Technology Archives - Page 27 of 80

ARC360 News – Friday 21 July 2023

21 July 2023

Bodyshop, Environment, Finance, Insurance, People, Salvage, Supplier, Technology, Training, Vehicle Repair, vehicle sales and Words

The EV impact on engineering and skills

The rise and rise of electric vehicles has already brought about a fundamental change to the industry, with repair processes and skills now seemingly in a constant race to catch up according to Adrian Watson, Head of Engineering, and Dean Lander, Head of Repair Sector Services from Thatcham Research.

EMCC set for high level insights

ILC’s Exclusive Motor Claims Conference (EMCC) 2023 will explore the key areas impacting the motor insurance claims sector through the lens of a variety of key industry stakeholders.

IMI report reveals worrying training dip

The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has published a new report highlighting the dip in training and education across the automotive industry since the pandemic.

Its research has found that automotive apprentices have risen 12% so far this year, but are still eight per cent below 2019/2020 levels and 31% below what they were in 2018/2019.

Further, it has found a seven per cent drop in vocational qualifications compared to last year.

Enterprise tackles US skills gap

Enterprise Holdings is tackling the skills gap in America by announcing that the Metropolitan Community College in Nebraska will now offer its Collision Engineering Programme (CEP).

CEP is now available in seven educational institutions across the US as Enterprise tackles the expected shortfall of 110,000 technicians by 2026.

Enterprise expands rental network

Enterprise has cut the ribbon on a new rental branch. Based in Dagenham, the new site will create five new jobs, including three graduate trainees.

Galaxy stars in Mirka product range

Mirka has unveiled its new self-sharpening Galaxy abrasive tool, which enables technicians to sand faster and longer and comes with a clog-resistant coating and multi-fit hole configuration eliminates dust.

Solera Global launches AI-powered triage solution

Solera Global has unveiled a new intelligent triage solution that helps claims handlers immediately assess whether a damaged vehicle is repairable or not.

The AI-powered solution delivers early identification of total losses and vehicles that are unsafe to drive, as well as a streamlined triage process and compatibility with any estimating platform.

Meanwhile, Audatex has announced the latest AudaEnterpriseGold data release, adding 12 new and 83 updated model sheets to the vehicle database.

Brand success for Fix Auto UK partners

Fix Auto UK has announced that four franchise partners have secured Toyota and Lexus vehicle approval.

Fix Auto Leicester, Fix Auto Mid Devon, its sister site in Newton Abbot, and Fix Auto Slough have all completed the manufacturers’ stringent compliance process.

Autocraft completes £250,000 solar investment

Autocraft Telford has completed a £250,000 investment into solar energy.

It has installed a 216kW solar power system on the roof of its 25,000 sqft headquarters in Shropshire which is expected to reduce electricity costs by up to 70%.

Doseley Motors celebrates 18^th JLR birthday

Doseley Motors has retained its JLR approval for the 18^th consecutive year after passing its VM audit. It achieved a score of 94%, underlining its commitment to meeting the brand’s exacting repair and training standards.

Fix Auto Harlow investment yields instant rewards

Fix Auto Harlow has seen a 40% increase in productivity after securing a new 5,000 sqft site alongside its existing facility.

The new unit has been fitted out with an additional spraybooth, improving workflow to support productivity growth to more than 110 vehicles a month.

CMA approves Copart/Hills deal

The Competition and Markets Authority has officially given the green light to Copart’s acquisition of Hills Motors.

In May it launched an investigation into the proposed deal, fearing a lessening of competition in the UK market for vehicle salvage services.

Leading brands create new support hub

Eight leading automotive brands have merged expertise to create 1TEC Auto Hub to support the repair sector with training and advice.

LKQ Euro Car Parts, TMD Friction Group, Shell, Clarios, Valeo, MPM, Schaeffler, ZF are working together to deliver the ‘next generation of workshop concept’, providing technical data, business support and dedicated support.

IMI launches automotive awareness campaign

The Institute of the Motor Industry has launched a new campaign to promote the industry to the next generation and debunk some of the myths around the sector.

