Scotlands Ash Garage was crowned the 2014 Small Garage of the Year, and in doing so fought off some stiff competition from last year’s winner Anglo Continental Cars and GH Moreton.
Owner Peter Welch said: “I am absolutely amazed that we got into the last three and absolutely amazed that we won it.
The Large Garage of the Year category has been dominated by ABP Motorsport, based in Cheshire, who managed to complete the quadruple last year. This year its monopoly was broken by Welsh workshop Garej Wyn who has scooped the accolade for the first time.
To win anything two years on the trot is impressive, let alone if you have only been trading for two years, but that is exactly what Spartan Motor Factors has done by scooping the Small Factor of the Year Award for the second time.
The large factor of the year accolade is one of the most competitive and keenly contested in our awards, and this year the award was heading back to Scotland, as the Large Factor of the Year torch was passed on to Livingston Autoparts.
Sales Director Chris Burnside said: “It was a huge achievement to just be nominated, but to win was a huge shock.
Aftermarket newcomers had a tough fight on their hands with this new award which aimed to applaud those that have made a significant contribution to their business, whether they are new to the industry or have contributed over a number of years and have shown progression throughout their career.
The customer obviously always comes first and that’s why Greg Lee at Cat Automotive has to call us back when we ring to have a chat about their Extra Mile Award.
He’s sending out some orders, and he doesn’t want them to be late. There’s nothing unusual in that for a factor, but how many would follow the parts down to the workshop in person to help them out if they got stuck?
Our Lifetime Achievement Award has, in the past, gone to the likes of John Haynes and Joe Elliott, people who have created their companies from the ground up.
Brian Spratt, our winner for this year, is very different. Rather than ensuring his own company success, Spratt has seen to it that others can flourish by championing the interests and image integrity of the independent aftermarket.
For the second year running Wilco Motor Spares has walked away with Retailer of the Year. Richard Shortis believes that doing the double at the CAT Awards and in the Retailer of the Year category is a testament to the hard work put in by all the employees of Wilco.
Exol Lubricants has been quietly working away at building and growing its empire both here in the UK and abroad. It often describes itself as the unsung hero of the automotive industry, but that is not the case any more as it won our Supplier of the Year Award.
Corteco is launching a new campaign to help the aftermarket showcase the difference between the varieties of cabin filters. The Smell Box sales aid can be used by counter sales staff to demonstrate the advantages of fitting a carbon activated filter into a vehicle.