Garages are not required to close during lockdown since the aftermarket has been assigned ‘key worker’ status. This, combined with the delay in MOTs, will lead to a “very busy” fourth quarter of 2020, according to Klarius CEO and former Goodyear UK MD, Mark Brickhill.
British aftermarket parts brand, Comline, has reaffirmed its commitment to copper-free braking with the announcement of an Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) ‘N’ rating. This rating confirms Comline brake pads as containing less than 0.5 per cent of copper by weight and permits the brand to use the AASA LeafMark ‘N’ icon in promoting its comprehensive range of all makes brake pads.
Following the launch of its One Box start-stop battery testing and installation solution at Automechanika Birmingham last June, Ecobat Battery Technologies (Ecobat), has further developed its offering with the release of a free start-stop battery training, assessment and certification.
Britishvolt has shortlisted Bro Tathan in South Wales and one other site for the UK’s first 30 plus GWh Gigafactory. Britishvolt eliminated 40 other proposals in the process. When the project is finalised, the company says the initial wave of £1.2 billion of investment into the site will eventually lead to around 3,500 jobs.
As more and more vehicles are being fitted with technology to assist drivers, this is impacting the way technicians work. One of these components is the ABS sensor, which is often located next to the brake discs and now needs to be considered and checked when changing the discs. With this in mind, Borg & Beck have offered the following advice:
The European car parc comprises more than 40,000 different models, which means – according to battery maker Varta – that not even workshop experts are able to identify the right battery for every single one of them. This is where the Varta Partner Portal comes in and provides assistance with finding the right fit. Varta has now updated its reference application database with an additional 7,176 vehicle models from 165 brands, representing 19.8 million additional vehicles on Europe’s roads. The database now covers 94 per cent of the models in the European market and no fewer than 99.6 per cent or 381 million of the registered vehicles. Customers and workshops can now search for 38,000 car models and their batteries on the industry leading Varta Partner Portal (www.varta-automotive.com/en-gb/business-portal).
To undertake service or repair work on a vehicle’s braking system, technicians need to be sure they are fitting a brand they can trust, with the product quality that both they and their valued customers can depend on. First Line Ltd is a well-known aftermarket supplier and under its Borg & Beck brand offers a range of Becktec coated brake discs and double rubber shimmed brake pads that provides the ideal solution for the discerning professional.
Brake and drivetrain manufacturer Meritor Inc. has appointed Chris Villavarayan as executive vice president and chief operating officer (COO), effective immediately.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has won a landmark prosecution case against a Hampshire aftermarket emission control parts manufacturer for supplying products which fail to meet the required environmental standards.
The case against European Exhaust and Catalyst Ltd, which took place at Portsmouth Magistrates Court and concluded on Monday 28 October, resulted in a criminal conviction for the company and a £3,000 fine.
Klarius
Brembo
AASA
Schaeffler
Ecobat
Northvolt
Varta
Trico
First Line Ltd
Ring Automotive