UK News
National to unveil product group expansion at Automechanika Birmingham
National Auto Parts will be exhibiting at this year’s Automechanika Birmingham, bringing its full aftermarket offering to the show, taking place at NEC Birmingham on 4-6 June, including three new product groups of brake shoes, brake hoses and wheel cylinders.
Charity benefits from local automotive business raffle
Wolverhampton-based automotive parts distributors Monmore Auto Parts and Midwest Auto Parts recently held a Christmas raffle to raise much needed funds for local charity The Haven.
IAAF presents PACT with 2018 Service Supplier of the Year Award
The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) has presented the runner-up award for IAAF Service Supplier of the Year 2018 to PACT, the joint venture between eParts and TecAlliance.
Infiniti withdrawing from Europe by 2020
Infiniti Motor Company has announced a restructuring plan that will result in its withdrawal from Western Europe in early 2020. In practical terms this means production of the Q30 and QX30, which are made at the Nissan plant in Sunderland, UK will cease by mid-2019.
Trico sponsors Swansea Ladies’ hockey team
Pontypool based, windscreen wiper blade manufacturer, Trico will again sponsor the Swansea University Ladies’ Hockey Team at this year’s annual Welsh Varsity game, on Wednesday 10 April.
Melksham Motor Spares announces 2019 partnership with Formula Ford Championship
Melksham Motor Spares, one of the South West Region’s largest independent motor factors, will continue its sponsorship of the Formula Ford Championship at Castle Combe Circuit for a second year.
Trico partners with Marathon Distribution
Trico has partnered with Marathon Warehouse Distribution, enabling motor factors to have same-day access to original equipment (OE) quality wiping products from the Trico Flex and Exact Fit ranges.
Moody’s: “Credit negative for automakers” would result in more factory closures
A no-deal Brexit “will change operating landscape for global auto industry”, according to credit analysts at Moody’s. Specifically they report that they expect Japanese, UK and some German automakers will see profits hit due to 10 per cent auto tariff and through their exposure to production and trade disruptions. And, suggesting that we should expect further closures, they added that the news would affect “production strategies in the UK and across Europe”.
Biker Group switches to 100% Michelin tyre supply
Construction industry specialist Biker Group reports that it is saving up to £80,000 a year on fuel costs and tyre-related downtime after taking on a 100 per cent Michelin policy. Rolling resistance data provided by the manufacturer – and verified by the firm – shows the efficiencies given by the Michelin X Works tyres have helped cut its annual CO2 emissions by 209 tonnes thanks to the improved fuel efficiency compared to competitor tyres.
Finding success in an increasingly complex sector
Michelin has long been a leading player in the truck and bus tyre markets, with customers ranging from some of the largest fleets out there to owner operators. And yet, recent years have been tough for everyone in the commercial vehicle segment as the forces of economic uncertainty combined with a tidal wave of low-cost Chinese tyres have put pressure on businesses. As we approach Brexit, roughly a year after anti-Chinese truck tyre imports were implemented, Tyres & Accessories spoke to Michelin business-to-business sales director, Chris Smith as well as Andrew French (Michelin director services) and solutions in order to find out more.
Smart motorways dangerous for recovery workers
One key outcome of the establishment of both PROF and the Roadside Rescue and Recovery APPG is that Sir Mike Penning committed to reviewing the safety of so-called "smart motorways". His speech within the houses of Parliament at the launch of PROF saw the Sir Mike admit the information he had when he was one of the MPs that signed off on smart motorways did not reflect the correct situation.
Demand grows for National Auto Parts’ brake products
In response to increasing demand from factors and garages, leading UK clutch and brake specialist National Auto Parts has added further pads and discs to its burgeoning braking portfolio.
Autosupplies spring forward with Kilen van
Autosupplies Chesterfield have been a dedicated Kilen partner for over 10 years, stocking 1100+ Kilen references and offering multiple same-day deliveries across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. They have recently expanded their fleet of 60 delivery vehicles with the launch of a Kilen-branded van.
Automechanika Birmingham 2019 to launch ‘The Big UK Garage Event’
Automechanika Birmingham 2019 is giving independent garages a boost by announcing the launch of its new Big UK Garage Event at this summer’s show, providing more benefits to thousands of garages planning to visit.
Brexit OE tyre red-alert
Is Brexit going to wreak havoc on the automotive business or is it all just another millennium bug flash-in-the-pan? If a no-deal withdrawal does spell havoc, is it going to impact the tyre business as much as the OEMs?
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