Factor & supplier news

Swarfega has gone online to try and expand the markets awareness of its products by launching swarfega.com.
The brand famous for its green cleaning gel is looking to educate distributors and the end users that it has a range of 40 products including cleaners for hands, parts, vehicles and degreasers

The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) is gearing up for its first in a series of network meetings. The event on March 25 at First Line’s headquarters in Banbury, is designed to bring the aftermarket closer together and is open to all IAAF members, with the first meeting focusing on being successful with social media

Carrying on the Inside Line series, we move on from looking at the Ford Ka and turn our attention to the Citroën C1, Peugeot 107 and Toyota Aygo. The popular supermini was the creation of a joint venture between PSA and Toyota. Originally launched in 2005 in three and five door guise the trio were facelifted in 2009 to improve the aesthetic appeal and once again in 2012 to include day running lights

TJ Filters has returned to the market with 500 new references after spending 15 years in the wilderness. Tetrosyl has pumped in £10 million into the project to revive the famous brand and created 60 new jobs as a result

Euro Car Parts has released the first premium range of remanufactured self-adjusting clutches into the UK. EcoTech clutches are promoted as a responsible choice for those who care. They are manufactured in Europe to SAE J1915 standard and are fully guaranteed with a two-year or 20,000 mile warranty

Heritage is the key driver behind Simoniz’s new black and gold rebrand. The change and re-livery of its products is harking back to the days of Simoniz’s iconic Original Wax gold tin, as it looks to continue its sales drive in the UK

Aftermarket small and medium sized businesses could be set to benefit from better funding as Government scrutinises the lending process. The Parliamentary Treasury Committee is beginning its inquiry today, and will be investigating how easy it is for SMEs to borrow money, the treatment they receive from the banks and how to open the sector up to more competition

Using an online system can increase the business efficiency of suppliers communicating to retailers and factors.
TecDoc has seen a number of recent successes that not only given the independent aftermarket more freedom, but also benefited new suppliers looking to target this sector

Valeo has launched a new catalogue outlining all of its Silencio range of wiper blades. It has the complete range of 221 part numbers consisting of a mix of universal, flat blade, specific-fit, rear and hybrid wipers, covering more than 96 percent of the car parc.

Despite the best efforts of the British weather we were delighted to welcome the great and good of the aftermarket to the 2014 CAT Awards. While the sun was shining as our event kicked off, rain, wind and flooding made for some epic journeys for those making their way to the awards venue at Twickenham Stadium from around the UK and abroad