It will use real stories from real people in the industry to highlight the varied career opportunities that exist.

Used EV values comparable to ICE models

Aston Barclay has reported that the price of some used EVs are now comparable to their ICE equivalents after revealing that used EV values dropped 1.4% in the second quarter of 2023.

Average prices decreased to £22,100, with an average age and mileage of 30 months and 22,128 miles.

JLR confirms £4bn investment in UK gigafactory

Jaguar Land Rover owners Tata Group has confirmed it will develop a new EV battery gigafactory in Somerset.

The site represents an investment of £4bn and is expected to create upwards of 9,000 additional jobs.

Magnificent seven for Genesis

Genesis Motor UK has appointed seven new retail partners to complement its existing Genesis studios and online services.

They are Ancaster Group, Arnold Clark, Hendy Group, Holdcroft Group, Pendragon, Richmond Motor Group and Sinclair Group, with representatives from each attending the prestigious Genesis Scottish Open last week for an official signing ceremony.

New guide helps fleets meet ULEZ compliance

Shoreham Vehicle Auctions (SVA) has launched a commercial vehicle disposal guide to help fleets optimise their residual values as they transition towards a ULEZ compliant fleet.

The guide helps fleets set the correct reserves and points out the benefits of offering vehicles to an open market across both physical and online channels.

Allianz apprentices join SYNETIQ

SYNETIQ has welcomed three Allianz Insurance apprentices to its Doncaster headquarters.

They will spend a few days on site working with the SYNETIQ teams to follow the salvage journey once a vehicle arrives on site.

Motor premiums soar 40%

Comprehensive car insurance premiums have rocketed by 40% in a year, according to the Confused.com Car Insurance Price Index in association with WTW.

Average policies have climbed £222 in 12 months to £776, with drivers aged 17-20 seeing policies soar by £903 to £2,414, representing a rise of 60%.

People

Chris Setz has started a new position as Chief Commercial Officer at WhoCanFixMyCar.

Georgia Brown has been appointed Network Relationship Programme Manager at LKQ Corporation.

Marshalls Motor Group has named Garry Winckley as Group Aftersales Director.

Laird has appointed Adam Fletcher as Desktop Engineer.

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Solera Global launches AI-powered triage solution

21 July 2023

Insurance, Technology, Vehicle Repair and Words

Solera Global has unveiled a new intelligent triage solution that helps claims handlers immediately assess whether a damaged vehicle is repairable or not.

The AI-powered solution delivers early identification of total losses and vehicles that are unsafe to drive, as well as a streamlined triage process and compatibility with any estimating platform.

By assessing photos submitted by policyholders of their damaged vehicles, the system will utilise machine learning algorithms to predict damage severity and recommend the most suitable next steps.

Bill Brower, Solera’s VP of Industry Relations, said, “Our product delivers valuable insights, optimises time for claims handlers and loss adjusters, and keeps drivers safe by keeping unsafe vehicles off the roads. It is perfectly suited for the current situation where insurers are dealing with more total loss claims and increasingly intricate vehicle designs that result in costlier repairs.”

Meanwhile, Audatex has announced the latest AudaEnterpriseGold data release, adding 12 new and 83 updated model sheets to the vehicle database. New models added include the Peugeot 408 and three new commercial vehicles, while the Piaggio Vespa Primavera has been listed as a new motorbike.

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The EV impact on engineering and skills

21 July 2023

Bodyshop, Insurance, Supplier, Technology, Training, Vehicle Repair, vehicle sales and Words

The rise and rise of electric vehicles has already brought about a fundamental change to the industry, with repair processes and skills now seemingly in a constant race to catch up.

At ARC360’s specialist EV event, EV-olution, which was held at the Manufacturing Technology Centre, Coventry, sponsors Thatcham Research delivered a compelling session which examined the impact of this new technology on the entire motor claims journey.

Adrian Watson, Head of Engineering, and Dean Lander, Head of Repair Sector Services, considered the issue from both an engineering and skills perspective, emphasising that no part of the claim is untouched when an EV is involved.

