Garage Trader Winter 2015/16

WINTER 2015/16

Inside stories...

Ian Wilson, Wilsons Auctions

Pro-line open new facility in Dublin

Quality is no accident...

SIMI Awards

CONTENTS GT

WINTER 2015/16

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Winter 2015/16

Inside this issue...

Front Cover Credit: Collette Dobson Collette Creative Photography www.collettecreative.com subscriptions: (UK £18.00 Outside UK £27.50)

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News...

TO ADVERTISE IN THE MAGAZINE CALL: (028) 9078 3200 REGARDING EDITORIAL CALL: (028) 9078 3220 General Manager Gladys Greer gladysgreer@greerpublications.com Editor Pat Burns patburns@greerpublications.com Art Editor Helen Wright Publishers James & Gladys Greer Designed & Produced by Greer Publications Design

Top dealer awards for Shelbourne Renault and Donnelly and Taggart Suzuki....................................4 Gilbert Tunney, founder of GT Exhausts, receives an MBE for his services to the motor industry.........6 The SIMI awards were held recently where Peter Daly and Frank Byrne received a special award for their Climb4Cancer charity work.........................................................................................................9

Special Features...

Batteries: A new battery company, EasyStart Ireland is launched.....................................................12 Aftermarket: The latest new products from FAI Automotive........................................................................18 Riverpark Training: Apprentices win three medals at the Skills Show........................................................... 34

People...

Porters Bodyshops, where quality is no accident, it’s a culture............................................................19 Garage Trader talks to Ian Wilson, of Wilsons Auctions, who has had everything from needles to gold bullion through the auction ring.....................................................................................................30 Adrian Devitt, who is now Franchise Manager for TP Topping Ford Enniskillen, is in the Driver’s Seat..........38 6

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Greer Publications Ltd, 5B Edgewater Business Park, Belfast Harbour Estate, Belfast, BT3 9JQ Tel: 028 9078 3200 Fax: 028 9078 3210 Greer Publications © 2016. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission of Greer Publications.

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The motor trade, both north and south, has suffered more than many other industries in the recession but finally sales figures are improving in both markets. The February 2016 sales figures for Northern Ireland were up a healthy 6 per cent, year on year, while the SIMI reported an astonishing 35 per cent upturn in new car sales.

Dealers throughout Ireland have also been picking up numerous awards, with Shelbourne Motors scooping the top UK wide Renault Dealer of the Year award. Donnelly and Taggart in the north west also lifted a Suzuki UK award while SERE in Belfast were also announced as Ssang Yong dealers of the year. Here’s hoping the rest of the year continues this upward trend...

Pat Burns Editor

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Garage Trader Magazine

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GT

NEWS

IN BRIEF

NI Renault dealer named best in UK A

NI Renault dealer named best in UK: Portadown car retailer Shelbourne Motors Renault has been named as the best Renault dealer in the UK – the first time the impressive award has come to Northern Ireland. The Award measures all areas of performance, including business objectives and exemplar customer satisfaction. Paul Ward, Director of Shelbourne Motors, [centre] picked up the award from Darren Payne, Sales Director at Renault UK, and Ken Ramirez, Managing Director of Renault UK, at a ceremony in London

Portadown car retailer has been named as the best Renault dealer in the UK- the first time the award has come to Northern Ireland.

Shelbourne Motors Renault picked up the “Dealer of the Year 2015” accolade from Renault UK at a special ceremony in London.

The Award measures all areas of performance, including business objectives as set by the manufacturer and exemplar customer satisfaction, including sales and aftersales quality surveys and mystery shop scores.

Paul Ward, Director of Shelbourne Motors Renault, collected the award and said: “There are over 140 Renault dealers throughout the whole of the UK network so to come out on top is a tremendous achievement and a reflection of true team work.

“These awards recognise dealers who have committed professional standards and expertise, while also achieving remarkable performances over the year. It was a great 2015 for us here at Shelbourne Renault and we’re delighted that that has been rewarded.”

The Award comes as Shelbourne Motors Renault was named as one of Renault UK’s recently launched specialist dealer networks dedicated to the high performance RenaultSport brand. There are only 26 specialist dealers across the UK. ■

Top Suzuki Award for Donnelly & Taggart D

onnelly & Taggart Suzuki, based in Londonderry, recently received the Small Dealer of the Year award at Suzuki GB’s annual awards.

Suzuki announced the winners of its 2015 Dealer of the Year awards at the vehicle manufacturer’s annual national Dealer Conference. At the prestigious event on the Spanish island of Tenerife, Suzuki proudly presented several trophies to the dealer network, which now counts 155 Dealers, in recognition of their achievements, exceptional performance and service during the past twelve months.

All Dealers were assessed on seven criteria which included the percentage of target sales achieved, finance penetration percentage, Sales Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI), Service CSI, number of parts sold, the quantity of accessories sold and return on sales percentage. The figures were then aggregated on a balanced scorecard to reveal the winner in the large, medium and small Dealer of the Year categories. The Master of Ceremonies was the renowned comedian and actor, Rob Brydon.

Victor Pollock collected the Small Dealer of the Year award on behalf of Donnelly and Taggart. ■

R-M® Launches best painter contest R

-M, BASF’s premium paint brand for the automotive refinish industry, is starting its search for the UK’s best young painters to support the 12th edition of the R-M Best Painter Contest, which is taking place in over 18 countries across Europe, South Africa, Asia and North America. The R-M International Best Painter Contest is the automotive refinish brand’s own competition that promotes the talents of our young painters across the world.

