Kwik-Fit Fleet will use this week's CV show to launch its improved service offering to light commercial vehicle fleets. As well as tyres, the company will showcase its other services, such as vehicle servicing and MOTs and its 'fit tyres at your premises' offering via its mobile tyre fitting and repair fleet.
Tech Europe, the European arm of Tech International, a producer of tyre repair materials and wheel service solutions, headquartered in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, has launched a new website at www.techeurope.co.uk. The site offers an overview of Tech Europe’s product offering, as well as providing detailed information on the company, its current distribution network, and on-going activities.
Michelin Fleet Solutions has announced the extension of its pence per kilometre tyre contract with Carlsberg UK for an additional 12 months. The deal covers approximately 320 commercial vehicles and 147 urban trailers. The company has been fitting Michelin’s since 2007. The fleet runs on Michelin’s popular E-segment regional tyres for a mix of national, regional and urban operations.
Accredited Michelin Exelagri dealers in the UK and Ireland will now be able to secure prestigious Michelin Certified Centre (MCC) status, as the manufacturer launches a new dealer programme for agricultural tyres. Michelin is introducing the new certification scheme across Europe to recognise exceptionally high standards of customer service and expertise; to gain MCC recognition dealers must pass a 48-point independent quality audit that examines every aspect of their business, including workshop cleanliness, the standard of equipment, staff training and customer advice quality. The scheme also includes car and truck tyre dealers and will include earthmover tyre specialists towards the end of 2012.
With TPMS becoming mandatory on new car models this year, Rema Tip Top Automotive believes understanding tyre pressure technology is critical to tyre businesses.
Referring to it as, “one of the most topical and important issues in the automotive industry at this time”, company representatives pointed out the environmental and safety benefits of effective tyre maintenance through TPMS. Optimised fuel consumption and reduced tyre wear, the company suggests, can be seen as great financial incentives for any customer wishing to adopt such a system, but crucially – the say – the road safety benefits for the customer and other road users must be treated with equal regard.
The Bosch Car Service network has held its first conference in Ireland. The network says the event is designed to help independent garages get the most from the scheme’s many benefits, with a day of workshops, training sessions and talks for garages signed up to the Bosch Car Service network.
Aftermarket exhaust specialists CES (UK) announced its decision to diversify its business with the addition of TPMS products and services to its fast fit offer in January. The first step was to become an official Schrader TPMS distributor. Now the company is explaining more about the thinking behind this move, predicting that tyre specialists and independent garages can expect to see a lot more cars with Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) entering their workshops in the months and years to come. To help the aftermarket gain its share in this new market, the company has recently launched what it calls a “total TPMS solution.” This encompasses the parts; equipment and technical support that CES believes technicians will need to successfully service TPMS.
Delticom reports that it now offers UK fleets mobile servicing through its Fleettyres24.co.uk online portal. At present mobile service through Fleettyres24.co.uk is available from more than 150 service providers throughout the UK, and tyres can be delivered and fitted to the customer’s home or other place of their choosing.
Consumer voting for the 2012 Motor Codes Garage of the Year opened today (Friday 24 February) with a four-page special published in The Sun. The award has changed slightly in 2012, with the addition of award categories reflecting large and small garages. Motor Codes has also gained support from a headline competition sponsor, Havoline.
Pro-Align has introduced a new range of scissor and four-post alignment lifts. The new Liftlign range has been designed to fit a variety of space configurations, allowing compact workshops the chance to offer a high-quality four wheel alignment service.
Wheel alignment equipment specialist, Pro-Align has made DCM Tyres in Shaftesbury its first ‘Alignment Centre of the Month’ winner for January 2012. The Hunter distributer says DCM has enjoyed a considerable month on month increase in turnover and profit generated from its HawkEye HD imaging aligner, installed five months ago when the Shaftesbury site opened. The retailer reports income of £4,000 from the machine in January alone.
It’s no joke. When new additions to the regulations governing MOT testing take effect on 1 April 2012 vehicles with dashboard Malfunction Indicator Lamps (MIL) lit at test time will fail their MOT. As we all understand these dashboard lights warn drivers when systems such as ESP or SRS airbags aren’t working properly, but this new rule also specifically highlights that – for the first time – their illumination will directly result in a mandatory fail (the rule comes into effect from 1 January but will be help up as an advisory only until 31 March). Warning lights or MIL that are required to be noted if illuminated include ESP; Electronic Stability Programme, SRS; Safety Restraint System, ABS; Anti-Locking Brake System, and crucially for our business TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System).
A survey commissioned by the UK’s largest fast-fitter suggests the country’s motorists are more likely to return to a garage they trust than to shop around for a lower-priced deal. Kwik-Fit’s survey also suggests that only one in five views convenience as the most influential factor in selecting the garage they want to maintain their car. Over three quarters (78 per cent) of those asked will stay with one garage where possible, and one in three (30 per cent) said they wouldn’t switch at any price. The survey was conducted by ICM Research amongst a nationally representative sample of 2001 UK adults.
CES (UK) has announced that TPMS specialist, Schrader has appointed it as one of its selected UK distributors. The parts distributor says the partnership will allow it to stock one of the most comprehensive ranges of TPMS sensors available in the UK. It also enables CES to supply the service kits, tools and diagnostics that garages will need to undertake TPMS servicing and repair.
As of the 1 January 2012, the MOT test we all know and love will change. No I am not talking about the government consultation exercise mooting a possible change to 4-2-2 frequencies, that would be opening another can of worms entirely. What I am referring to is the technological evolution of the test that will see our belovedly idiosyncratic MOT stretch itself to incorporate an MIL survey. That’s a Malfunction Indicator Lamp check to you and me.
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