Adrian said, “EVs have already had a marked impact on motor claims and repairs, but even greater change is still to come. At Thatcham Research we are trying to understand the flux in the market and how it will impact insurers and the motor claims workflow.”

Knowledge

In the last three years Thatcham Research has focused on the post-accident journey. It has found that opinion is still divided on the impact of EVs, with some people thinking they have minimal impact on the claims journey and others thinking they’re the end of the world.

“The reality is somewhere between the two,” Adrian said, suggesting that those who don’t think they need to change their processes when dealing with an EV do not understand the technology well enough.

“Everything within a claim changes if it’s an EV. No part of the claim is not touched, but I’m not seeing a lot of adjustments or acceptance that that is the case. There is an awful lot of knowledge within the industry, but is that knowledge getting where it needs to be?”

He said that on average EVs add about 25% to the overall cost of the claim. This takes into account a number of factors that are often overlooked, such as the weight of the vehicle and how that changes recovery, managing potential fire risks, the extra space required at a bodyshop and the need sometimes to employ experts to carry out specialist tasks, such as powering down the vehicle.

Adrian said, “We mapped the total claims flow for an ICE vehicle and then then did the same for an EV and have produced a report that compares those two journeys. That report shows that the level of sophistication is significantly more for an EV.”

Batteries

However, far and away the most significant factor of an EV repair is the battery. Batteries are now the most expensive spare part ever seen in the sector, costing up to 105% of the list price of the vehicle, and while nearly half of vehicle manufacturers (43%) have strategies in place for their post-accident repair, the reality is that hardly any of these repairs are taking place.

This, said Adrian, is because the diagnostics doesn’t exist to tell technicians whether the battery is safe and repairable.

“There is a lack of information from the vehicle manufacturers and that lack of knowledge in the aftermarket means than in most cases of battery damage the vehicle is declared a total loss,” Adrian said.

Apart from driving up costs, this is also bad for the environment as there is little or no capacity in the UK for recycling batteries.

Adrian concluded, “There is a lot of work for all of us to do, especially around getting the information that does exist to the people who need it. But there is not a single challenge around EVs that is not solveable.”

Skills

Dean agreed that a lack of knowledge remains the industry’s most urgent concern. The Institute of the Motor Industry has warned of a 160,000 shortfall in qualified technicians by 2030, but Dean believes that number could be even higher if training is not dramatically accelerated.

He said, “Education and training is one of the biggest challenges in the market. We already don’t have enough people to repair the volumes of cars coming through, and we’re struggling to get the knowledge and skills to the people we have got to deal with the technology changes that are coming along.”

Thatcham Research is seeking to address that through its automotive academy and e-learning platform.

Modular and blending both practical and digital learning for greatest effect, the platform delivers the right level of training to the right people at the right time. This includes front-of-house to enable them to make the right decisions at the start of the process, and recovery drivers to ensure they can carry out their jobs safely.

Dean said, “I can see businesses relying on just one person to have all the EV knowledge. I understand that because it’s expensive to send a technician away for four days. That’s why we offer a blended learning solution, because it is critical to ensure that everyone in the business, not just a select few, are EV trained. This knowledge will save you time and cost, because mistakes are very expensive.”

Levels

To help businesses better understand what level of knowledge is required for each colleague, Thatcham Research has broken its training down into four packages.

EV Aware provides a general level of EV understanding and is suitable for everyone in the business.

EV Safe explains how to approach the vehicle and shut it down safely, which is one of the most vital things to understand.

EV Competent is aimed at technicians actually repairing the vehicle, while EV Ready is a business-wide accreditation that ensures everyone on site has the appropriate knowledge and understanding. It comes with certification which is updated annually.

Dean concluded, “If we solve the knowledge challenge we’re half-way there, but the reality is you retain about 25% of classroom-based learning for more than three months unless you practice it in the workplace.

“Everything we do is modular and digital, so it stays with the learner and they can revisit the knowledge whenever they want. But whoever you choose as your training provider, you have to do it with intent because it is essential you’re getting the right knowledge into the business.”