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To enter this exclusive competition, painters, aged 30 years and younger, can register with Lisa Archer by email at lisa.archer@basf.com.

Candidates will then be shortlisted to attend the National UK final on 7th June 2016 at ITAS Training Centre.

The main theme for the R-M competition is innovative thinking with state-of-the-art technologies and sustainable solutions, using R-M’s ONYX HD

waterborne paint line. It reflects the global R-M brand philosophy, which is to always remain close to the automotive industry in the pursuit of innovation for a successful and sustainable future.

The finalist identified through the national competition will go on to represent the UK in the international final, which will be held at the R-M Refinish Competence Centre in Clermont, near Paris, between 26 and 30 September 2016. ■ check out the website: www.garagetrader.co.uk

NEWSGT IN BRIEF

SERE wins Ssang Yong Dealer of the Year title

SERE appointed Mitsubishi dealer

Belfast Ssang Yong dealers SERE have won the Ssang Yong dealer of the year award.

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resented with their award at a glittering gala dinner held on board the Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh, the dealership was congratulated on selling more cars than any other in the SsangYong UK dealer network.

Their achievement was made all the more significant having only held the franchise since September 2014.

Paul Williams, CEO of SsangYong Motor UK said: “Sincere congratulations to everyone at SERE - sales, aftersales and management. This is a great achievement, and a beacon to all our dealers to demonstrate what can be achieved.”

“We are naturally delighted,” commented Stanley Edgar, managing director of SERE Ltd, which is based in Boucher Road, Belfast. “This is a great accolade for the whole team who have worked so hard. Getting a new franchise bedded into a dealership inevitably takes some time and effort. Everyone has pulled together and the results we have achieved with SsangYong in just over a year are a credit to them all.”

Added SERE general manager, Bernard McCotter who accepted the award, “The SsangYong franchise has done extremely well since we launched just over a year ago. We are very pleased to have received the Dealer of the Year award and are confident the franchise will continue to go from strength-tostrength.” ■

Pictured from left are Sales Managers Gavin McBrearty and Gerard Crossin, Sales Executive Greg McCormick, General Sales Manager Bernard McCotter, Sales Executive Andy McKnight, After Sales Manager Joanne Thompson, Sales Executive Sean Cahill and Warranty Administrator Fiona Watterson

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ERE recently spent £120,000 renovating its dealership in a prime location in Boucher Road – Belfast’s Motor Mile - ahead of opening with Mitsubishi. The six-car showroom sits on a 2.2-acre site, which also has a seven-bay workshop.

General Sales Manager Bernard McCotter is excited about taking on the new franchise and has recruited three sales staff, including a sales manager, to meet the anticipated demand.

Bernard said: ‘We’re delighted to join Mitsubishi and we have ambitious plans for the future. We are confident this partnership will be a successful one. Mitsubishi has seen fantastic growth in recent years and that is down to the excellent vehicles it has in its range. We are a family-run dealership and customer care is our absolute priority, which I know matches the ethos of Mitsubishi.’

Last year saw 12 new Mitsubishi dealerships open across the UK and there are more to come in 2016. It was also a successful year for SERE Motors, as it was named Northern Ireland’s Regional Garage of the Year

by Motor Codes for the sixth year running. ■

Garages now paying price for oil market fall Independent garage workshops are being squeezed in the oil market turmoil, says fuel manufacturing and waste oil company RE:Group.

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s a direct result of collapsing crude oil prices, the garage industry now has to pay for the disposal of thousands of litres of oil after becoming accustomed to receiving a regular income from it over the last few years.

RE:Group’s commercial director Phil Evans calls the unavoidable charges a ’sting in the tail’ from the current oil market fall.

“It would be natural to think that garages would gain all-round from cheaper oil, but that is not the case. Charges for disposal look like remaining for some considerable time.”

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One upside is that the prices garages pay for highly refined replacement lubricating oils has reduced.

“A crucial aspect of garage management is to make sure that used oil, oil filters, absorbents, antifreeze and brake fluid are disposed of safely and legally,” he said.

“The price of our service to the industry has to reflect the fact that, up stream, we are competing with virgin fuels, whose price, as we all know, has come down at an extraordinary rate. ‘’We have now reached the point where the

value of the recovered fuel is lower than the cost of recovery and, as such, waste producers are required to contribute to the recovery cost,” he added.

The Oil Recycling Association acknowledges that the market expects recovered products to be offered at a discount to virgin products if they are to gain customers.

It explains that the value of waste lubricants is determined by the value of the fuel produced, less the cost of processing to meet the UK Processed Fuel Oil quality protocol. ■

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GT

NEWS

GILBERT TUNNEY

MBE for GT Exhaust founder Gilbert Tunney Gilbert Tunney, founder of the successful GT Exhausts Ltd, has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours’ List 2016.

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his company employs 110 people, and currently manufactures 19,000 different exhaust applications. It has successfully overcome logistical and economic disadvantage, to rank in the top three leading exhaust manufacturers in the UK. Gilbert Tunney is the innovator behind its success. It is his belief that innovation and creative ideas are found at the coalface of business, and he has spent a lifetime discovering pioneering solutions; it is this contribution to the industry that makes him stand out from his competitors. GT Exhausts (NI) Ltd. has been manufacturing exhaust systems for cars, vans, light commercials, agricultural vehicles, plant and industrial equipment from its manufacturing headquarters in Enniskillen for over 40 years.

