Sahara Desert Trek to raise funds for automotive charity Ben. Alongside Karen Jakes of Thatcham Research, he plans to cover 100km in four days in support of Ben. Full story

New Year message from Ben Blackledge

Ben Blackledge, Chief Executive WorldSkills UK, said, “As we look ahead to 2025, I’m excited about the impact we will have on teachers and young people across the UK. By using what we have learned from our partners around the world I believe that we will continue to provide innovations and insights that give educators the tools to develop high quality skills for the workforce of the future.” Full story

Martin Willis has been appointed Head of Business Development at Fix Auto UK.

Europcar Mobility Group UK and Ireland has appointed Mark Newberry as Transformation and Strategy Director and Paul McNeice as Head of Country for Ireland.

Alun Thomas has been promoted to Financial Controller at Komoo.

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.  

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

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 25^th 

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