Luton-based Vauxhall Commercial vehicles sold more vans at retail in 2011 than any other manufacturer, says the SMMT. Van sales during the year totalled 11,436 – a 25.05 per cent rise over the previous 12 months. To put this in perspective, the market grew by 8.32 per cent.
HiQ Openshaw has announced the recruitment of a new mechanic; while this may not be the day’s biggest news story, its relevance becomes clearer when we consider that the east-Manchester branch is the first of the network’s 150 centres to recruit a woman in that position. The centre took on Dominyka Kasponyte after she approached the garage looking to further her early career working as an apprentice mechanic. Kasponyte, from Gorton, joins a team of nine men at the centre bringing with her various training qualifications including an NVQ and a national diploma. HiQ says she joins “a growing group of women who have taken on roles from centre management to directorship across the network.”
As of the 1 January 2012 the MoT Test will incorporate a malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) check. This will call for the examiner to visually check that warnings lights for ESP, SRS, ABS and TPMS are not permanently illuminated. This will come into effect from 1 January but will be highlighted as an advisory item only until 31 March. From 1 April onwards, vehicles will fail an MOT if these lights are illuminated. Warnings lights or MIL that are to be noted if illuminated include ESP; Electronic Stability Programme, SRS; Safety Restraint System, ABS; Anti-Locking Brake System, and TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System).
ATS Euromaster has been named Van Equipment Supplier of the Year in the Fleet Van Awards 2011. Judges praised the organisation for standing out as “the best example of a totally van fleet-focused company”. The Award recognised ATS Euromaster’s £10 million investment during 2010 and 2011 in extending its offer to the van (and car) market, with new services including nitrogen tyre inflation, air-conditioning recharging, computerised wheel alignment, fault diagnostics and electronic brake servicing.
According to a UK-based vehicle hire website, 14.6 per cent of British motorists admit retaining the tyres on their cars until they fail the MoT or are flagged as illegal during vehicle servicing. The website, VanRental.co.uk, did not specify the size or makeup of the survey group, however founder Roland Head states the results “highlight the casual attitude taken by many motorists towards tyre safety.”
Steve Fulford, chairman of The Parts Alliance says the last year has been a successful one for the parts distributor, with a new, expanded head office opening and continued growth in market share. While 2011 hasn’t exactly provided the sustained growth that one could have hoped for, Fulford says the aftermarket’s continued buoyancy, particularly in the first half of the year, and the trend he reports of more motorists turning to the services of independent garages for cost savings, the prospects for next year are good.
Tyresure has released a new tool for tyrebays, dealerships and workshops; a precisely calibrated tyre pressure gauge that measures absolute, not atmospheric pressure.
Bosch Automotive Aftermarket has appointed Alex Gibson and Paul Rendell as technical service advisors in the UK. The appointments were made following the transfer of existing advisors, Steve Meloy and Kevin Lyon, to the Data Engineering team and Original Equipment division, respectively. Gibson and Rendell join the hotline team responsible for providing technical assistance to Bosch customers to support servicing, diagnostic trouble-shooting, and replacement and repair of automotive products.
The Tire Industry Association has posted the newly released charts from the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration on its website. Commercial truck tyre service providers in the US are required by 29 CFR 1910.177 to have a copy of these charts in every service area, which includes mobile service trucks. Previously a two-chart set, OSHA added a third chart so the procedures for demounting, mounting and inflating single and multi-piece assemblies could be addressed separately.
According to Johnson Controls, an estimated 70 per cent of all new vehicles manufactured by 2015 will feature Start-Stop technology. Yet Joacim Adlerborn, the company’s training and technical services manager, opines that the majority of independent workshops still feel ill-equipped to service these vehicles.
New European requirements on roadworthiness testing will mean that there will be changes to the content of annual vehicle tests from January next year. From 1st January 2012, revised European legislation will introduce new requirements to annual vehicle tests to reflect advances in technology. The changes include additional checks for some of the vehicle systems already examined such as brakes, steering suspension and lighting.
The Unite trade union, Drivers Edge UK and Autoglass are the latest organisations to join in support of the Pro-MOTe campaign launched last month to stop proposals to reduce MOT frequency. There are now 28 organisations supporting Pro-MOTe including the AA, RAC, Brake, British Cycling, the NTDA and the RMI, as well as Kwik Fit, Halfords and Aviva. Transport Ministers have said they want to review the existing frequency of MOT testing which sees cars over three years old tested annually.
ATS Euromaster reports having won back a sole-supplier agreement with Scotland’s largest independent wine and spirit wholesaler, Wallaces Express, just six months after the account was passed to a local independent tyre dealer. The Irvine-based fleet, which operates 50 cars and 70 commercial vehicles, initially changed suppliers in an effort to trim its fleet operating costs, but the new provider apparently failed to meet its required service standards.
Online tyre retailer Blackcirlces.com has joined TyreSafe, continuing a year of membership growth for the not-for-profit organisation reach top gear. The e-Tailer will assist TyreSafe in a wide range of campaigns aimed at raising the awareness of correct tyre maintenance. Mike Welch, managing director of Blackcircles.com, said: “A key priority for us has always been helping our customers to remain safe on the road by reducing the cost of their tyre purchase.
Rackhams Auto Body Centre in Ipswich has installed a second wheel alignment bay, the second of which is operating a state-of-the-art Hunter HawkEye WA Imaging system with an in-floor lift from supplier Pro-Align. The other aligner is also from the American alignment firm, a Hunter P411 with conventional sensors. Rackhams’ purpose built Boss Hall Business Park site, which primarily operates as a body repair centre, repairs about 50 to 60 cars a week, about half of which require wheel alignment.
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