Nominations open for IMI Outstanding Achievers Awards
Nominations for the 2015 IMI Outstanding Achievers Awards are now open. The Outstanding Achievers Awards celebrate the achievements of IMI learners, accredited individuals and automotive professionals within the UK retail motor industry. This years event will be held at Silverstone race circuit in the world famous wing facility on the 22nd October, and will be attended by HRH Prince Michael of Kent.
Continue ReadingVicars just divine for used car buyers
When asked what profession a used car buyer would most trust buying from when looking for a used car in the private market, one in four buyers said they would most trust a vicar, reveals the latest survey from vehicle information experts, HPI. Surprisingly, only 19 per cent voted a motor mechanic the most trustworthy person to buy a used car from, however, this was the second most trusted profession. Doctors and medical professionals came in third at 15 per cent, with teachers scoring 12 per cent. Bottom of the table were builders (1 per cent), IT professionals (2 per cent) and surprisingly, members of the armed forces scored just 4 per cent, along with admin staff and secretaries. Interestingly lawyers, accountants and sales professionals all scored 6 per cent.
Continue Reading![“Electric service” from Autoparts UK](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Renault-Twizy-first-delivery.jpg)
“Electric service” from Autoparts UK
Customers of Autoparts UK will have their parts orders delivered rapidly by a brand-new fleet of unique Renault Twizy electric cars. The 12-branch motor factor has invested in the new environmentally-friendly vehicles as part of a drive to reduce its carbon footprint. The cars will mainly operate from the company’s branches in Glasgow & Dundee, delivering a rapid deployment of parts under its exclusive brands including Padtech brake pads, Disctech discs and Ultratech oils. The Renault Twizy is a twin-seater car that is powered by a 17bhp electric motor. Its battery can be recharged by plugging into any 220V power source.
Continue Reading![Exol reaches final of two Express & Star awards](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Exol-fleet-of-vehicles.jpg)
Exol reaches final of two Express & Star awards
Exol Lubricants has been nominated for two awards at the Express & Star Business Awards 2015. Following on from last year’s victory as manufacturing champion at the same awards, Exol is a finalist in the category of the Export Award and headline award of Business of the Year. The Express & Star Business Awards presentation evening takes place at Wolverhampton Racecourse on June 11. According to the newspaper, more applicants than ever before entered the awards with 33 companies going through to the final. Exol will now undergo a rigorous assessment including a series of site visits, as part of the judging process.
Continue Reading![UK car registrations rise 6.8% in March, European total up 10.6%](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/plate.jpg)
UK car registrations rise 6.8% in March, European total up 10.6%
Demand for new passenger cars in the European Union rose 10.6 per cent year-on-year in March 2015, with the ACEA, or European Automobile Manufacturers Association, reporting a total of 1,604,107 cars registered. This is the 19th consecutive month of growth, and it is a trend fuelled by all major markets – particularly Spain, where new passenger car registrations jumped 40.5 per cent to 112,299 units. Italy also enjoyed double-digit growth and recorded 161,303 new passenger car registrations in March, 15.1 per cent more than a year earlier. The greatest number of new registrations during the month took place in the UK, where 492,774 new passenger cars were registered, a 6.8 per cent increase on March 2014.
Continue Reading![European truck tyre manufacturers losing ground to imports, says ETRMA](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/etrma.jpg)
European truck tyre manufacturers losing ground to imports, says ETRMA
The association representing tyre manufacturers in Europe says its members experienced “mixed results” in the region’s replacement market during the first quarter of 2015. While companies belonging to the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association sold more passenger car tyres (up 1.9 per cent to 52,120,000 units) and motorcycle tyres (up 6.6 per cent to 3,297,000 units) in the first quarter of 2015 than a year earlier, both truck and agricultural tyre sales were down compared with the corresponding period in 2014; ETRMA members’ truck tyre sales decreased 0.74 per cent to 2,158,000 units and agricultural tyre sales dropped 12.8 per cent to 436,000 units.
Continue ReadingProtyre deploys SCV database
Protyre, the retail division of Micheldever Tyre Services, has taken on a Single Customer View (SCV) database developed by the Purple Agency (part of Adare). Micheldever Group purportedly sells 6 million tyres a year, roughly 20 per cent of the total UK market. According to the company, the new database will allow the company to map out a customer communications strategy that routes campaigns via the most efficient channel across email, direct mail and in store. Driving deeper data insights, the new system will also help them deliver an even better experience for their customers, helping them keep their cars safe and legal whilst reducing their motoring costs by keeping them up to speed with the latest deals and offers.
