Category: vehicle sales

Specialist EV event gearing up for July

ARC360’s specialist EV event is gearing up with new names being added to the agenda, a swell of interest from market and tickets now available via the ILC website.

Taking place on Tuesday 4 July at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Coventry, ARC360’s specialist electric vehicle (EV) event will provide a rounded view of how the sector is advancing towards an electric future, with attendees hearing from insurers, vehicle manufacturers, repairers and many others throughout the supply chain to understand more of how and why the sector needs to prepare.

ILC tackles talent conundrum with New Generation event

More than 120 HR insurance claims professionals gathered at etc.venues Manchester on 26 April for the inaugural ILC New Generation in Claims event, which addressed the lack of new talent entering the industry and discussed strategies for attracting more skills to the sector.

Industry experts shared insights during a full schedule of presentations, with panel discussions focusing on key issues such as equality, engagement and empowerment.

Feature interview: Kevern Thompson, CAPS

In this exclusive ARC360 interview, we ask Kevern Thompson, Commercial Manager, CAPS how supply chain partnerships have evolved in recent years and how the platform is helping to develop trust within the sector.

Steer announces NE expansion

Steer Automotive Group has boosted capacity in the North East by welcoming Vertu Accident Repair Centre Newcastle into the group.

Copart voice heard on national stage

Copart was a key contributor to a feature in a national newspaper considering the future of electric vehicles.

Electric cars being written off after minor bumps was published in The Telegraph, with Copart sharing insights on the viability of EV repairs and the growing use of green parts in vehicle repair.

IMI responds to Ofqual action plan

The IMI is requesting a range of information from industry training providers to meet the vocational and technical qualification action plan introduced by Ofqual.

Information required includes the name of the exams officer, a senior point of contact, and students intending to progress to higher education.

Vehicle registrations continue strong start to 2023

The UK new car market recorded its ninth successive month of growth in April, increasing 11.6% to 132,990 registrations.

Meanwhile, battery electric vehicles deliveries were up by more than half to 20,522, plug-in hybrid vehicles were up 33.3% to 8,595 units and hybrid electric vehicles increased 7.7% to 15,026 units.

Bodycare joins VBRA Elite

VBRA has awarded Vehicle Bodycare Centre Ltd with the Elite Truck & Van Body Repairer Certification for Structural classification, including Cab & Chassis Repair capability for trucks up to 44.0 tonne GVM and Panel Vans & Chassis Cabs up to 5.0 tonne capacity.

Battery repairs key to net zero goal

Colleagues from Innovate visited Thatcham Research Centre recently to discuss the challenges to the vehicle repair and motor insurance sectors posed by the uptake of electric vehicles and connectivity and autonomy.

It was suggested that roadside diagnostics and battery repair could be critical to helping the industry achieve its net zero targets.

Fix Auto conference to be the biggest yet

Fix Auto UK’s 2023 National Conference, themed ‘Next Gen’, is set to attract a record number of delegates, senior representatives from the insurance sector, exhibitors and sponsors. The event takes place next week.

MG ARC secures VM approvals

MG Accident Repair Centre is now an approved authorised Toyota and Lexus body repair centre.

Thatcham Research launches technical ‘refresher’ course

Thatcham Research has introduced a new two-day Technical Update course intended to help those in the repair sector stay up to date with new technology and innovations.

Topics covered include new vehicle models, current trends, headlamp technology, ADAS, automated driving, and hydrogen vehicles.

Passport to sustainability

EV batteries will need to be more sustainable from 2027, when the EU introduces a new battery passport that will remain in place for its entire lifecycle.

The directive will include the sourcing and recycling of materials and deliver greater transparency throughout the supply chain.

Date set for Green party

The National Body Repair Association (NBRA) has confirmed that The Greener Bodyshop Awards will take place on 14 September at Alton Towers, Staffordshire.

The awards recognise and celebrate repairers who have made great strides towards achieving greener operations.

Plunky’s charity match on target

Steve Plunkett’s Plunky’s All Stars charity football match is on target to raise upwards of £20,000 for the Norfolk Hospice.

More than £11,000 has so far been raised for the charity, with more expected on the night when a wide selection of football memorabilia will be raffled off.

