Bob Sockl RIP

It is with great sadness that we learned of the death of the founder of Aftermarket magazine, Bob Sockl, who passed away last weekend aged 75, following a long illness.

Bob was born in London in 1947 and began his career in sales at the newspaper Daltons Weekly. Following the sale of the publication to Morgan Grampian in 1972, he went on to become Publishing Director on a number of titles covering the automotive sector, including Transport Week and Auto Trade. During the 1991 recession, Bob was made redundant, providing him with the opportunity to start his own publishing company, Crystal Communications. The magazine he launched that year, Garage and Bodyshop Products (GBP), went on to become Aftermarket in 1992.

Bob also created a number of additional magazines, including CV Aftermarket, Crash Repairer, and The Technical Book.

In addition, Crystal Communications was responsible for the sales and marketing of the Commercial Vehicle Show, held at the NEC. Bob maintained a close relationship with show organisers the SMMT throughout his career.

The Top Technician competition was also created by Crystal Communications, and remains a successful event to this day.

Bob was chief executive of Crystal Communications until 2015, when he sold the business and retired. He had an incredible passion for our industry and was well-respected throughout. He was a staunch supporter of the IAAF, mentor and friend to many people and will be missed.

He is survived by his wife Bobby and daughters Debbie and Jo.

If you would like to share your memories of Bob, a memory page has been created by Aftermarket magazine. The family are collecting donations for Demelza Hospice Care For Children. You can make a donation, by visiting the memory page.