Continue Reading![ATS Euromaster piloting new van and truck maintenance services](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/IMG_3985.jpg)
ATS Euromaster piloting new van and truck maintenance services
Yesterday ATS Euromaster announced that it is offering a range of service, maintenance and repair (SMR) facilities for trucks and trailers, designed to make it easy for fleets to get rapid access to expert care for larger commercial vehicles. Six ATS Euromaster centres have been selected to take part in the pilot scheme, in Birmingham, Avonmouth, Liverpool, Rugby, Stoke-on-Trent and Manchester. In addition to offering tyres for trucks and trailers, these centres are now fit replacement air cables, electrical coils and suzie lines – with work carried out either in centre, on-site or at the roadside. They are also offering replacement batteries with two year unlimited mileage guarantees, plus a rapid response service for jumpstarting trucks in need of urgent assistance.
Continue Reading![IMI announces launch of free vehicle diagnostics eLearning resources](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/IMI.jpg)
IMI announces launch of free vehicle diagnostics eLearning resources
IMI has launched a series of online vehicle diagnostics training modules, funded by digital solutions charity Jisc. The resources will be free to access through the IMIs eLearning platform, acquired in 2014 by the IMI. They are aimed at individuals with a background in car maintenance and level 3 qualifications, providing technicians with an opportunity to brush up their diagnostic skills and learn new ones. Modules will be made available to IMI Members first before becoming accessible to the wider industry.
Continue Reading![CV fleet operators ‘missing out on £2.6bn fuel savings’](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/476481_num1063293.jpg)
CV fleet operators ‘missing out on £2.6bn fuel savings’
New research from Go Ultra Low has shown that commercial vehicle operators and fleet managers are missing out on a share of more than £2.6 billion potential fuel savings, accessible by opting for an ultra-low emission van.
Continue Reading![Lancaster Insurance sets new MG parade world record](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/MG-parade.jpg)
Lancaster Insurance sets new MG parade world record
Lancaster Insurance has become an official Guinness World Records title holder for the largest parade of MGs. The parade took place on Saturday, 11 April at Rockingham Circuit in Corby, Northamptonshire, where 144 MG owners and lovers united to take part in a world first.
Continue Reading![Does WheelRight offer national forecourt roll-out potential?](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Motorist-driver.jpg)
Does WheelRight offer national forecourt roll-out potential?
Following on from the news that WheelRight is piloting a few pressure check system at Keele services on the M6, Tyres & Accessories considers what the potential is for a networked tyre monitoring system. As unusual as an external tyre pressure monitoring system is, the obvious question with WheelRight is not “how does it work?”, but rather “why are they doing this?” Of course, the Keele pressure bay trial offers a good bit of safety awareness, but there is a business case too. From T&A’s point of view the most interesting answer to our own question is two-fold -retail networks and big data.
Continue Reading![European aftermarket still growing despite a small drop in 2014](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/wolk-charts_for_pressrelease_Page_3-e1428926702481.jpg)
European aftermarket still growing despite a small drop in 2014
The total car after sales market in Europe across all purchased components – what is otherwise known as the aftermarket - generated sales of about 119 billion euros in 2013 (based on retail prices excluding VAT and refer to materials only and not salary). wolk after sales expert’s findings are published in the latest edition of its European aftermarket structure analysis for 34 European countries. It is the third time Wolk has produced this. Previous editions came out in 2009 and 2012. The surveyed components included were wear parts, body parts, engines, transmissions, electrical parts, automotive glass, chemicals, oil, tyres and paint.
Continue Reading![UK commercial vehicle registrations reach a new high](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/130415-smmt.jpg)
UK commercial vehicle registrations reach a new high
Protagonists at this week’s Commercial Vehicle Show have cause to celebrate, as new figures from the SMMT show van and truck registrations have reached a record high. A total of 108,456 vans and trucks were registered in the UK between the start of January and end of March 2015, making it the best quarter on record. This result is particularly remarkable when bearing in mind that only 221,132 commercial vehicles were registered in the whole of 2009. Registrations reached 384,120 units last year – just below the 388,488 registrations recorded in pre-recession 2007 – and demand is expected to remain strong in the months ahead.
Continue ReadingKwik Fit partners Central Tyre in van-orientated CV Show stand
Kwik Fit reports that it is seeking to win new light commercial vehicle fleet business opportunities at the 2015 Commercial Vehicle Show. The UK’s largest automotive repair company will be sharing its show stand with sister company Central Tyre, which is also owned by the Itochu Corporation-owned and has been supplying the commercial and agriculture industries for more than 50 years. Indeed, Central Tyre says it is the UK’s “number one independent commercial service provider”.
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