Save the date: ARC360 Q1 2021 digital event launch
ARC360 will be hosting its next digital event – The future in focus – during week beginning Monday 22 to Friday 26 March.
The online event will include innovative formats and deliver insights from key persons of influence from across the sector at both 10.30am and 1.30pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
The session line-up includes: a debate around the things highly effective repairers could and, arguably, should be doing to continuously develop their value proposition; an exploration of vehicle technology and what impact it is having on the sector including a look at IIR; and an interview with a key person of influence from within the motor insurance sector to discuss how the motor claims business has and continues to evolve.
Full details of the event, along with registration, will be available next week.
Claims volumes continue to ‘ebb and flow’
Claims exchange volumes continue to ‘ebb and flow’ according to the CAPS Claims Analysis Report for week ending 20 Feb 2021 which highlights a reduction of eight per cent, following a 10% rise the week previous.
Unique claims – those claims initiated and exchanged for the first time within CAPS – reduced from 82% (week ending 13 February) down to 74% (week ending 20 February). This followed a 10% increase the previous week which saw unique claims rise from 72% (week ending 6 February).
Steer Automotive Group continues expansion
Steer Automotive Group has opened a new site in Luton, bringing its number of branches to 11.
The new 10,000sqft bodyshop is the second site to open in 2021 making it a strong start to 2021 for the progressive group under the stewardship of CEO, Richard Steer.
The announcement on its website reads: ‘The business believes it is well placed to develop its operations as the lockdown measures ease and the country emerges from the pandemic. The new site expands the geographical reach and footprint of the business and enables Steer to provide its own range of services and measurably different repair experience to its clients and their customers.’
asTech sees investment and acquisition
Repairify Inc operating as asTech, a portfolio company of Kinderhook Industries LLC, has acquired adasThink – a vehicle-specific ADAS identification technology.
adasThink retrieves information related to the vehicle-specific advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and identifies required ADAS procedures and calibration based on labour operations in an automotive repair estimate.
This week it was also announced 3M had made a ‘strategic investment’ in the Repairify.
The investment is planned to help Repairify further expand and accelerate its proprietary tools, technology and service offerings across the Americas and Europe.
Fix Auto Leeds North opens new flagship site
Fix Auto Leeds North has opened the network’s first purpose-built, state-of-the-art, multi-million-pound repair centre.
The flagship repair centre, owned by Sam and Stephen Smith, complements their existing Fix Auto sites in Keighley, Bradford and the opposite side of the city of Leeds.
Director, Sam Smith explained, “Soon after we opened our first site in Leeds five years ago it became apparent that unit would not accommodate our ambitions.
“The new development is in a perfect central location with superb road infrastructure and plenty of space enabling us to develop.”
To hear more about the development, as well as much more, listen to the ARC360 Podcast recorded with Sam back in September 2020.
Meanwhile: Fix Auto Blackburn; Fix Auto Bristol West; Fix Auto Mid Devon; Fix Auto North Staffs; Fix Auto Slough; and Fix Auto Stoke-on-Trent have celebrated their 10-year service to the network.
Copart welcomes HSE inspection programme
Copart has welcomed the announcement from The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to launch a targeted inspection programme across the waste and recycling sector.
The HSE plans to carry out inspections across businesses within the sector, which includes the handling of end-of-life (ELV) vehicles, with a specific focus on reducing risks and injuries related to moving vehicles and machinery.
“Protecting our company reputation, employees, and anybody else that may be affected by our activities are of paramount importance, and we are pleased to be seen an example of best practise within our industry,” said Jane Pocock, managing director of Copart UK & Ireland.
Lockdown 3:0 continues to take its toll
The effects of Lockdown 3:0 are continuing to dampen work volumes across the UK repair sector, with more than half of respondents to an ARC360 poll reporting levels have dropped again in the last two weeks.
The snapshot poll, conducted during webinARC 3.4, found that nearly one in five (18%) reported a significant decrease in claims volumes in the past fortnight.
A further 38% reported a ‘slight’ decrease in volumes.
Watch again… Sustainability of the fittest
Sustainability is something every business is striving for, but there is no single route to get there. That was the message to stem from ARC360’s latest webinar – series 3, episode 4 – which touched on the technical, environmental and human elements of sustainability.
Catch up with the latest ‘repairer special’ ARC360 webinar featuring Sam Smith, Fix Auto UK multi-site franchisee; Phil Gilbert, Parkway Prestige; and Phil Chopping, Whaley Bridge ARC.
