Gemco argues you should give your business the lift it deserves to meet the MOT rush.
The end of March this year marked a full year since motorists were given a six month extension to their MOT expiry dates, known as an MOT exemption. Even though the scheme ended in August last year, the number of drivers who the DVSA have recorded pushing their MOT tests back totals an astonishing 10 million.
This unprecedented shift in the natural rhythm of millions of motorists’ MOTs has had a significant impact on thousands of garages, many which are not multinational, blue-chip companies that can weather the storm, but hard-working, independent businesses that have, in many cases, struggled. The whole supply chain of the industry has suffered too because no garage business prospers while motorists aren’t using garages. Times have been hard and now the industry is looking to bounce back.
As the UK returns to ‘business as usual’, there will be an expectation on businesses supplying the garage industry to thoroughly support their customers. It is with this in mind that Gemco CEO, Andrea Iacchetti, believes they have the perfect answer to help their customers bounce back this autumn.
“We want to assist our partners as much as possible, by enabling them to not only recover quickly, but also to establish themselves to be successful in the long term. We are thinking about the huge numbers of garages which need to upscale or replace old equipment, and their growing need to be able to service Hybrid and Electric Vehicles. We therefore want to offer something of quality and not a race to the bottom, ‘cheap as chips’, short-term solution. Garage owners interested in their long term future want something of substance that will help transform their businesses for the long term.”
As garages consider new capital purchases, this is often considered hand-in-hand with the long-term future that Iacchetti describes. Gemco believes the way to accomplish this is by offering its very best quality equipment at a price it claims has never before been seen in the UK market. In the case of the firm’s most recent promotion, this introduces two special additions: firstly, a free set of wheel supports (worth £1,200), which enable the ultra-low profile AutopStenhoj 2-post lift (available in both 3.5t and 5.0t capacities) to lift vehicles by both the lifting points and also by the wheels.
This means customers could service almost any make and model of vehicle, including Hybrid and EVs; secondly, an industry-leading 5-year warranty, which will give long-term peace of mind – testament to the envied Danish build quality and engineering.
Workshop lift
It’s a small but much needed step in the right direction – one of quality, affordability, and long-term partnership. It’s the type of principle the garage industry was built upon, and one that Gemco believes is firmly linked to the success of its partners.
Let’s have a closer look at the 2-post lift that Gemco is featuring in its most recent special offer.
The two models are both from the Maestro family of baseless electromechanical two post lifts.
The Maestro 235F Sport boasts a 3.5 tonne lifting capacity and three stage arms all round. The asymmetric post design allows the doors of the vehicle to be opened wider into the face of the column. This lift is recommended by Gemco as the perfect solution for customers wanting to lift cars up to medium wheel based vans. When it comes to lifting cars, the Maestro 235F Sport is a perfect solution for very low skirted sports cars – thanks to its ultra-low pad height of just 70mm. What is more, is that with the offer Gemco is running, a free set of wheel supports always offers the operator the flexibility of lifting the vehicle on its wheels, meaning complete access to the underside of the vehicle (think battery removal) is possible.
The next model, the larger Maestro 250 Sport, boasts a 5 tonne lifting capacity and will lift cars up to long wheel-based vans. 3 stage arms all around on this model too, however these are extra-long to reach the correct lifting points on LWBs – an absolute must for safety. Again, this model is offered with the free set of wheel support devices giving the operator flexibility to lift just about anything under 5 tonnes and with four wheels.
As both models are electro-mechanical, there is no going up when all you want to do is go down. Unlike electro-hydraulic two post lift, which need to go up to release the safety locks, the mechanical Maestro goes straight down when you need it to. Existing customers with these lifts comment that this is essential when doing gearbox changes.
Furthermore, as these models do not have a baseframe, there is no obstruction underneath the lifted vehicle. This allows toolboxes and transmission jacks freedom to move to the user’s required location.
