New Tuning Association Founded

A new European Tuning Association has been founded. VATZ (Verband Automobil Tuning/Zubehör – association of automotive tuning/accessories) held its inaugural meeting on the 15th September in Frankfurt. The association will have the task of representing the interests of the entire tuning industry, especially with regard to the legislative bodies, on a national level and international level. As a trade association, VATZ aims to represent the entire spectrum of European tuning providers.

The inaugural meeting was reportedly attended by an unexpectedly large number of companies, including well-known names like AC Schnitzer, Carlsson Automobiltechnik GmbH, JE Design, KW automotive, MHW, Novitec GmbH, Rieger Tuning, Wiechers etc. The committee is composed of three leading figures from the industry. Those appointed as committee members were Mathias R. Albert, who has been closely associated with the industry for years as a PR and marketing specialist, Rolf Hartge proprietor and partner of the company Carlsson Automobiltechnik GmbH, one of the world’s leading Mercedes tuning specialists, and Wolfgang Hagedorn managing director and partner of Novitec Rosso GmbH, a company that specialises in tuning Ferrari vehicles.

Andrea Pinkerton will be responsible for the administration of the. Pinkerston has worked as a European representative for SEMA for many years and has consequently built up extensive international experience in association work. Andrea Pinkerton has represented SEMA for years in the legislative bodies in Geneva and Brussels and will also be performing these duties in future for the VATZ. VATZ is the only European association within this market segment to have both a seat and a vote in the legislative and preparatory bodies. This is all the more significant as European legislation increasingly prescribes basic national conditions as well.

The management and committee members of the new association have no doubts that the association will enjoy broad popularity within a few months both nationally and internationally, and that the number of members will double within a year. The criteria for acceptance into the association stipulates differing quality standards that permit a selective choice.