Meritor names Chris Villavarayan as EVP and COO
Brake and drivetrain manufacturer Meritor Inc. has appointed Chris Villavarayan as executive vice president and chief operating officer (COO), effective immediately.
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DVSA wins prosecution against DPF manufacturer
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has won a landmark prosecution case against a Hampshire aftermarket emission control parts manufacturer for supplying products which fail to meet the required environmental standards.
The case against European Exhaust and Catalyst Ltd, which took place at Portsmouth Magistrates Court and concluded on Monday 28 October, resulted in a criminal conviction for the company and a £3,000 fine.
TPCATS closes UK operations
T P Engineering Ltd (TPCATS) is closing its UK operations. The news emerged after the company wrote to customers to confirm that the board of directors of Fabriscape LDA, the owners of T P Engineering Ltd have taken the decision to stop manufacturing Catalytic Converters and Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs) in the UK. Closure is expected during the next three weeks.
Starter offers online vehicle and parts marketplace
Starter is launching what it describes as “the first price comparison platform for global use” in the automotive vehicle and parts marketplace. Offering a wide product catalogue with more than 5 million parts, it is said to be the largest and most comprehensive website to unite consumers and businesses via a global marketplace.
Denso Club offers journey of a lifetime
Denso is rewarding its hard-working distributors by creating the Denso Club, an initiative that offers customers the opportunity to win trips to either Denso’s global headquarters in Japan or diesel factory in Budapest
“Relay” on Klarius for replacement Citroën Van DPFs
Klarius’ latest new-to-range parts release includes new exhausts, catalytic converters (CATs) and diesel particulate filters (DPFs) in range for popular applications such as the Citroën Relay van.
49 additional parts are now available with the same next morning UK delivery, two-year standard warranty and Fit First Time guarantee offered with the entire Klarius range.
TrustFord opens two more PartsPlus sites
TrustFord has opened two new PartsPlus sites as the dealer group nears the completion of its new wholesale parts network expansion. The new sites, in Hull and Lincoln, were both opened on 17 July by Stuart Foulds, chairman and chief executive of TrustFord, accompanied by Dean Kemsley, general manager, and members of the board. The openings follow investment in Ford’s Quick Lane tyre and autocentre chain and brings the total number of TrustFord-operated PartsPlus sites to 14 across England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. A further site is due to open later this year.
MOT failures due to emissions defects
Nearly 750,000 cars failed their MOT due to emissions defects in the six months following revisions to MOT rules in May 2018. This trend suggests the failure rate is set to reach 1.5 million for the full year doubling the amount of emissions-related failures.
Autosupplies Group to acquire Leisureways UK Ltd
Autosupplies Group, comprising leading motor factors Autosupplies (Chesterfield) and Butlers Automotive, has entered into an agreement to purchase Leisureways UK Ltd of Rotherham.
Tyre dominance in overall aftermarket beginning to diminish
The value of the United Kingdom (UK) automotive aftermarket grew by 4.9 per cent during the course of 2018. According to MarketLine, which produces its data in US-dollars across all markets worldwide, this means the UK automotive aftermarket was and is worth $28.5 billion (£22.53 billion) a year. However, the same research suggests that the value of the UK automotive aftermarket sector is increasing and in 2023 is forecast to be worth $34.4 billion (£27.2 billion), up 20.7 per cent compared with 2018.
Autopromotec: Changing Europe makes cooperation more important
When the doors for Autopromotec 2019 opened at the end of May, the show organisers were already reporting a 4.4 per cent increase in the number of exhibitors. More than 1,650 companies exhibited at Autopromotec 2019. 43 per cent were non-Italian companies from 53 different countries. It has undoubtedly become a large and influential international show, but how will this work in a post-Brexit environment?
Brembo extends premium offer with UHP to track-day range
Mention Brembo and the Italian manufacturer’s brightly coloured brake callipers immediately spring to mind. At the same time, the brand carries with it messages of premium quality, OE fitments on the best-known cars and top-flight motorsport credentials. During Autopromotec Tyres & Accessories Alfredo Albarella, Area Manager BU Aftermarket Brembo SpA and heard about how Brembo’s latest “Xtra” UHP brake range and “Expert” dealer both aim to offer customers something extra.
SK Innovation investing 1 trillion won in Hungary car battery factory
SK Innovation reports that it is planning to invest just under 1 trillion won (a little less than US$1 billion) in its second car battery plant, this time in Hungary. The company has selected Komaron City in northern Hungary for the investment of 945.2 billion won.
Will new battery production capacity replace car production in the UK?
CC; WikipediaWhile the UK new car manufacturing business has taken something of a battering in recent months, The Sunday Times reports that government ministers are considering offering state support for a huge shared electric vehicle battery “giga factory” modelled on Tesla’s enormous US battery manufacturing plant in the Nevada desert. That plant, which is known as Gigafactory 1, is set to have the biggest factory footprint in the world and already employees 3000 people. The UK project has so far been valued at around £1.7 billion.
Amnesty International challenges electric vehicle battery manufacturers
Amnesty International is challenging automotive and specifically electric vehicle battery manufacturers to raise ethical standards and specifically “make the world’s first completely ethical battery within five years.” The challenge was laid down at the Nordic Electric Vehicle (EV) Summit in Oslo on 21 March 2019. For its part Amnesty is seeking to highlight how lithium-ion batteries, which power electric cars and electronics, are reportedly linked to “human rights abuses including child labour in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and environmental risks which could undermine their green potential”.
