GPC Asia Pacific acquires Rare Spares

VICROADS LICENSED VEHICLE TESTER COURSES

Available from Kangan Institute

Kangan Institute is one of Australia’s largest automotive training providers and since 1994, has been delivering VicRoads Licensed Vehicle training. This training currently takes place at Kangan Institute’s Automotive Centre of Excellence (ACE), conveniently located at Docklands in Victoria. Some courses are also available online. About Licensed Vehicle Testing

Although vehicle owners are responsible for keeping their vehicle in a safe and roadworthy condition at all times, roadworthiness testing is undertaken to help minimise the possible hazard to road users including buyers of used vehicles where the vehicle may be in a potentially harmful condition, often without the owner being aware of it. A certificate of roadworthiness issued by a licensed tester is certification that a vehicle meets the roadworthy requirements and is fit for use on our roads. Automotive business directors and their staff can undertake the accredited training to upskill as well as diversify their business’ income stream. Courses available:

Light Vehicle Licensed Vehicle Tester: this course incorporates how to carry out a Roadworthy inspection in a thorough and efficient manner. This is done by demonstrating and following a logical inspection sequence, and the correct inspection techniques and application of VicRoads Standards and Regulations. Participants who successfully complete the course receive an examiners’ accreditation card and certificate. Heavy Vehicle Licensed Vehicle Tester: this course is based on the National Heavy Vehicle Inspection Manual (NHVIM) to provide a consistent test/fail guideline for Heavy Vehicle Inspections. Examiners will use the NHVIM to inspect and test a vehicle using the HV Examiner manual with the current equipment required under Licensed Vehicle Tester Licence conditions. Motorcycle Licensed Vehicle Tester: this course applies the standards relevant to the inspection of Motorcycles for roadworthiness, using all of the relevant VicRoads Standards and Regulations, and a full understanding of the liabilities and responsibilities for an authorised examiner when inspecting a Motorcycle, and issuing a Certificate of Roadworthiness. Light Bus Tester Technical Examiner and Heavy Bus Tester Technical Examiner: the Bus Tester courses cover the accreditation component for participants to be aware of and understand their responsibilities in examining Small Buses (SB) Less than 4.5 Tons or Heavy Buses (HB) More than 4.5 Tons in in accordance with VicRoads requirements. For more information, visit www.kangan.edu.au/vic-roadslicensed-vehicle-tester-courses

GPC ASIA PACIFIC ACQUIRES RARE SPARES

Rare Spares was founded in 1974, originally supplying new and refurbished parts for early model Holdens

GPC Asia Pacific, best known for its Repco business, says it is delighted to announce its acquisition of RSP Automotive and Industrial (Rare Spares). Rare Spares has built one of the most trusted, respected, and recognised names in the automotive restoration market. Originally supplying new and refurbished parts for early model Holdens, it has diversified into a company that specialises in industrial rubber products, pressed metal products, clips and fasteners, and automotive OEM products. Repco has earned the trust of customers for almost 100 years. Its many achievements include famously partnering with Sir Jack Brabham in the 1960s for three Formula 1 Grand Prix wins in the BT19, powered by a Repco Brabham engine. In the 1970s Repco developed and built the F5000 engine for Formula 5000 racing, which won races in the Australian Grand Prix, the New Zealand Grand Prix, the Australian Driver’s Championship, and the Australian Sports Car Championship. From 2021, Repco will bring fans the Repco Supercars Championship and the Repco Bathurst 1000. Recently, Repco was recognised as one of the best places to work in the Retail, Hospitality, Tourism and Entertainment category by the Australian Financial Review, and won Inside Retail awards for Best Instore Customer Service Initiative and Best Customer Service Team. “RSP and Rare Spares will continue to operate under the Rare Spares banner, under my leadership, and will be fully supported by the Repco crew,” Rare Spares Managing Director, Lance Corby, said. “In addition, my existing leadership team and operational structure will remain in place and the RSP and Rare Spares brands will continue to exist and grow in the market. “There is only upside to this, you won’t really see a change in the Rare Spares brand at all. Repco has a lot of tools that we can piggy-back off to help our development and supply faster to market – product sourcing, shipping and so on. There are so many synergies with the two companies working together.” GPC Asia Pacific has entered into a binding agreement with Rare Spares and subject to customary pre-completion requirements, this will take effect from 1 June. “We couldn’t be more excited to have the Rare Spares team join our GPC Asia Pacific family, and we’re fully committed to supporting the continued development and growth of Rare Spares under Lance Corby’s leadership,” Repco Australia Executive General Manager, Wayne Bryant, said. “We recognise that Rare Spares is an amazing business, and we are determined to build upon its legacy by continuing to operate Rare Spares stores, staffed by passionate and experienced car restoration experts. “The Rare Spares product offering is quite differentiated, but highly complementary to Repco’s broad range of auto parts and accessories and will enable us to provide car enthusiasts of Australia with a really compelling offer. “Rare Spares will operate alongside Repco and will ensure that automotive enthusiast and professional workshops customers have access to everything they need to love, fix and drive their cars now and into the future.” For more from GPC Asia Pacific, visit www.gpcasiapac.com