ARC360’s specialist EV-olution event was sponsored by Thatcham Research and ControlExpert, along with ARC360 Corporate Partners: BASF, CAPS, Copart, Entegral, Enterprise, Mirka, Nationwide Vehicle Recovery Assistance, S&G Response, and Solera Audatex, and Partners: Gemini Accident Repair Centres, Repairify, and Prasco UK.

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ARC360 News – Friday 14 July 2023

14 July 2023

Bodyshop, Car Rental, Environment, Insurance, Mobility, People, Salvage, Supplier, Technology, Vehicle Repair, vehicle sales and Words

An EV market insight

Electric vehicles have surged from 0.4% of the total vehicle parc in 2016 to nearly 18% as of June 2023, but uptake will have to increase dramatically before 2030 to support the government’s ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles.

An EV market insight

BASF shortlisted for two BCF Awards

BASF has been shortlisted for two British Coatings Federation Awards. It is line to win both the Race to Net Zero Award for its Biomass Balance Approach and the Sustainable Innovation Multinational Award for its Glasurit 100 line.

Thatcham Research expands EV training portfolio

Thatcham Research has enhanced its EV training solutions with EV Safe, which has been designed to protect key workers who interact with High Voltage (HV) vehicles.

Thatcham Research expands EV training portfolio

‘Four’ a good cause

Four S&G Response colleagues have raised £10,000 for East Cheshire Hospice following a gruelling 444km, four-day cycle challenge through four European countries.

‘Four’ a good cause

Repairify extends remote support services

Repairify has unveiled a new end-to-end software support programme that enables its IMI-trained technicians to remotely access the asTech tools repairers are using in the workshop.

Repairify extends remote support services

L&I Eaton ARC plans ambitious growth strategy

L&I Eaton ARC is planning to build on strong growth by opening five new sites in the next three months. The sixth largest independent bodyshop group in the UK will add repair centres in Sheffield, Liverpool, Leeds, Newcastle and Aberdeen Central.

Sensors critical to self-driving but pose challenges

Euro NCAP’s European New Car Assessment Programme, which has been updated this year to reflect technological developments, particularly around RADAR and LiDAR, suggests that the industry is still some way from full autonomy being introduced safely.

Sensors critical to self-driving but pose challenges

LKQ Corporation completes Digraph acquisition

LKQ Corporation has acquired leading independent aftermarket commercial parts distributor Digraph, which specialises in HGV, coach and bus parts.

Fix Auto Mid Devon secures VM badge

Fix Auto Mid Devon has secured manufacturer approval from Toyota and Lexus, after completingall necessary training.

Slough Prestige celebrates Kitemark success

Steer Automotive Group site Slough Prestige has successfully passed its first unannounced audit since securing BS10125:2022 accreditation.

Compliance Manager Jenna Gillings and Site Manager Jon Marsden were presented with a Kitemark plaque by Darren Hornibrook, Automotive Technical Delivery Manager at BSI.

Mobile servicing could ease EV workload

Fleet Assist believes that EVs could impact the aftermarket with many repairers turning to mobile services, particularly when it comes to EVs.

Mobile servicing could ease EV workload

LKQ Europe announces Mobivia partnership

LKQ Europe has entered into a strategic partnership Mobivia, Europe’s largest independent provider of automotive maintenance and repair services.

LKQ Europe announces Mobivia partnership

Positive steps from LV= and Halo

LV= General Insurance joined Halo ARC to celebrate renovations carried out at the Blaise Castle Estate. Sponsored by ECA Business Energy, colleagues helped to rebuild steps to the most popular areas of the park and assist with upkeep of paths and woodland areas.

Enterprise increases Car Club coverage

Enterprise Holdings has expanded its Car Club coverage with a new site in Devon, hosted by Smart Bodyshop Solutions in Exeter Marsh Barton.

Synetiq named IVR training provider

IAA company and vehicle salvage and remarketing experts Synetiq has become the first in the sector to become an accredited Institute of Vehicle Recovery (IVR) training provider.