Over the years, Gilbert succeeded in developing a number of diverse businesses. He has remained true to his Irish heritage, however, at 81 years Gilbert is, above all, a family man.

Married to his wife Winnie, for almost 51 years, he remains an inspiration and role model to his eight daughters and his surrounding communities.

Gilbert’s MBE acknowledges his ingenuity, his entrepreneurial spirit and his outstanding achievements that span over 60 years. With strength of character he perseveres at all costs, and continues to go above and beyond, to help those less fortunate, particularly in business.

For over half a century, Gilbert has bought, sold and managed 48 separate businesses. His major contribution to the workforce in Ireland, and Dewsbury and Aldridge, in England, cannot be underestimated.

With natural business logic, he has worked and succeeded at a range of business types, including shops, funeral director, bars, petrol stations, body repair shops and many automotive services - from building and repairing engines to selling cars, to manufacturing exhausts for the replacement and Original Equipment (OE) markets.

Gilbert purchased his first factory premises in 1975 and secured clients including Ford Motor Company and Chrysler Eire, where he manufactured OE exhaust systems for cars such as the Cortina and Mk 11 Escort. The 6 - garageTRADER

failing economy of the 1970s led to the demise of these companies, but not to be deterred, Gilbert secured new customers and created his own market-force, by developing a wide range of exhaust systems for the replacement market.

He led changes in a male dominated industry, by example, bringing his eight daughters into the business. Indeed, all of his daughters had to take turns at serving petrol in the garage at their home, in Trillick, from 4-10pm every day – moving on to working in the Toyota garage and exhaust manufacturing plant

after school. Each daughter would take the Honda Extreme motorbike to work and did homework in the hut at the petrol station, or at the reception desk of the factory – whilst still manning the phones!

With Gilbert’s daughters at the helm, management is family and it is entirely female. GT Exhausts has a unique organisational culture and although Gilbert has embraced a high performance philosophy, family defines the company. It has guided Gilbert’s actions and driven him to enrich the lives of his customers and associates - although GT Exhausts is a

rapidly expanding and a huge global concern, customers still feel valued, irrespective of its size.

Even now, Gilbert is regularly seen working on the factory floor and known as someone who gives ‘every man a chance.’ He has employed countless individuals, who have fallen on hard times and never discriminated against women working in his factory or offices.

Gilbert was one of the first to employ and train female welders in the late 1970s and went on to take on female van drivers, sales representatives and debt collectors. ■

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GT

NEWS

IN BRIEF

Glenn Allen Glenn Allen, proprietor of Glenn Allen Accident Repair Centre in Cookstown, passed away at the end of November 2015.

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lenn, who was 47, is survived by his son Philip, daughter Nicole and his partner Olivia. He had attended a wedding in Portrush over the weekend of 21/22 November and in the early hours he left to walk back to his holiday home nearby but he appears to have stumbled into a ditch where his body was found the following morning.

Glenn was well known not just throughout the Mid Ulster motor trade, but also in rallying circles as he was a former Northern Ireland Rally Champion.

This big, burly, affable character was one of Northern Ireland’s most popular drivers, a man who could set the special stage roads and forest tracks of Ireland alight.

Glenn won the Northern Ireland rally championship in 2007 before stepping back to concentrate on his car body repair business which he had recently extended.

Admired for his early all-action performances in Mk2 Ford Escorts, it was when he switched to a Toyota Corolla World Rally Car that he won the Northern Ireland title.

His long-time co-driver Damien Connolly sat beside him in over 100 rallies and even ended up beside him in hospital on one occasion.

“It was just my second rally with him, the Lakeland Stages in 2003, and we crashed our WRC Ford Escort very heavily in Ballintempo forest at what has forever after been called Glenn’s Corner. It was a big hit and we were both taken to the Erne Hospital. I wasn’t too bad but Glenn suffered three broken ribs. It didn’t deter him in the slightest and it wasn’t long before he was back at it again.”

Tributes poured in from every corner of Irish rallying none more poignant than from his son Philip who said: “I idolised my Dad growing up and he was a great inspiration.”

Glenn had no greater supporter than his mum Vera who could be found in the ditches and hedges all around the country watching and enthusiastically urging her son onwards. Glenn was a genuinely nice guy, a hard-working man who would go the extra mile to help almost anyone.

Everyone at Garage Trader magazine extends their sympathy to Glenn’s family. ■

I idolised my dad growing up and he was a great inspiration.

Glenns son, Philip

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BMW Award for JKC T

he automotive awards season is in full swing with BMW Retailer, JKC Coleraine, picking up a national award , beating off competition from 150 BMW UK retailers, for the second year running.

JKC were presented with the BMW “New Car Retailer of the Year” award at a ceremony, in the 02 Intercontinental Hotel in London recently by host Rob Brydon. Having also been shortlisted for the BMW Marketing Retailer of the Year and the prestigious BMW Dealer of the Year in the privately owned category it was a highly successful night for the Coleraine business.

The New Car Retailer of the Year award recognises outstanding customer service and business performance during 2015. Niall MacFlynn, Head of Business at JKC said “I am truly delighted for our Sales Manager Andrew Hutchinson and the BMW team at JKC. Our new showroom at Millburn Road, opened in January 2015 has proved to be a fantastic facility in which to showcase the latest models from BMW.”

