The director of a three-branch garage is reporting a “sharp increase” in alignment revenue following the installation of Hunter’s latest aligners from UK distributor Pro-Align. The company said the accuracy and reliability of the premium machinery, the transparency the machines offer Jet Wheel Tyre’s customers and Pro-Align’s ability to fit the Hunter machinery into tight spaces were the most important factors in its selection of wheel aligners.
Website AlignMyCar.co.uk has explained the value of four wheel alignment to families driving to their summer holiday destination, in terms of safety and costs. Drivers of misaligned vehicles see tyre wear increase in rapidity, fuel bills rise and potential dangerous distractions such as vehicle pull or a crooked steering wheel. “Many families will be preparing for an intensive period of motoring during the summer months, and having a four wheel alignment check can help to ensure it is as carefree and economical as possible,” explains Paul Beaurain, whose distribution company Pro-Align is behind the wheel alignment website.
A primary supplier in major car and truck manufacturer dealership equipment programs, Hunter was pleasantly surprised by visitor numbers at the Italian trade show. “Autopromotec was very well organised and attendance was much better than we had anticipated,” said Robert Bruce the company's advertising manager.
It might not be regarded as diagnostics per se, but Pro-Align recently announced the launch of ‘TouchRemote’, an iPhone App’ which gives users full wireless remote operation of Hunter WinAlign alignment systems. For maximum workshop flexibility, users can monitor live vehicle measurements, control WinAlign software features and view vehicle specific adjustment illustrations and digital images directly on their iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad.
Wheel alignment specialist Pro-Align has released two further information technology upgrades, which enhance the powerful capabilities of its wheel alignment systems. WinAlign 11 is the latest operating software for its Hunter WA series aligner console. The UK distributor says the latest version gives workshops greater functionality and levels of integration, helping to further simplify and reduce the time taken to perform complex wheel alignment work. Pro-Align has also launched ‘TouchRemote’, a free iPhone App that allows users to operate WinAlign alignment systems.
UK car leasing customers are struggling to avoid potholes on the nation's roads, a study has revealed. According to Kwik Fit, nearly four in ten British motorists (or 13.7 million) have taken dangerous action to avoid hitting a pothole over the past 12 months.
Leading wheel alignment specialist Pro-Align, has fitted its fleet of service and sales vehicles with winter tyres for the first time. The company says this should help maintain the high levels of support and assistance, whatever the weather this coming winter. By fitting winter tyres, Pro-Align says it aims to maintain its maximum 48-hour response times for any service breakdowns while ensuring its drivers remain safe on the road.
Workshops looking to increase service bay efficiency can now view the latest Hunter RX40 wheel alignment lift console, following installation of the equipment by Pro-Align’s at its Northamptonshire headquarters. The latest addition to Pro-Align’s range of advanced wheel alignment equipment features automatic tyre inflation and remote locking of turn plates and slip plates, saving technicians from walking up to five extra laps around the vehicle. Wheel alignment measurements readings can now be delivered in as little as two minutes, according to the garage equipment supplier, significantly increasing productivity and vehicle throughput.
Pro-Align has appointed three new field-based sales executives and one further addition to the company’s headquarters support team, stating that the roles were “created… in order to cope with an increased level of demand”. The company has long argued that its premium range of Hunter equipment provides garages and workshops with additional revenue opportunities due to factors such as the wider range of services they allow garages to offer and the increased speed with which they allow tasks such as four-wheel alignment to be completed. “Advanced wheel alignment systems are being increasingly recognised by the trade as an excellent source of revenue and new business,” explains Paul Beaurain, managing director, Pro-Align.
A new addition to the range of conventional sensors offered by Pro-Align is intended to offer garages even quicker wheel alignment measurements. As Pro-Align explains, unlike many conventional sensors, its new DSP700 series sensors allow users to carry out ‘rolling compensation,’ making the measurement process much quicker and easier than the traditional jacking compensation method. The wheel alignment specialist estimates that measurement times can be reduced by as much as 60 per cent.
HiQ franchise Easy Autocentres’ branches in Erdington and Kettering say they are benefitting from their investment in Pro-Align’s £30,000 wheel alignment systems. HiQ says there has been an increase in wheel alignment work of up to 50 per cent at each centre that now uses advanced Pro-Align machinery. Pro-Align says its systems help to improve motorists’ fuel economy, while also spotting defective and dangerous tyres at an early stage, thus reducing the potential of serious accidents.
Having been voted the winner of this year’s TAFF Innovation Award by the National Tyre Distributors Association judging panel despite tough competition from many other innovative products, the team behind the Hunter SmartWeight Balancing system was keen to reveal the benefits of using the product. Hunter says that it took “a completely fresh look at balancing methodology and came up with an entirely new system that works with greater efficiency and split tolerances, the features that helped it to the innovation award and which it says benefit operators over comparative products. Supplier of wheel alignment and balancing equipment, Pro-Align listed the features that helped SmartWeight on its way to the TAFF Awards:
The emergence this year of the FS40LT four post alignment lift, distributed exclusively by Pro-Align, has reportedly created “a wave of interest in the UK market.” Fresh from winning the NTDA innovation prize for its Hunter SmartWeight system at this year’s TAFF awards, Pro-Align are now offering what the company calls specialist alignment lifts.
“The FS40LT has been developed by Provac, Hunter’s distributor in France,” Pro-Align’s Paul Beaurain explains: “Utilising years of alignment experience, they have brought together the best features to make an extremely high specification ramp, providing…the ultimate alignment service, at a price that’s no more expensive than a standard four post alignment lift.”
With the recession biting and more of the aftermarket looking to wheel alignment servicing to generate revenue and increase profit margins, Pro-Align is its new Hunter HawkEye ‘Special’ alignment system at an economical price. The idea is to increase access to premium quality products by offering an entry-level model at a competitive price.
The HawkEye Special is very similar to the Hunter HawkEye 100 model, with the only real difference being it uses a two camera system instead of the four camera system of its sibling. The camera lift system offers versatility enabling the HawkEye Special to operate at variable adjustment height. With the console mounted on the main column, the system remains compact, offering great space savings in the workshop whilst not compromising on quality and accuracy of alignment readings as well as offering the valuable ‘before’ and ‘after’ colour customer printouts. According to the Hunter HawkEye imaging provides low cost of ownership through the use of its polycarbonate HEX targets and the cameras being mounted out of harms way.
Wayne Rogers and Jarett Lathey have joined Pro-Align to manage sales for the East and South East counties.
Rogers joins Pro-Align having been in the industry for over ten years: “I have watched Pro-Align progress over the years and in my opinion they very much have their fingers on the pulse. Since joining I have also come to appreciate why Hunter equipment is world leading! It is their quality, level of technology, the aims to make every job as easy as possible, whilst maximising profitability and savings for the end user, no matter the size and status.”
Lathey brings extensive sales experience to Pro-Align, although new to alignment equipment (having sold power tool equipment previously). He has found, he says, the right balance between technical/sales giving the challenge he was looking for in his career. “Although I have been with Pro-Align only a short time, I have learnt so much… I am very impressed by the Pro-Align set up. As a company they are professional, well organised and offer their customers a very high standard of service. I have definitely made the right move!”
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