Auxillis names Van Monster as remarketing partner

Accident claims management support services provider Auxillis has appointed Van Monster Remarketing to manage its passenger car disposals.

Auxillis names Van Monster as remarketing partner

Hoopers introduces repair services

Leading independent vehicle assessors Hoopers has expanded its offering to include network repair services through a national network of BSI, vehicle manufacturer and insurer-approved repair centres.

People

e2e Total Loss Vehicle Management has appointed FAB Recycling founder and former Synetiq director Jason Cross to its board.

AkzoNobel has appointed Matt Hassall as Area Sales Manager.

Charis Luccarini has joined AXA as Commercial Motor Claims, Bespoke Team Leader.

Smart Repairs has enhanced its mobile team with the appointment of Jason Chapman. He will cover the Windsor area.

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An EV market insight

13 July 2023

Environment, Insurance, Mobility, Supplier, Technology, Vehicle Repair, vehicle sales and Words

However, other countries have proven that it can be achieved, with EVs now making up 90% of all new vehicles in Norway.

“Can that same trajectory happen in the UK?” asked Paul Sell, Director of Trend Tracker. “Yes, it’s possible.”

Paul was speaking during ARC360’s specialist EV event, EV-olution, which took place at the Manufacturing Technology Centre, Coventry, sponsored by Thatcham Research and ControlExpert, along with ARC360 Corporate Partners: BASF, CAPS, Copart, Entegral, Enterprise, Mirka, Nationwide Vehicle Recovery Assisatnce, S&G Response, and Solera Audatex, and Partners: Gemini Accident Repair Centres, Repairify, and Prasco UK.

Recharge

However, to achieve this growth the market needs to recharge itself after stalling recently as a result of high prices, poor public infrastructure and range anxiety.

Paul revealed that there were 37,261 public charge points in the UK in 2022, up from just 6,500 in 2016, with more than 8,600 new charge points installed in the last 12 months alone. Meanwhile, the government invested £1.6bn last year with the ambition of driving that number up to beyond 300,000 by 2030.

Improving the public infrastructure is essential, said Paul, to supporting EV growth.

He explained, “EVs are cheaper to run than petrol or diesel models if you can charge at home. But if you’re travelling you need access to rapid chargers, and they are still a lot more expensive than petrol or diesel. So we’re going to need those 300,000 charge points to quell people’s range anxiety.”

Repairs

For the automotive aftermarket, EV repair volumes remain small. They comprise just five per cent of the total market – although this rises to 16% among models under three years old – with Tesla, MG, BMW, and Volkswagen accounting for the majority of repairs.

However, on average, repair costs are comparable to those of their petrol and diesel counterparts, with fewer parts involved in EV repairs offset by higher (£2 per hour average) labour costs.

Unsurprisingly, London remains the runaway hotspot for EV repairs, although Paul predicts this will change as more and more cities introduce green air zones. This will make EVs a more cost-effective option, driving adoption beyond the capital.

Future

While there remains challenges, a tipping point has been reached and EVs are on their way to becoming the dominant powertrain on UK roads.

The 2030 deadline is looming, and Paul believes it is unlikely that any future government will be prepared to back away from that now.

He said, “The 2030 road to zero isn’t up for negotiation. We have already seen significant government investment in EVs and whoever is in power, if they feel it’s not heading the right way they will have to make more changes, with the biggest changes probably coming in energy costs and infrastructure.”

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Sensors critical to self-driving but pose challenges

13 July 2023

Bodyshop, Environment, Insurance, People, Supplier, Technology, Training, vehicle sales, wellbeing and Words

The new testing programme found that sensors can significantly reduce the likelihood of collisions, but was still some way short of enabling full self-driving cars.

Tom Leggett, Vehicle Technology Specialist, at Thatcham Research, said, “One of the most challenging aspects of collision avoidance is detecting and responding to rapidly approaching motorcycles. Motorcycles often have a small visual profile and can be difficult to identify, especially in complex traffic situations. Vehicles fitted with technology such as LiDAR significantly improve motorcycles’ potential detection and tracking, leading to enhanced safety for both motorcycle riders and other road users.”

