Ones to watch in 2016: Round-up

Image ® Andrey Popov/Fotolia.com

Throughout this week, we’ve been running through the companies who we think are destined for big things this year. This article highlights some other companies to keep an eye on….

RMI-IGA – MOT training ‘for the good of the industry’
The Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMI) is opening a new training centre in the midlands this spring to act as a leading industry resource for MOT tester training.

The DVSA is taking a new approach with MOT tester training by seeking to position it as a specific career route. Future candidates will gain an industry recognised qualification drawn from standards developed by the MOT sector, which will raise the profile of the individual, the employer and the MOT industry as a whole. Combining this with their desire to replace MOT refresher training with

CPD for testers will lead to a very different landscape for MOT training in the future.

These changes may lead to short term fragmentation for MOT training, but the new state-of-the-art training centre will pick up the challenge and lead the way to delivering MOT tester training for the good of the industry.

The RMI has been working with DVSA to develop the new National Occupational Standards for the MOT trade, and supports DVSA’s move to open up MOT training to meet the needs of the industry.

The RMI is a not-for-profit trade body and will deliver to both independent garages and franchised dealers on equal footing.

Arnott Europe – Air suspension gets a lift
Introducing a new product category to the aftermarket is not something that happens every year, but Arnott Europe’s Air Suspension range – products which have traditionally been seen as ‘dealer only’ – is doing just that with its new and remanufactured air struts, air springs, compressors and coil conversion kits now available in Europe.

Not only does Arnott Europe plan to expand its customer base in 2016 by delivering high quality products, multilingual customer service, warranties and technical support, it is also aiming to educate the market by offering training and technical support so that aftermarket workshops can keep air suspension business ‘in-house’.

To support its plans Arnott Europe has already commenced an intensive marketing campaign and distributed almost 400,000 catalogues to workshops and distributors in Europe. The company hopes to educate the market further about the potential in air suspension servicing as well as providing the necessary parts and knowledge to repair professionals in the year ahead.

Brembo’s brake-through act
Brembo, a global leader in the development and production of braking systems for cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles, has announced a major UK distribution agreement that will bring the iconic premium braking brand to all UK workshops in 2016.

Today’s dynamic aftermarket requires a unique combination of superior quality products, services and availability to keep pace with the speed of change challenging garages.

With more than 50-years of collaboration with the most prestigious global car manufacturers and 40 years of victories in sports competitions as the supplier chosen by the majority of the racing teams, the Brembo brand is recognised worldwide as a synonym of quality and winning technological innovation. Throughout the years, Brembo has not only consolidated but also expanded its presence in the European parts market, guaranteeing an aftermarket offer that is complete, up-to-date, and competitive.

NGK – Who wants to be a millionaire?
Ignition specialist NGK Spark Plugs (UK) is calling on members of its BoxClever garage loyalty scheme to kick off the New Year by entering a fantastic free draw to win one million points… enough to exchange for prizes that could be a once-in-a-lifetime holiday or even a new car or van.

The concept of BoxClever remains simple: the more you purchase, the greater the rewards. Following the purchase of NGK spark plugs, glow plugs, NTK sensors and ignition coils, scheme members are encouraged to collect the single boxes that the products come supplied in and these are then returned in exchange for prize points.

The company recently revitalised the scheme and is now offering an array of exciting new prizes which are featured on the revamped website where members can check their points balance, convert their points into prizes and where non-members can now register.

NGK Spark Plugs (UK) promoted the scheme at MECHANEX towards the end of 2015 where it unveiled its new BoxClever branded stand.

Marketing Manager, Mark Hallam said: “We’ve been overwhelmed with the positive response that we have had to the campaign and now we are urging members to get their entries in so they have the opportunity of winning one million points which they can then use to get their dream prize.”

Certas Energy – The IAM’s best kept secret?
If you’ve not yet heard of Certas Energy then that situation is about to change in 2016.

The company is one of the largest distributors of fuel and lubricants in Britain and is responsible for several recognised brands, including: Shell Lubricants, Castrol, Gulf Oil and Valvoline.

Tony Stewart, Director for Scotland at Certas Energy, commented: “Over the last few years, Certas Energy has gone through a series of strategic acquisitions to cement itself as the largest distributor of fuel and lubricants in Britain.

“We’re now on a tactical campaign to find distributors and stockists for our extensive product ranges across all brands so that these world class brands are easily accessible to workshops and factors alike.”

Ferodo – The Eco has landed
In 2016 Ferodo will launch its zero-copper brake pad technology, Eco-Friction, across its Ferodo Premier product range. This follows on from the initial introduction of Eco-Friction pads for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class in 2015. The company is bringing Eco-Friction to market in preparation for upcoming legislation that is set to ban the use of copper in friction materials.

Although the legislation change has been made primarily to reduce the ecological impact of friction materials, Federal-Mogul has been able to develop an alternative that improves performance characteristics too. Independent tests have shown that Eco-Friction brake pads provide significant improvements compared to traditional copper-based components. For example, the popular Mk6 Volkswagen Golf sees a 17% reduction in stopping distance from 115km/h.

Eco-Friction is already OE fitment with some Audi and Mercedes-Benz models, with more announcements from other VMs expected this year.

The company believes the industry’s move to zero-copper will be as significant as when asbestos was banned in the 1980s and Ferodo will be actively communicating the roll-out of the technology and its benefits to customers throughout 2016.

BTN Turbo – Keeping cooler when replacing turbos
This month BTN Turbo – one of the UK’s largest independent turbo distributors – will be expanding its ever-growing range by launching intercoolers for the top 50 fastest moving passenger car and LCV applications. This means you’ll be able to source the turbo, oil feed pipe and intercooler all at the same time!

It is common practice to replace the intercooler when installing a new turbocharger. When the original turbo fails, oil from the turbo, as well as possible contaminants from its damaged parts, are sent through the entire system and may clog the intercooler channels. A damaged or malfunctioning intercooler can lead to serious damage of the turbo, the engine or the exhaust filters.

BTN holds over 18,000 turbos in stock ready for next day delivery. All come with a two year warranty along with BTN’s FitKit which contains all the parts required to fit the replacement unit.

MECHANEX – The PMM ‘live’ experience hits the road
Offering independent workshop professionals the ‘live’ PMM experience, our regional MECHANEX shows continue to provide visitors with a chance to see all of the latest parts and equipment, presented by top industry suppliers, up close and personal. With tool demonstrations, a plethora of essential technical seminars and fantastic show offers, visitors flocked in their numbers during 2015.

Over the next 12 months we’ll be heading to Alexandra Palace, Event City in Manchester, Donington Park and Sandown Park where we’ll be showcasing the biggest industry names, a new and updated programme of seminar topics and some exciting new developments for the show which will enforce MECHANEX’s position as the ‘must attend’ UK trade show for aftermarket technicians in 2016.

PMM – Join our social club
At PMM we recognise that we’re a magazine to serve our readers so we’ll be stepping up our efforts to engage with you guys on social media this year. A bit of healthy debate never hurt anyone and we’ll be asking readers to contribute to industry subject discussions that we put out there. We’ll also be after feedback about the jobs that have driven you crazy or technical subjects that you’d like to learn more about and we’ll endeavour to get them covered in the magazine or online.

Speaking of which, we’re shifting up a gear on our website content this year and will be bringing you exclusive technical articles, features and videos on a regular basis. Sign up free for our bi-weekly newsletter and stay on top of all the latest news.