People

Chris Weeks, Executive Director of the NBRA for the past five years, is set to leave the role in the summer.

Jason Lea has started a new position as Strategic Sales Manager at BASF UK & Ireland.

Bennett Assessors has appointed James Bennett as Management Director.

Devonshire Motors maintains perfect record

Devonshire Motors ARC has continued its record of never having failed a BMW/Mini audit after achieving a 100% pass in its latest assessment.

The site has been BMW-approved since 2008.

Zeus set for further expansion

Zeus ARC has announced it will be opening a new site in Sittingborne, Kent.

LKQ Coatings announces rebrand

LKQ Coatings is rebranding as LKQ to better reflect its position as a complete solutions provider with a comprehensive end-to-end offering that covers more than paint, consumables and parts.

Motor insurance hits highest level since 2011

The latest Confused.com Car Insurance Price Index, produced in association with WTW, has revealed that average motor policies have risen by £107 in the last year.

Comprehensive car insurance premiums have increased by 20% to £657 on average, making it the most expensive it has been since 2011.

MVBEO consultation now live

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a consultation on draft guidance to accompany the Motor Vehicles Block Exemption Order (MVBEO). 

The MVBEO exempts motor vehicle aftermarket agreements if they meet the general conditions relating to vertical agreements set out in the Competition Act 1998.

The consultation closes on 16 May 2023.

Potholes problems on the rise

Data from Autoglass has revealed that nearly half of drivers who have had chips and cracks to windscreens in the last year believe potholes are to blame.

Nearly a third of drivers (33%) have required glass repairs in the last 12 months, with 44% blaming potholes, 35% blaming road debris and 20% citing bad weather.

UK car parc back to 2019 levels

The number of cars on UK roads has returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which reported a rise of 124,393 units last year to 35,148,045.

Meanwhile, one in 32 (1,089,241) is now battery-powered.

The SMMT has also reported that overall production rose six per cent in the first quarter of the year, with hybrid and EV production surging 75% in the same period.

Synetiq strides down sustainability path

Synetiq has underscored its ESG commitments by publishing its first sustainability report while also announcing that it has become the first vehicle salvage, dismantler and recycler in the UK to introduce carbon labelling for its green parts.

The report revealed a 5.6% reduction in its own greenhouse gas emissions between 2020-21 and 2021-22.

Industry Insights and Trend Track back Fix Auto conference

Industry Insights and Trend Tracker have been named official Research and Insights Partnerfor the two-day 2023 Fix Auto UK National Conference, which starts at The Vox Conference Centre, Resorts World, Birmingham on 10 May.

Ben warns against employee burnout

Automotive industry charity Ben is marking Stress Awareness Month by urging companies to watch out for burnout among colleagues and advising them on how to guard against it.

Silverlake in the spotlight in e2e blog

e2e Total Loss Vehicle Management has turned the focus on Silverlake Automotive Recycling, which provides recovery, salvage and auction services for e2e clients throughout the South East, in its latest ‘Meet the Network Members’ blog.

ARC360 Podcast: Martin Brown, Repairify

In this episode we visit Repairify in Luton to sit down with Managing Director, Martin Brown to discuss the role its tools and diagnostics support has across the sector. We talk usage cases, challenges and opportunities, keeping pace with technology, and – that consistent theme – education and training.

People

Auto Windscreens has appointed Emma Brown as ADAS Technical Advisor.

GKN Automotive has named Markus Bannert as new CEO.

Chris Stott has been appointed director of Alliances at Automotive Transformation Group.

Stephan Farmer has been named Motor Insurance Claims Team Manager at Carpenters Group.

Allianz Insurance has promoted Olivia Baker to Head of Motor Trade.

ARC360 event to explore EV impact on claims

ARC360 will host a specialist electric vehicle (EV) event in July to discuss how the motor claims sector is transitioning towards an electric future.

The event which takes place on Tuesday 4 July at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Coventry will canvass insights from across the sector and beyond in a bid to provide a more rounded view of just how EVs are starting to, and will ultimately, change the sector.