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BMW Retailer of the Year - Retail Sales Winner

JKC BMW Retail Sales Team

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AWARDSGT

SIMI AWARDS

Outstanding Achievement Award- Climb4Cancer L-R Frank Byrnes Director Frank Byrnes Autobody Repairs Ltd, Pat Creed Managing Director of Bank of Ireland Finance, Peter Daly Synergy Vehicle Refinishing Solutions Ireland Ltd, Brian Cooke Deputy Director General SIMI, SIMI President Mark Boggan.

SIMI Awards T

he SIMI Irish Motor Industry Awards in partnership were held recently. The awards, now in their sixth year, honoured those businesses that have demonstrated excellence and best practice in their Industry over the last 12 months. Open to all sectors of the Irish Motor Industry nine award categories in total were presented by Mark Boggan President of the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) and Pat Creed, Managing Director of Sponsors Bank of Ireland Finance. â–

Motor Factor of the Year- Parts for Cars, Dublin L-R Pictured the team at Parts for Cars receiving their award from Pat Creed Managing Director of Bank of Ireland Financeand SIMI President Mark Boggan

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Award Winners Franchised Sales Operation of the Year- Finlay Motor Group, Kildare Franchised Aftersales Operation of the Year- Joe Duffy BMW. Dublin Commercial Vehicle Operation of the Year- Truck Services, Cork Independent Sales Operation of the Year- Kevin Egan Cars, Sligo Independent Aftersales Operation of the Year- Mark Murphy Motors, Kilkenny Bodyshop of the Year- Red Abbey Motors, Cork Vehicle Recovery Operator of the Year- Irish Towing Services, Dublin Motor Factor of the Year- Parts for Cars, Dublin Outstanding Achievement Award- Climb4Cancer

Bodyshop of the Year- Red Abbey Motors, Cork L-R Pat Creed Managing Director of Bank of Ireland Finance, Liam Twomey Director of Red Abbey Motors, SIMI President Mark Boggan, Brian Cooke Deputy Director General SIMI.

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GT

NEWS

IN BRIEF

Charles Hurst Leads the Way in Future of Car Retailing Charles Hurst Group has unveiled a new customer-led concept which it believes is the future of modern car retailing.

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he unique approach has been launched at the group’s newly refurbished Nissan dealership on Belfast’s Boucher Road and represents an investment of £250,000.

Charles Hurst, the only car retailer in Northern Ireland to boast the new showroom design, has replaced the traditional sales desk with a more customer-friendly, paperless environment which utilises modern technology to give the customer better control and a seamless purchasing experience.

Alan Thompson, Franchise Manager at Charles Hurst Nissan, explains the thinking behind the changing face of car sales: “Through the internet, customers are now better informed, connected, and empowered in their purchasing experience and knowledge. The majority of our

customers are spending more time researching online, utilising social media and car comparison websites before they contact the showroom. This new approach allows the customer to retain their lead in the sales process and enables us to provide a more transparent and holistic service which is seamless from initial contact, through to sales and aftersales services.”

Customers are able to book appointments online and are then checked-in using iPad technology and greeted by a host before being shown to one of the comfortable consultation areas which have replaced the formal sales desks. This new format enables the customer to take the lead with the use of iPads to select or design their choice of car and its unique specifications, which avoid the use of brochures and

Down Tyre Fitter graduates from Michelin Advanced Academy

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own tyre fitter Andy Cummins has graduated from Michelin’s Auto Professional ‘Advanced Tyre Academy’ training course at the company’s headquarters in Clermond-Ferrand, France.

Employed by A One Tyres, Dromore, a Michelin Certified Centre, Andy is one of four technicians from the UK and Ireland to be selected for the second stage of the Tyre Academy programme, having completed the previous course curriculum, which featured classroom and workshop-based training Andy Cummins from Dromore is rewarded with a at Michelin’s dedicated Michelin rally driving experience after becoming one of just four tyre fitters from the UK and Ireland to training centre in Stoke-ongraduate from the Michelin Advanced Tyre Academy Trent. this year.

At the Advanced Tyre Academy, Andy received training in leadership, effective communication, sales management techniques, implementing in-house education plans and performance reviews for dealership staff.

“It’s great to have a big company like Michelin at your side, pushing you to constantly improve and refine your knowledge and customer service skills. The first Tyre Academy gave me a good grounding, so I was keen to continue the course this year,” Andy said. ■

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other unnecessary paperwork.

In addition to the new Nissan showroom, Charles Hurst has also invested £250,000, in the opening of its new Van Centre which has

adapted the same concept in modern motoring retail and offers the biggest selection of new and used vans in Northern Ireland as well as a van rental service. ■

Colin Hagan receives MBE

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olin Hagan, the managing director of Riverpark Training in Mallusk was awarded the MBE for his services to vocational training in the Queens Birthday Honours last summer. He travelled over to Buckingham Palace to receive his MBE from HRH Prince Charles just before Christmas.