The first car tested under the new 2023 Euro NCAP Active Safety scenarios was the NIO EL7, which performed well across most testing environments.

Tom said, “The car demonstrated its LiDAR-based technology has high-fidelity performance in avoiding ever-increasing complex crash types. However, the Car-to-Car Crossing at higher speeds and Car-to-Motorcycle Crossing proved too challenging for the active safety systems to achieve the highest grade.”

While the most advanced LiDAR systems now have the capability to detect lane markings, read road signs, and even identify road hazards like potholes, they comes with challenges.

Tom said, “An autonomous vehicle would need to have an extremely accurate and real-time picture of the world around it in order to piece together decision-making and action processes close to the level of complexity that a human can manage. This is especially true in urban environments, where the vehicle encounters a variety of vehicles and vulnerable road users moving in many different directions and speeds in real-time. The current technology is some way off being able to do that at the high fidelity needed for it to be consistently safe.

“Furthermore, the number of qualified personnel available to service this equipment isn’t appropriate for the technology to become rapidly widespread.”

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Thatcham Research expands EV training portfolio

13 July 2023

Bodyshop, Environment, Insurance, People, Supplier, Technology, Training, Vehicle Repair and Words

Thatcham Research has enhanced its EV training solutions with EV Safe, which has been designed to protect key workers who interact with High Voltage (HV) vehicles.

The two-day in-person course will deliver the skills and knowledge to safely shut down and reinstate HV vehicles.

This includes understanding if an EV is still live, how to identify the different types of EVs, and the different handling requirements for each.

It addresses potentially dangerous scenarios encountered by first responders as well as Border Force and Police who need to be aware of safe handling considerations while searching EVs.

Dean Lander, Head of Repair Sector Services, Thatcham Research, said, “As EVs become increasingly present on UK roads, with significant buy-in from public sector organisations, it’s more important than ever for businesses to ensure the safety of their staff.

“With this in mind, I am pleased to announce the launch of our EV Safe training, the latest addition to our suite of EV training programmes.

“Course content is sourced directly from our research facility and the insights that come from our state-of-the-art vehicle-led research. It is essential that our vital public sector and emergency services key workers complete this course to equip themselves with the knowledge to protect themselves and the public when interacting with EVs.

“As electrification technology continues to be embraced on our roads, we must ensure that steps are taken now to properly equip staff across the UK with the knowledge to keep them safe when interacting with these vehicles.”

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LKQ Europe announces Mobivia partnership

13 July 2023

Bodyshop, Supplier, Technology, Vehicle Repair and Words

LKQ Europe has entered into a strategic partnership Mobivia, Europe’s largest independent provider of automotive maintenance and repair services.

The partnership will see LKQ Europe provide parts to Mobivia sites throughout Germany.

Varun Laroyia, Chief Executive Officer of LKQ Europe, said, “This strategic partnership leverages the respective strengths of Mobivia and LKQ to provide a differentiated solution that is unrivalled in the marketplace. We share a common spirit: delivering the best-in-class services to our customers and providing sustainable and affordable mobility.”

Fabien Derville, Chairman of the Board at Mobivia, said, “We are delighted to partner with LKQ Europe and benefit from their state-of-the-art distribution network across Germany. Both companies are leaders in the European automotive aftermarket, and thanks to this collaboration we will achieve significant efficiencies, which will further enhance the service levels to our customers.”

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Repairify extends remote support services

13 July 2023

Bodyshop, Supplier, Technology, Vehicle Repair and Words

Repairify has unveiled a new end-to-end software support programme that enables its IMI-trained technicians to remotely access the asTech tools repairers are using in the workshop.

This enables the Repairify technicians to remotely view tasks and either provide support through a helpdesk facility or send the job to its remote services team.

Philip Peace, Managing Director, Repairify, said, “We are constantly reviewing how we can improve the speed of our technology and the customer experience. By further developing our fully integrated end-to-end technical solution, we can support clients to overcome technical issues as well as improve our job completion times.”

