The annual Sunday Times workplace survey has once again placed BEN, the automotive industry charity, in the Top 100 Best not-for-profit organisations to work for and awarded the charity with a coveted star rating.
The German automotive group Volkswagen looks set to acquire the entire stake in Swedish commercial vehicle maker Scania for €6.7bn (£5.59bn). The company currently holds a total of 89.2 per cent of the voting rights and 62.6 per cent of the capital of Scania.
The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation is launching a series of members’ meetings around the UK with a networking opportunity and seminar on Tuesday 25 March at First Line HQ, Banbury. The event will be the first of its kind and is open to all IAAF supplier, factor and garage members.
Last year’s BEN Ball more than lived up to its billing as ‘the night of the year’ for the automotive industry. It will live long in the memory of all guests and is already attracting interest and enquiries for this year. BEN has decided to reward this interest with the offer of an early bird booking discount. Therefore every booking made before the end of March will qualify for a full 10 per cent reduction on all prices.
February new car registrations rose 3.0 per cent to 68,736 units; this means that the UK new car market has achieved 24 consecutive months of growth, increasing 17.4 per cent over the period. The SMMT suggests that rising GDP and growing car registrations signal increasing consumer confidence and automotive retailers are looking forward to March results as expectations rise for a strong 14-plate performance.
The Renault Retail Group has extended its online aftersales service, mandating online tyre purchasing across its 19 outlets. The national network’s implementation of online tyre retail facilities, including fitment appointment bookings, shows the growing importance of digital sales within the automotive retail sector. Renault Retail calls the move part of “an ongoing strategy to improve customer experience through the digital interface.”
UK automotive industry charity BEN has extended its support for colleagues in the business. As the devastation caused as a result of the extraordinary series of weather storms in the UK continues, BEN said it recognises the likelihood that members of the automotive community are extremely likely to be amongst those being challenged by the experience.
Engineering products and services supplier Nasmyth Group has acquired the trade and certain assets of Solihull-based Arden Precision. Arden provides precision machining including CNC turning, CNC milling, four and five-axis milling and 3D machining, as well as CMM inspection facilities suited to a range of components destined for aerospace applications. Peter Smith, chairman and chief […]
Analysts are expecting growth in UK car output during 2014 and beyond as newly introduced models move to full-scale production. This all comes despite a 0.3 per cent dip in output during the January 2014 compared with January 2013. Exports are also said to be showing signs of recovery, with around 50 per cent of exports go to EU.
On 1 July 2014, Klaus Deller will take over from Klaus Rosenfeld as chief executive officer of major Continental shareholder Schaeffler AG; Rosenfeld has held this office on an interim basis since the departure of Jürgen M. Geißinger last year. Deller will also become a member of the Board of Directors of INA-Holding. The appointment was confirmed by Schaeffler’s Supervisory Board yesterday.
On 13 February, Bridgestone Corporation entered into a plea agreement with the US Department of Justice; this deal will see the company plead guilty to an antitrust conspiracy related to the sale of automotive anti-vibration rubber products. Bridgestone will also pay a US$425 million fine, and says it now intends to “take appropriate disciplinary action against certain responsible employees” in accordance with applicable corporate standards.
Schrader International, the leading global manufacturer of sensing and valve solutions, was presented with Frost & Sullivan’s 2013 North American Price Performance Value Leadership Award in Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) in early February. Frost & Sullivan recognized Schrader as the best-in-class leader for the design and manufacturing of valve and sensing technologies for TPMS, in both the original equipment and aftermarket channel
Launch UK managing director, Dave Richards, believes the automotive aftermarket has come a long way in embracing diagnostics, but that workshops require more support in order to offer a complete solution as one piece of kit is no longer enough to offer the best possible service and coverage.
According to statistics published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), new car registrations in the UK rose 7.6 per cent year-on-year. Last year’s best-seller the Ford Fiesta retained the top ranking in January 2014, with 9,072 units registered during the month. Ford also occupied the number two position, with Focus registrations reaching 5,333 units, while the Vauxhall Corsa was the third best-selling car in the UK, with 4,470 units registered.
Schrader International has appointed Aaron Nelson as its new regional sales manager in Western Canada. Nelson brings nearly a decade of experience working with automotive and diesel performance products. Based in Edmonton, Nelson’s responsibilities include assisting Schrader customers with their TPMS programs and driving sales growth throughout Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
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