Colin built up the Riverpark Training centre from the old Blackwater House Training facility which went into administration after being taken over by Carter & Carter. For the past seven years Colin has built up the centre into one of the best in the UK and his apprentices have won many of the top refinish awards in the UK. Riverpark Training, in the last 5 years, has produced 3 gold, 2 silver, and 2 bronze medal winners in the UK Skills Auto National Competition, as well as a bronze medal and a medallion of excellence in World Skills. They have also won “Specialist Centre of the Year” in 2013 and 2014 Speaking about the award, Colin said, “I am delighted to receive the MBE, not just for myself and the team of trainers at Riverpark, but also for all the apprentices.

They are the future of our industry and they wouldn’t win top awards without the dedication required. Northern Ireland has a great tradition in automotive engineering and I am delighted that Riverpark can continue this.” ■

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NEWSGT IN BRIEF

Pro-Align to open new facility in Dublin W

orkshops throughout Ireland are set to receive even greater levels of service and support from wheel alignment specialist Pro-Align with the news that the company is set to open a new facility in Dublin.

The new premises will provide a demonstration and training facilities, enabling workshops to see, as well as experience the powerful capabilities of the Hunter range of complete wheel servicing equipment first hand, in the full alignment bay and wheel servicing area. The inclusion of a dedicated service area and warehousing, will further enhance Pro-Align’s renowned service levels.

“We’re thrilled to be making this further commitment to aftermarket workshops across Ireland,” comments Paul Beaurain, managing director, Pro-Align. “The Hunter range has a growing reputation for helping workshops expand their business and this new facility will allow potential customers see for themselves just how Hunter equipment achieves this.”

This increased commitment, comes less than two years after the creation of Pro-Align Ireland which is headed up by Shane McGinty in the Republic of Ireland and Eddie Magill in Northern Ireland. Since the expansion into Ireland, the Pro-Align team is delighted with the levels of interest and significant success of the Hunter range of products, from the premium imaging wheel alignment and Quick Check systems, alignment lifts, advanced wheel balancers and tyre changers.

The new facility is located in Plato Park, Dublin and following extensive refurbishment is expected to be fully operational from midApril onwards. ■

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GT

BATTERIES

EASYSTART

Easystart Ireland A

new specialist battery company was launched last September, led by well known expert Colin Watterson who is the managing director. This new company, Easystart Ireland, is able to supply batteries for all applications.

While it is a new company, the staff has a wide experience of batteries and their usage and specification and Colin and his team has over 30 years experience dealing solely with the battery trade.

“Easystart Ireland is the sole Irish distributor for the Monbat factory brand Bulgeria,” Colin told Garage Trader, “ and the range covers car, LCV, HGV, marine, leisure including EFB and AGM (absorbent glass mat) type batteries for start - stop vehicles.

“Easystart Ireland is also the sole Irish distributor for Haze factory brand AGM and Gel types for the fire alarm, UPS disability, golf and floor cleaning markets.”

The company also supply the following well known and respected brands • Unibat motorcycle batteries • Yuasa motorcycle and garden batteries • Odyssey racing batteries • Rolls deep cycle for marine • Euroglobe 6 + 12 volt wet traction batteries for access platform & floor cleaning markets • C-Tek battery chargers “Rather than supplying “ just another labelled battery “ we pride ourselves in supplying quality brands with traceable supply and full warranty coverage,” says Colin.

“We can offer the customer specific battery advice according to their needs. Stock is available from our fully stocked warehouse with a 98% coverage of the vehicle parc, in the unlikely event of not having an item in stock ex-works we have a large amount of contacts within

battery industry to source from.”

Easystart Ireland have two delivery van runs that daily cover the province and border counties. There is also a next day pallet delivery service if ordered before 12.00. Their premises are ideally located near Antrim at Unit B, 53 Largy Road, Crumlin, Co Antrim.

The team at Easystart Ireland is: Colin Watterson Jim Brennan David McNeill Stephen Hanna

“Why not give us a call to discuss your battery requirements,” says Colin, “While we mainly service the trade, retail enquiries will be made most welcome.”

easystart

Ltd

(Ireland)

easystart Ireland Ltd Unit B, 53 Largy Road, Crumlin BT29 4RW Tel: 028 9445 9112 Colin Watterson M: 07745547570 E: colinwatterson388@gmail Stephen Hanna M: 07866851830

Batteries for ALL Applications 12 - garageTRADER

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BATTERIESGT

MANBAT

Making Battery Identification Easy Look No Further Than Manbat’s Battery Look-up

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longside its premium quality brands, Manbat prides itself on the support services it also

provides to its customers in order for them to make the best out of the opportunities that battery and battery

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related products present them.

The company has now launched another support led initiative, with the introduction of its battery look-up website, a battery identification focused tool, that specifically assists users with their battery verification issues.

When using the look-up – www. batteryfinder.manbat.co.uk - users simply need to enter the registration number of the vehicle in question into the search box and the site will use a sophisticated VRM look-up database to locate the correct vehicle and provide access to its vehicle-specific details. This information naturally includes the exact specification of the battery for which it is designed, and therefore provides an absolute assurance of the precise replacement the vehicle manufacturer has specified for that

model.

In addition to the VRM look-up, the site allows users to find the correct battery replacement via two alternative routes should the registration number for some reason not be available. The first is via the vehicle’s own specific identification or VIN number, which it then links through to the database in the same way as the VRM search, the second is a vehicle search menu.

Here, an easy to use and intuitive suite of drop-down boxes will locate the vehicle in the shortest possible number of selections. So both routes make the identification process extremely quick, while maintaining the accuracy required.