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ARC360 News – Friday 7 July 2023

7 July 2023

Bodyshop, Environment, Finance, Mobility, People, Salvage, Supplier, Technology, Vehicle Repair, vehicle sales and Words

EV market realigning after price collapse

The crash in value of electric vehicles has been startling but it will not continue as the perfect storm that saw prices plummet by as much as 40% begins to pass.

This is according to Derren Martin, Director of Valuations at cap hpi, who said the rare circumstances that converged to disrupt the EV market are now easing.

He was speaking during ARC360’s specialist EV event, EV-olution; Gaining Ground Together, which was held at the Manufacturing Technology Centre, Coventry this week.

Steer Group acquires Apollo and Balgores

Steer Automotive Group has accelerated its growth plans by acquiring the combined businesses of Apollo Motor Group and Balgores Motors.

The two businesses total 32 repair locations, £90m turnover and 700 staff.

Apprenticeship Central launches new engagement service

Apprenticeship Central, the apprentice recruitment and retention specialist serving the automotive aftermarket, has launched ENSURE, a unique safeguarding service for businesses who employ apprentices.

A Wiser approach to training

In the latest ILC podcast, Crescens George, CEO of Wiser Academy, shares his passion for training and development and discusses how best to recognise and nurture talent.

Steering the future with more jobs

Steer Automotive Group has been recognised for creating jobs in the automotive sector by being included in the 2023 E2E Job Creation 100 Track.

New car market up by a quarter

The new car market surged by more than a quarter in June, making it the 11^th straight month of growth.

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, 177,266 vehicles were registered in the month, meaning almost a million (949,720) new cars joined UK roads in the first six months of 2023, with total registrations up 18.4%

Thatcham Research calls for EV collaboration

Repairs of electric vehicles are about 25% more expensive than ICE equivalents and take 14% longer.

This is according to a report, The Impact of BEV Adoption on the Repair and Insurance Sectors, produced by Thatcham Research and funded by Innovate UK.

Gemini ARC celebrates apprentice success

Gemini ARC has recognised the successes of its rising stars at the company’s third annual apprenticeship awards held at the Manufacturing Technology Centre near Coventry.

The repair group has a proud history of supporting apprentices and has recently celebrated becoming an IMI Approved Centre.

Top award for Kinnell

Michael Kinnell, Manager at Stewart Roden Motors Bodyshop, has been named Stellantis Audatex Estimator of the Year, Northern Region.

Brand approval for Fix Auto Leicester

Fix Auto Leicester has announced it has become an approved Toyota and Lexus repairer.

Winn winning with exceptional growth

North East-based Winn Group is planning to grow its workforce from 500 to 700 in the next 12-18 months.

The company offers integrated accident management services and has seen turnover increase by 139% in a year.

Gemini achieves IMI Approved Centre Status

Gemini has secured ‘Approved Centre’ status from the IMI, paving the way for the repair group to create its own training development, qualifications and CPD programmes.

This follows several months of collaboration to ensure Gemini’s training standards meet IMI-approved levels.

The IMI renews British Motor Show partnership

The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has renewed its partnership with the British Motor Show.

It will sponsor an all-new Tech Hub at the 2023 show, which will feature replica service bays to showcase new repair technologies and promote careers within the industry.

Ford ends production of top-selling model

Ford is ending production of its top-selling Fiesta model, with its place on the factory line taken by the new electric Explorer SUV. This is part of Ford’s $2bn transition to an all-electric future.

CMA says competition failing among fuel providers

The Competition and Markets Authority has said ‘something needs to change swiftly’ to restore fuel price competition in the market.

In a new report, it says the industry needs ‘to be held to account’ after retailers rose prices sharply but were slow to reduce them again.

People

Executive director of the National Body Repair Association (NBRA) Chris Weeks will replace Anthony Heard as managing director of Braintree Motor Group (BMG).

Nikki Nagra has joined the claims and cash collection operations team at Edam Group

Andy Gratton has been promoted to Managing Director at Ring Automotive,

Allianz UK has appointed Benjamin Turner as Chief Information Officer.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has appointed Tom Macintyre as Head of Direct Sales in the UK.