Diagnostics
Snap-on Tools has appointed of Phil Nassau as its new UK National Sales Manager. Nassau, who completes his MBA from Liverpool University in October, is pictured (left) with Aldo Rodi, Snap-on Tools’ recently appointed UK managing director, to whom he reports.
Euro Car Parts (ECP), the UK's leading aftermarket parts distributor has launched its first Euro Garage Solutions catalogue. Products include: diagnostics, compressors, lifts and tyre equipment from suppliers such as Brian Bee, Ecotechnics, Bosch, Werther and the latest addition to the EGS range – John Bean tyre equipment.
Snap-on Equipment has taken on a number of Area Sales Managers (ASM) to strengthen its UK-wide distributor support. The appointments are part of the company's ethos of providing highly effective sales support for distributors and include existing motor industry stalwarts, as well as those bringing fresh knowledge from other sectors to the business. Snap-on Equipment's products under the John Bean and Hofmann brands are exclusively available via the company's distributor partners.
Snap-on Diagnostics has expanded its vehicle lift range with the introduction of two new alignment lifts. The new Snap-on alignment lifts are available in two versions – one with an inbuilt secondary lifting platform (pictured) and the other with flat platforms. Both lifts are electro-hydraulic and built to a very high specification. They have been designed to provide a dedicated level working platform for performing wheel geometry testing and adjustments. Each lift offers hydraulic synchronisation of the platform, front recesses for inserting of turnplates and built in rear slip plates.
Bartec USA, LLC announces the latest software update for its Tech400 TPMS re-learn tool. With this latest software update, the Tech400 tool reportedly provides market leading TPMS coverage of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles. According to the company, this is perfect timing because a recent survey conducted by the Equipment and Tool Institute (www.etools.org) found 53 per cent of the respondents concluded that Nissan and Infiniti vehicles are the most difficult to work with.
Snap-on Tools, reportedly the UK brand leader in tools, tool storage and aftermarket workshop equipment, is celebrating its 45th anniversary by reporting the record sales it achieved in 2009. According to the company, Snap-on Tools’ sales exceeded £100 million for the first time, the third consecutive year of record sales levels. Sales are said to have grown in every product group – tool boxes, hand tools, power tools and hand-held diagnostic equipment.
2009 saw the launch of a radically new technology for acquiring true tyre carcass temperature. BERU f1systems announced their DigiTyre Infrared Tyre Temperature and Pressure Monitoring System (IRTPTMS) as the first opportunity to monitor internal tyre carcass temperature. The system offers excellent resolution (0.25ºC) and accuracy (0.5ºC) across an extended temperature range (-40 ºC to 215ºC). The wheel sensor transmits pressure, air and tyre temperature at 1Hz, via antennae to the ECU. The introduction of slick tyres in 2009 meant engineers were keen to gain a greater understanding of accurate tyre temperature unaffected by heat soak.
Snap-on has appointed Sarah Philpott as acting marketing manager. Philpott, who holds several qualifications in business management and administration (including an MBA from the University of East Anglia in Norwich) joined Snap-on Diagnostics in 2002. In addition to her new position, she also remains responsible for her primary role as sales support manager.
Harley Davidson distributors in the US have reportedly declared nitrogen tyre inflation the safer choice for bikers. According to Sheffield-based company PCL, which will now supply its Accura nitrogen inflation units to the depots, users are impressed with “its performance and reliability, citing the best features as size and the automatic purge and fill function.” Harley Davidson distributors across the US opted for PCL’s mobile cart as a nitrogen replacement solution when they stopped using compressed air for motorcycle tyre inflation. The units are supplied via Baltimore-based Industrial Diagnostics.
Tire Review – Doran Manufacturing and DriverTech have reached a collaborative development agreement to integrate the Doran 360 TPMS with DriverTech’s Windows-based onboard computing and mobile communications system for Class 7-8 trucks. The companies said that integrating the tire pressure monitoring capability into the DriverTech TruckPC, tyre pressures for tractors and trailers can now be monitored in both the truck cab and at fleet headquarters in real-time. “We are excited to offer the capability to communicate tire pressure information and critical low pressure warnings to both the driver and fleet managers,” said Doran General Manager Jim Samocki. “We are proud to be working with a high-caliber company like DriverTech, to expand their capabilities into tyre pressure monitoring.”
In order to celebrate the 5,000th sale of its Solus Pro hand-held diagnostic tool, Snap-on Tools, the supplier of tools, tool storage and workshop equipment for the UK automotive aftermarket, has announced the introduction of celebratory carbon fibre-look edition. Launched in May 2008, the Solus Pro is the second generation of the mid-range model of Snap-on's 'family' of hand-held diagnostic tools and it was specifically designed to provide the technician with an even faster performance and more diagnostic data.
The UK has the worst road pollution in Europe, according to a recent government report, with 95 per cent of cities exceeding the European Union limits for nitrogen dioxide (NO2). This figure is almost double that of the next worst polluter, Germany, where 52 per cent of cities exceed the limit, followed by Italy with 42 per cent, France (21 per cent) and Spain (14 per cent). While the report by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs warns that the UK will face large fines for breaching the EU limit unless radical measures, such as national road pricing and subsidies for electric cars, are taken, exhaust system manufacturer Klarius firmly believes that the best solution would be to ensure the quality of exhausts and catalytic convertors fitted to the UK’s cars.
HPA-Faip, a company of Nexion Group, operating in the international market of fitting centres and workshops for over 45 years, displayed its complete range of products alongside news of its new production plant in Prato, Italy. The company’s product display included the B 225 / B 215, a compact wheel balancer; the evolution of the lever-less M 928 Royal tyre changer; a WDK type-approved product as well as the models M 522 and M 624 from the range of products based on what the company terms classic technology. HPA-Faip says that the area of vehicle diagnostics is particularly important for the domestic market, and sees itself with a growing European and international role too.
The Department for Transport has confirmed that the draft regulations limiting the fitting of replacement CATs to type approved products only are expected to be presented for ministerial consideration this month (June). There is scope for amendments to be made by the minister, but in essence these draft Regulations implement mandatory European requirements, and are expected to become law about four weeks after signature by the minister. The Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) will then be responsible for policing and enforcement of a law requiring replacement catalytic converters intended for cars and light vans registered from 2001 to be fully type approved.
Paul Hannah, business development director at Klarius Group commented: “In relation to vehicles to which the requirements apply, the Department for Transport have confirmed that the result of supplying or fitting a non-type approved CAT will be to make the company or business responsible and ‘potentially certain officers or equivalent of the company or business’ liable to prosecution with a maximum fine of £5,000. Professional Motor Mechanics need to learn quickly about what to do to adhere to the law and protect themselves; their customers, their employers and suppliers.”
Berlin-based research company Leo-Impact Consulting has released a comprehensive (334-page) market study, entitled “European Garage Equipment 2008.”
The report examines the market for the following 12 product categories: Aircon Service, Battery testers and chargers, Body repair, Brake testers and testlines, Diagnostics, Dynamometers, Exhaust gas extraction, Gas analysers, Lifting equipment, Light adjusting equipment, Wheel and tyre and Wheel alignment. These markets are examined in seven different regions, which are Germany, France, Italy, UK, Spain, Scandinavia and Benelux.
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