For further details, please call Manbat Customer Services on: 01743 218500 or visit: www.manbat.co.uk ■

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GT

AFTERMARKET

SERFAC

CHAMPION

proves popular with NI Customers

CHAMPION lubricants, the Belgian brand with a presence in 88 countries around the world, is proving extremely popular with customers in Northern Ireland since its launch 8 months ago, says Champion’s NI sales agent, Robin Campbell.

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HAMPION helps achieve greater levels of power and efficiency and its extensive product range delivers peak performance in the most challenging conditions, enabling both the engine and the driver to fulfill their potential. Robin Campbell explains: “CHAMPION has developed advanced lubricant solutions and categorizations that respond to the swiftly changing lubricants market and users will be reassured to find a perfectly tailored product for their needs and vehicle requirements. CHAMPION products are named to clearly express their benefits and to give our customers a lubricant that supports their own goals and priorities.”

“Most importantly, CHAMPION’S high quality is reflected in the fact that its products have achieved formal approval certificates from all the major international vehicle manufacturers including BMW, Mercedes Benz, VW and GM.”, he continued.

“We have all these certs available for customers to view if they wish.”

The brand recently launched a new range addition - OEM SPECIFIC 0W30 MS-FFE - the first product in the aftermarket for the latest Ford engines.

CHAMPION OEM SPECIFIC 0W30 MS-FFE should be used to service the newest Ford Duratorq Euro 6 Diesel engines (Ford Focus, Mondeo, C-Max, Grand C-Max, Kuga). These engines, in the market since 2014, require their first service fill now. CHAMPION OEM SPECIFIC 0W30 MS-FFE meets the Ford WSSM2C950-A specification, with service intervals up to 30.000 km or 2 years.

To give distributors and users a level of support unseen in the lubricants industry today, CHAMPION offers extensive training and industry support. The dedicated CHAMPION website has product finder tools which identify suitable products, including equivalents for other lubricant brands, a wealth of technico-commercial information and training modules that share the latest technical insights and materials. Visit www.championlubes.com for more product information. ■

CHAMPION product categories:

Passenger Car Motorcycle Motor Oils Heavy Duty Motor Oils

Marine

Transmission Fluids

Agriculture

Brake/Steering/ Industry Leveling Fluids Winter Fluids

Greases

Maintenance Products For further information regarding the Champion range, please contact Robin Campbell on (+44) (0) 7710 678778 or by email at robincampbellrca@btinternet.com

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AFTERMARKETGT MAHLE

MAHLE Aftermarket’s top tips for coolant circuit repairs F ollowing its expansion into the thermal management market, MAHLE Aftermarket has issued some timely tips for workshops carrying out coolant circuit repairs.

Thermostats, thermal switches and temperature sensors are designed to last the service life of an engine and are maintenance-free. They do, however, need to be exchanged when accidents occur or as a result of external influences.

During the mandatory inspection, particular attention should be paid to the following components and circumstances: • Do the radiator and/or coolant pump have any obvious defects?

• Is the coolant hose perished or damaged – possibly by such an external influence as rodent gnawing?

• Is the water pump drive belt in good condition?

• Was the cooling system opened beforehand, for example, to change

the timing belt or replace the water pump? Then be sure to thoroughly bleed the system for about 30 – 60 minutes. Otherwise a more expensive fault may occur after driving a few miles!

Is there previous damage caused by thermal overloading or contamination due to previous service or repair work on the system?

This can cause additional failure risks for thermostats, and often the reason for repeated overheating or even system failure.

When carrying out any work on the coolant circuit, MAHLE Aftermarket strongly recommends that technicians do not just replace the defective part, but also all the coolant and all thermostats, thermal switches and sensors. This is not just more economical than having to repeat the repair process, it also prevents complaints and increases customer satisfaction. www.mahle-aftermarket.com ■

40 Celebrating 40 Years 1975-2015

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AFTERMARKET

VW Audi, Mahle, Hella

VW Audi coil pack removal with ease

W

ith long life service schedules and modern VW/ Audi petrol engines running very cleanly, spark plugs are rarely

changed. However, at service time when the plugs do need to be changed, and with their coil-on-plug systems, after up to

MAHLE Aftermarket: Winter cabin filter replacement A

lthough service workshops tend to recommend cabin filter replacement at springtime, what is often underestimated is that pollen and pollutants that become deposited in the filter during summer months only become really noticeable in winter, with fogged windows, decreased heater performance and unpleasant odours among the most obvious symptoms.

During an hour-long drive, up to 100,000 litres of air is passed through the passenger compartment, and in a commercial vehicle, this can rise to as much as 540,000 litres. All this air contains pollen, dust, soot, smoke, tyre and brake abrasion dust, apart from the significant health hazards created by ozone, gases, benzene and sulphur compounds drawn into the ventilation system.

That is why regular cabin filter

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replacement, which will ensure that these harmful pollutions are kept well away from the passenger compartment, should be considered a must at any time of year.

As with turbo replacement, the extensive range of MAHLE Original pollen and carbon-activated cabin filters provide the independent service sector with a guarantee of OE quality and specification.

If workshops struggle to convince customers of the wisdom of a cabin filter change, MAHLE Aftermarket’s advice is to simply show the customer the contamination captured by an old cabin filter, after which, they will need little convincing!

