The Independent Garage Association (IGA) has opened entries for the British Independent Garage of the Year Awards 2024. The awards offer a diverse range of categories to recognise excellence in the independent automotive sector. Independent garages and industry suppliers in the UK can enter online now on the Independent Garage Association website.
The Independent Garage Association (IGA) will run a “bigger and better” British Independent Garage of the Year (BIG) Awards event in 2024. Following the resounding success of its 2023 BIG Awards, where the IGA presented each of the category winners with a £1,000 cash prize, alongside an array of prizes from the event sponsors and also donated £10,000 to the motor industry charity BEN.
IGA will offer large subsidies on MOT training for their members from 1 November 2023. These include a 40 per cent reduction in the cost of MOT tester training and a 50 per cent reduction in the cost of MOT manager training for a limited period. “Due to the challenging times we are facing as a sector, the IGA feels it is appropriate to provide support to members and help them with the cost of upskilling their staff, as we enter the busy period for MOTs,” announced Stuart James, IGA chief executive.
The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) is taking its activity direct to its aftermarket membership with the arrangement of several regional meetings across England in mid-October. With the exclusive meetings providing members with insight into the Federation’s activity, IAAF is taking its message on the road, with hosts offering visitors a glimpse behind the scenes at their state-of-the-art facilities. Meetings are planned for Tuesday 10 October, Wednesday 11 October and Thursday 12 October at IAAF members Ring Automotive in Leeds, SMP Europe in Nottingham, and Hella in Banbury respectively.
The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) has joined other global association leaders to support the critical global Right to Repair movement by signing the new right to repair position statement. The statement enumerates the core beliefs of the movement and the objectives and intended outcomes of right to repair legislation. Importantly, the document sets out ten best practice principles to developing a framework for right to repair legislation that any supporting country can use and adapt to their needs.
UK independent garages have responded enthusiastically to last week’s announcement that they will be able to access Security-related Repair and Maintenance Information (SERMI) using the same framework as their EU counterparts, thanks to agreements reached by the Independent Garage Association (IGA). The IGA reports that garages are getting in touch in large numbers to register their interest in the scheme, which will transform the way garages and workshops access manufacturer technical information on security systems such as keys and ECU coding, by creating one central audit and certification process.
As part of its endeavours to be the “UK’s leading independent tyre dealer and car maintenance network,” in 2022 Point S Tyre & Autocare made a “substantial investment” in its independent auto centres. Point S says its members “can expect a year of further network development and progress in 2023” that builds upon this investment.
The Independent Garage Association (IGA) has welcomed the spotlight shone by the Social Market Foundation (SMF) on the central importance of the UK independent garage sector in ensuring the future mobility of the UK. Readers can download the full report here.
EV Ready has unveiled its line-up of electric vehicle industry experts ahead of a trade show evening on January 25, 2023 at Brighton Racecourse. Alongside an exhibition of the very latest EV-related equipment, tools, training and parts available to independent garages from the UK aftermarket’s biggest brands, an EV Ready discussion panel will weigh-up what the UK’s growing EV car parc means for vehicle servicing and repairs, the business opportunities available and how best for workshops to transition into the new and emerging electrified era.
National automotive parts distributor, GSF Car Parts has been named as the headline sponsor of EV Ready, the UK’s first ever independent garage event dedicated to electric vehicle skills equipment and technology.
As part of Schaeffler’s ongoing commitment to the independent sector, the company is keen to gauge the opinion of the many professional vehicle technicians that fit its original equipment (OE) parts, regarding several key issues, as garages face the many challenges, opportunities and uncertainties of the ever-changing aftermarket landscape.
The Independent Garage Association (IGA) has made a donation of £20,000 to automotive charity Ben on behalf of its members, to help the charity provide vital support to people in the automotive sector.
The Motor Ombudsman has launched its 2021 Garage Star Awards. The awards follow a successful inaugural 2020 recognition programme, which attracted more than 800 online customer nominations for Motor Ombudsman-accredited garages and dealerships across the UK. Cornwall-based Dukes AutoTech was crowned the first national winner. Two new awards have been added to the scheme for 2021, with 40 vehicle manufacturers accredited to The Motor Ombudsman’s New Car Code and 13 businesses that are part of the Vehicle Warranty Products Code eligible for two separate Customer Service Star Awards.
The Independent Garage Association (IGA), which represents the independent garage sector in the UK, is pleased to announce the appointment of Rob Collison as Chairman effective from March 2021. Collinson succeeds Colin Parlett, who recently stepped down from the role after many years.
The Independent Garage Association (IGA) has released the Garage Guide to Working During COVID-19, to help independent garages easily find the guidance they need to support them through the current lockdown. The guide is available to all member and non-member garages and can be downloaded from the ‘COVID-19 Guidance for Independent Garages’ page on the IGA website.
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