IGA opens entries for IGA’s British Independent Garage Awards 2024
The Independent Garage Association (IGA) has opened entries for the British Independent Garage of the Year Awards 2024. The awards offer a diverse range of categories to recognise excellence in the independent automotive sector. Independent garages and industry suppliers in the UK can enter online now on the Independent Garage Association website.
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Leading the way in commercial tyre retreading innovation: ContiLifeCycle UK plant
Continental relaunched the Bandvulc retreading plant it acquired in 2016 as the ContiLifeCycle plant in March. Based on what Conti EMEA’s head of commercial consumer solutions Ralf Benack described as the existing “deep knowledge” of Bandvulc, the facility in Ivybridge, Devon has become a technical innovation hub for the company’s tyre retreading programme in the region. When Tyres & Accessories visited the plant later in the year, the manufacturer revealed the results of strong annual investments and its innovative implementation of automated processes for increased efficiency, and the key role that reatreading plays in Conti’s overall sustainability strategy.
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Bandvulc Citymaster 5 tyres, ContiPressureCheck support EcoDriven sustainability tour
Continental Tyres and its retread brand Bandvulc are partnering with EcoDriven to support the environmental product promoter’s UK-wide Sustainability Showcase tour in 2024. The year-long programme championing sustainable solutions aims to the public to consider their environmental impact. The message will be delivered from a classic double-decker bus retrofitted with sustainable materials to demonstrate their effectiveness throughout its journey. Continental will supply its Bandvulc Citymaster 5 bus tyres and ContiPressureCheck TPMS system, both products that demonstrate its focus on sustainability. The tyre manufacturer and technology supplier wants to be ‘the most environmentally progressive tyre company’ with retreads, tyre maintenance and waste recycling all part of its strategy.
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Rise in risk of driving licence loss due to defective tyres
An estimated 6 million tyres on the road have illegal tread, according to TyreSafe’s recent Tread Depth Survey, meaning many drivers risk three penalty points and a fine, which can be up to a maximum of £2,500, for each defective or illegal tyre. As well as the risks posed by illegal tread on tyres, almost 542,287 drivers are just two tyres away from an automatic driving ban and almost 100,000 who have nine points are just a single tyre away, according to a recent IAM RoadSmart report. These numbers have risen recently – the number of drivers with nine points on their licence has risen 8 per cent in the last year – indicating an urgent need for drivers to pay closer attention to road safety both in their driving behaviour and attention to vehicle maintenance.
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TyreSafe partners with National Motorcyclists Council to promote safe, sustainable biking
TyreSafe and the National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) have entered a new partnership to promote safe and sustainable biking. The mutual support between the organisations focuses on the need for extra emphasis on vehicle maintenance and a reduction in the number of avoidable defects identified by the rate of motorcycle MOT failures, surprisingly comparable with that of cars; a third fail their first inspection according to DVSA data. Of all the defects leading to an initial MOT failure, the largest proportion of those classified as ‘dangerous’ are tyres at 29 per cent.
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Repairify offers new customers three months Remote Services free
From 1 December, Repairify is providing new customers with the opportunity to access three months’ worth of free Remote Services with any compatible diagnostic device up to a maximum of 12 jobs in the period.
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Maverick Diagnostics presents Aviloo at BVRLA conference
Maverick Diagnostics, the UK distributor of Aviloo, is presenting the brand’s battery diagnostic solutions at the BVRLA Industry Outlook Conference at the British Motor Museum on Wednesday 6 December 2023. In a collaborative effort, Andy Brooke, alongside Aviloo founder, Wolfgang Berger, and sales manager, Matthieu Peugeot, will stress the benefits of Aviloo’s first-of-its-kind Flash test to the esteemed members of BVRLA.
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85% of CV fleets seeking cost cuts – Bridgestone, Webfleet examine cost of doing business
Research by Bridgestone and Webfleet has found that 85 per cent of UK fleet operators are seeking ways to spend less in 2023. Sentiment in the sector is not optimistic about their business prospects too, with more than a third of HGV operators (36%) predicting that they will contract. The tyre manufacturer and its fleet services arm commissioned research consultancy Perspectus Global to conduct online research with more than 200 UK fleet decision makers in an attempt to appreciate the economic landscape from their unique perspective and how they plan to navigate their way through it. Following this research, the companies said that they have compiled four money-saving solutions to ease fleets’ financial pressures.
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Vaculug named 4th best UK manufacturing company to work for
Vaculug has been voted the 4th best Manufacturing Company to Work for in the UK by Best Companies. The latest news joins a growing list of accreditations, including the acknowledgment of Vaculug as one of the top 75 Best Mid-Sized Companies to Work for in the UK by Best Companies.
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Thinkcar launches “collaborative remote diagnostics”
Thinkcar is aiming to address vehicle manufacturer data access issues through its remote diagnostics offering. In short, it’s a solution for workshops that dont have access to manufacturer diagnostic platforms.
Continue Reading IGA Announces BIG Awards for 2024
The Independent Garage Association (IGA) will run a bigger and better British Independent Garage of the Year (BIG) Awards event in 2024. Following the resounding success of its 2023 BIG Awards, where the IGA presented each of the category winners with a £1,000 cash prize, alongside an array of prizes from the event sponsors and also donated £10,000 to the motor industry charity BEN.
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Michelin Fleet Panel pushes for focus on sustainability
The Michelin Fleet Panel recently met for the first time in four years: the panel includes representatives from some of the UK’s biggest leasing, fleet management and rental companies, as well as several major end-user fleets and, at the meeting, it addressed a series of industry challenges. The meeting was held at the Wakefield site of Aston Barclay, the independent remarketing group and vehicle auction house. The panel has been meeting for more than 20 years; membership is voluntary and participants are not required to be Michelin customers. Members called for the industry to accelerate progress towards more sustainable tyres and improve support for fleet managers transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs).
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Clarke Transport moves 475 truck, trailer fleet to exclusive Michelin tyre contract
Hazardous good transport specialist Clarke Transport is fitting Michelin’s X Multi new and Remix tyres to its fleet of 475 trucks and trailers. Clarke Transport switched to an exclusive Michelin tyre policy following its three-year partnership with Michelin Connected Fleet, which resulted in improved fleet tracking and driver behaviour. Service provider Tructyre supplies and fits the X Multi tyres, while Tuf Treads in South Wales also conducts some of its local work. The worn tyres will be regrooved and retreaded as Michelin Remix tyres maximising the life of each new Michelin casing. The contract is managed by Michelin’s Services & Solutions division. The Midlands firm said using an exclusive Michelin policy will cut costs and reduce downtime.
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Vaculug joins TRA
Vaculug, Europe’s largest independent retreader, joined the Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) as a full member back in September, according to the Autumn/Winter TRA newsletter, which was published at the end of November.
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Pro-Align launches ADAS, wheel alignment training
Pro-Align is working with the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) to introduce an advanced training course tailored to the BS 10125 standard. The course is designed to ensure that automotive bodyshops and accident repair centres meet the criteria for Section C.10 – Steering, Suspension, and Braking Systems.
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