For more information about the quality products available from MAHLE Aftermarket, call the sales team on: 0845 688 5007 or visit: www.mahle-aftermarket.com ■

40,000 miles the coil packs don’t want to budge! They sit deep down between the camshafts, access is difficult, and the tight fitting rubber

boot will not easily come apart from the spark plug.

The answer is this ignition coil puller from Laser Tools (part number 6298). The coil pack securing screw is removed and the coil puller is inserted into the screw hole. Turn the knob and the shaft expands to firmly grip the coil pack which can then be steadily removed without any damage.

Equivalent to the OEM T10530 and fits the Golf 2013 onwards, Audi A3 2013 onwards, Seat Leon 2013 onwards and Octavia 2013 onwards, running the 4-cylinder 1.2/1.4 litre direct injection engine, and 4-cylinder direct injection 2.0 litre 4v turbocharger chain drive Generation 111 engines.

Available now from your local Laser Tools stockist, a specialist tool for the specialist technician.

Typically priced at £55.88 (plus VAT) but remember to check for the best prices and special offers.

More details at: www.lasertools.co.uk ■

Hella launch wash-wiper blades for commercial vehicles

H

ELLA, one of the leading producers of wiper blades, has launched a new range of wiper blades with an integrated wash attachment for the commercial vehicle market.

The blades are manufactured with a heavy duty frame which allows them to withstand the additional stress of frequent travelling.

Supplied in pairs, with pre-fitted adaptors, the wash-wipers are easy to install and replace, and with tube extensions available for specific vehicles, servicing is quick and efficient.

As with all HELLA blades, they provide long lasting performance for dependable, optimum visibility – essential for safe driving in difficult weather conditions. The range covers popular applications including DAF, Iveco, Nissan, Renault and Volvo, for both left and right hand drive. ■

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TECH TIPSGT

DAYCO

Dayco Releases High-Efficiency Aftermarket Water Pumps D

ayco has just launched its first stand-alone mechanical water pump program. The initial range provides coverage for 90 per cent of the UK vehicle parc, which equates to approximately 27 million vehicles.

As the water pump is now integral to many primary drive systems, the on-going requirement to achieve a low friction return from the primary drive system also influences the design of the water pump, which is why the highly-efficient pumps within the programme fit so comfortably within Dayco’s existing aftermarket product portfolio.

Dayco has a global reputation as a top quality OE (original equipment) manufacturer and supplier, and the new Dayco water pumps are naturally manufactured to the same high standards as the many existing components the company manufactures and distributes globally.

Each Dayco water pump features the latest technology, including low friction seals, which are arguably

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the water pump’s most critical component because the seal must not only prevent coolant leakage, but also provide a long service life. As a result, the highest quality materials have been used in the seal manufacturing process.

Additional design features include coolant-resistant, long service life grease for the bearings and pump specific impellers that are optimized for each individual application and designed to ensure efficient coolant flow throughout the engine and prevent cavitation within the coolant.

Impeller design is extremely complex and requires both high-tech software and comprehensive real world testing to ensure the performance of the finished product.

Finally, the main water pump bodies are designed to support external loads from the associated components in the drive belt system, as well as engine vibrations and thermal movement, while remaining perfectly watertight in all conditions. â–

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FAI

AFTERMARKET FAI Steering and Suspension

O

ne of FAI’s key core values is best quality. In order to achieve this there are many quality processes in place with the manufacture of the parts that FAI supply. Let’s consider the aluminium parts. The aluminium is tested for the correct hardness and tensile strength to meet the requirements for the application and challenges of our roads and terrain.

All wishbones and control arms are measured during machining at regular intervals to ensure dimensions

remain consistant and in line with a detailed technical drawing. The swing angle of the ball joint is checked along with a torque test.

Matching OE specifications and strength is key. A push/pull test of the ball joints on link rods and tie rod ends is performed on both the FAI part and the matching OE part to ensure that the results and quality are both the same. Link rods also experience a vibration test with a minimum of 1 million cycles to

replicate the performance of the link rod on a vehicle.

All FAI Steering and Suspension parts follow a rigorous quality programme and significant investment has been made to improve quality including additional robotic technology, completion of 5 different welds in one operation and hydraulic aluminium drilling for a faster, higher quality finish.

All parts are cataphoresis coated. This is a highly technical paint process used by FAI factories following OE practice. Paint is attracted to the metal by the movement of charged paint particles towards the metallic surface to be painted. This reaches parts missed by spraying and offers better paint adhesion than dipping thus minimising the risk of corrosion. The salt spray test used

by FAI factories exceeds most OE standards by 30%.

FAI has continued to develop and increase its industry leading Steering and Suspension range through regular research and development by their product specialists. In the last 12 months, over 500 new part numbers for some of the most

modern vehicles in the UK and export marketplace have been added to range; all of which are in stock and available to order. The range extension covers a wide variety of Steering and Suspension parts with particular emphasis on anti roll bar bushes and strut mounts. These ranges are something that have been well received by customers and now contribute to a large portion of sales.

After listening and reacting to overwhelming customer feedback, FAI have also overhauled the way they sell anti-roll bar bushes. Effective immediately, all anti-roll bar bushes are sold in pairs rather than single items. To simplify the process, they will be using the existing part number and adding a K suffix. For example, SS2190 will become SS2190K. For a full list of anti roll bar bushes and a new part number, please visit faiauto.com.

All of the FAI Steering and Suspension range can be found using the FAI online catalogue, MAM, Tec Doc and the 2015 hard copy catalogue is also available.

