Factor & supplier news

The aftermarket has increasing opportunities to sell catalytic converter protection and replacement for stolen devices as thefts have more than doubled over two years, according to new research by the BBC.

S&B Automotive Academy is celebrating record-breaking success with its automotive apprentices as they post the best results in its 42-year history.

An average success rate of 87% was recorded across both advanced and intermediate apprenticeships in the 2012/2013 academic year, a four percent increase year-on-year and 15 percent above the average national success rate of 72 percent for the automotive sector.

Groupauto says its Approved Garages roadshow tour of the UK has been a resounding success. The tour aimed to showcase the opportunities available to garages through the Motor Code for Service and Repair backed scheme.

Ford Retail has announced a new brake pads for life scheme that follows similar intiatives from Halfords and KwikFit. Customers buying a used car from the 65-strong dealer chain will also benefit from free lifetime brake pads and fitting

BEN, the automotive industry charity is saddened to announce that David Prescott, MBE, FCIS, former Deputy Chief Executive has died following a short battle with cancer.

So how does Autodata repay its loyal subscribers for their support in openly discrediting those garages that are foolish enough to contemplate using counterfeit data and discs?
Simple – it hits them with a nifty little nine percent increase in their annual subscription price

Denso has joined TRW’s Diamonds customer loyalty programme to give garages more opportunities to earn points to spend on luxury gifts. The new partnership will be rolled out across the UK and certain other European markets including Germany, France and Poland

Unipart Automotive’s study into the comparative performance of its brake pads against five other manufacturers has caused quite a stir. TMD Friction has issued a rebuttal of the results and instructed lawyers, while others are considering their positions. We’ll put every development at the top of this timeline so you can see at a glance what the latest twist or turn might be. Things are likely to develop quickly and we will add them as and when they happen

Unipart Automotive’s brake comparison tests have kicked a hornet’s nest of feeling in the aftermarket and prompted a stern response from TMD.

A point-by-point reply to TMD’s actions is forthcoming, says Unipart Marketing Director Andrew Jeffrey, but here he makes an initial statement on the reaction to the tests.

TMD Friction has issued a statement regarding the inclusion of its Pagid brake product in Unipart’s comparative test: Braking materials specialist TMD Friction the World’s leading brake products manufacturer, today responded to recent advertising material issued by Unipart Automotive, purporting to set out the results of comparative tests between Unipart’s own brand brake products, TMD’s Pagid products and several other brands