New Generation in Claims to take centre stage

ILC’s inaugural New Generation in Claims 2023 is set to take centre stage next week with a host of leading organisations and individuals providing their support for the initiative.

Headline sponsored by Wiser Academy, along with sponsors Carpenters, Enterprise and Zurich, the first of its kind event takes place at etc.venues, Manchester on Wednesday 26 April bringing together many of the brightest minds involved in people management to shine a light on retaining talent and attracting new, diverse skillsets to the insurance claims sector.

Gemini sites secure new repair standard

Two Gemini ARC sites have achieved the new vehicle repair standard, with all other sites set to follow suit shortly.

Gemini Macclesfield and Chesterfield became the group’s first locations to achieve the newly-revised BS10125:2022 standard after undergoing two-day audits, while all other Gemini sites also have audit dates scheduled.

4 Elms Group celebrates Green Heart certification

4 Elms Group has become one of the first independent LV= own sites to secure the Green Heart Standard.

Certification recognises a company’s commitment to achieving sustainability, carbon neutral operations, inclusion and diversity in the workplace, and promoting apprenticeships.

Autocraft Telford sets new standard

Autocraft Telford has become one of the first bodyshops in the UK to receive a positive recommendation for the updated BS10125:2022 vehicle repair standard.

The process involved a rigorous assessment of the bodyshop’s facilities, staff training, and quality management system, as well as a review of its repair procedures and documentation.

Halo prepares for Surrey launch

Halo ARC has announced it will open its 22^nd site in Guildford next month. The company is currently recruiting for staff. 

Audatex announces latest update

Audatex’s latest data release, D4.68, is now available in Ireland. The data release adds six new and 73 updated model sheets to the vehicle database.

Morelli enhances Northern Ireland footprint

Independent distributor of refinish products and services Morelli Group has acquired Northern Ireland’s premier refinish distributor Coachfinish NI.

Managing Director of Coachfinish NI Gary Kidd will remain as Business Director.

Fantastic Four set for charity cycle

A four-person team from S&G Response will be raising money for East Cheshire Hospice by cycling 444km across four European countries in four days.

Details of the charity challenge, which will be undertaken by Nick Stone, Sean Harper, Jonathon Spencer and Tom Hopes, are still being confirmed.

HGV sector calls for government action to meet net zero timetable

New research from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has found that there is not a single HGV-dedicated electric charging or hydrogen filling point in the UK.

With just over a decade to go until the deadline for selling new petrol and diesel HGVs, the sector is now calling for urgent government action, warning that it is impossible for operators to consider investment in zero-emission fleets while the charging network remains so undeveloped.

AkzoNobel unveils next generation of fillers

AkzoNobel has launched a new generation of fillers through its Sikkens and Lesonal brands to significantly improve productivity while lowering energy costs.

Known as Sikkens Autosurfacer Optima and Lesonal 2K Ultimate Filler, the one-stop, fast-drying filler systems have been developed to help save time and money, without compromising on quality. 

IMI joins government-led skills initiative

The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has been appointed as an Advisory Board member to the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on the Future of Employability.  

As part of the group, it will participate in policy dialogue around future government strategy to attract people to key sectors, such as the motor industry.

WorldSkills announces new competitor fund

WorldSkillsUK has launched a new fund to support anyone wanting to take part in its national qualifiers.

Its Competitor Support Fund will help cover essential costs such as travel, equipment, clothing, and care responsibilities. The fund will also provide financial support to small businesses whose colleagues attend one of the qualifiers.

IKEA commits to EV infrastructure

IKEA has announced it will invest £4.5m in a nationwide electric charging infrastructure for its delivery vehicles. The move will support the company’s commitment to emissions-free deliveries.

On the tee for Ezi Methods Golf Challenge

Ezi Methods is launching the inaugural Ezi Methods Golf Challenge, a new golf tournament to determine the industry’s top golfing team.

A range of annual industry golf days will serve as qualifiers for the event, will take part at the prestigious Old Thorns Golf Club in Hampshire on Wednesday, 27 September.

People

Core Diagnostics has appointed Neil Hilton as Technical Sales Director.

Imexpart has named Martin Butterworth as new Managing Director.