Follow FAI on faiauto.com, twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+ and Youtube for regular news, technical tips and product updates. ■

FAI Timing Chain Kits B

eing the market leader doesn’t just mean having the largest range, OE quality, great availability and comprehensive cataloguing.

All of these aspects are very important but in addition; you have to provide the best service and aftercare.

FAI’s timing chain kit (TCK) program is the best in the aftermarket with over 320 part numbers, covering a greater percentage of the European and Asian car parc than the competition. The ethos of the TCK program was to bring a complete solution to the aftermarket, so FAI take great care to include ALL the parts needed to complete a TCK installation right down to the last stretch bolt.

TCK’s are a relatively new product to the aftermarket as most popular engine manufacturers have used timing belts to synchronise theiir engine for the past 40 years. For that reason, many mechanics/technicians (with the exception of BMW & Mercedes) have had iittle or no experience of working on engines using timing chains. It has become evident that this is a problem and so to help FAI customers and their customers, they have produced a Fault Finding Chart (600mmX840mm) for TCK’s which demonstrates the most common faults that can arise when a TCK or a component of the TCK is failing in a simple question and answer format.

The simple and clear chart is ideal for placement on the wall of a motor factor, engine reconditioner or a garage counter/customer area. This enables their customers to improve their understanding of TCK faults by knowing what to look or listen for and what action is required to cure them. The diagnostic poster is not just educational, but will also generate sales for the motor factor/reconditioner and parts/labour wotk for the garage.

FAI Area Sales Managers are in the process of presenting each FAI customer with copies of the poster, if you are not an FAI customer but interested in the TCK range, please contact your local FAI distributor.

The full product range can be found at faiauto.com. ■

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GT

porters bodyshop where quality is no accident, it’s a culture...

Increased Manufacturer Approvals for Porters Bodyshop Jim Porter with his daughter Jane and son Colin

P

orters Bodyshop are leaders in the field of accident repair and pride themselves on superlative customer service, well trained staff and state of the art equipment and refinish techniques. The combination of these qualities has seen the number of manufacturer approvals increase to fourteen.

The business is ever evolving under the guidance of Colin Porter who oversees the operation along with his sister Jane who looks after all the company accounts. Colin rates customer care as one of the most important aspects of running an accident repair centre and key to its success.

“Customer care is of the utmost importance,” says Colin Porter.

“Everything we do is built around the same philosophy – to repair the customers vehicle and return it to its original condition – with the least amount of inconvenience to them.

We value all of our customers and actively encourage their feedback because their opinion matters. For our customer satisfaction process to be 100% effective we ask our customers if they are happy with the quality of experience and standard of work we have provided and if they believe we can improve in any areas. All our customers will receive a follow-up call after they collect their car from us.

After all, customers are the reason we do what we do.”

A very high standard of workmanship is essential at Porters and the company ethos is “When only perfect will do.” The technicians at Porters are all trained to the highest standards and teamwork is the central ethos as the company has a team leader in every department.

The team at Porters has expanded considerably since Garage Trader last visited the premises four years ago and Colin is keen to continually develop, expand and improve the company. Porters even employed a full time workshop cleaner to ensure everything is scrupulously clean and

>

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The state-of-the-art workshops are kept in pristine condition

Technician Josh Thom

the newly painted floors create an air of clinical excellence.

“We value our staff as much as we value our customers,” says Colin. “The two go hand in hand and we would welcome prospective technicians to contact us if our team work, equipment and premises are what they value.

“As a team we value and respect others and we believe that care comes from caring and so we provide a level of care for our team members that inspires by example, generates trust, respect, open and honest communication and 20 - garageTRADER

appreciation. Staff feel valued and are offered opportunities to develop and progress, and as a result our staff loyalty far exceeds the industry average.

“By serving our customers with very personable, proficient, friendly, competent service, and listening to their needs we create memorable and distinctive experiences as well as loyal customers who return regularly.

“We constantly challenge ourselves to update and enhance the customer experience. Innovation, constant training and refurbishment help create an environment which

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are approved to " Porters repair vehicles for Alfa Technician Josh Thomson

Romeo, Audi, Citroën, Fiat, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Mercedes – Benz, Peugeot, SEAT, Škoda, Smart, Suzuki and Volkswagen.

Roadside Motors & Edwin May Group Would like to wish Porters Bodyshop continued success

"

Branches Provincewide

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workshop runs " The highly efficiently

and it is clear that everyone in the accident repair centre knows exactly their responsibilities.

"

Colin Porter Sean Heaney and Jack Patterson

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Jim Porter

our customers and our employees regard as friendly environment.

“Porters realise the value of training and all their training is handled by Riverpark Training in Mallusk. Colin Hagan, Managing Director of Riverpark comments that, “The team at Riverpark are delighted to look after the training of all of Porter’s requirements for ATA technicians. The Accident Repair Industry is constantly evolving using faster, more environmentally friendly and innovative techniques and Porters are at the leading edge of this technology. It is no surprise that they have so many manufacturer approvals give the quality of their workmanship and commitment to continual improvement.”

The modern materials used in new car production requires specialised equipment and training and Porters represent what a state of the art bodyshop should be.

In 2013 Porters acquired Daveys Accident Repair Centre in Belfast.

Over the past few years, the team from Porters has updated the equipment and the day to day running of the Belfast branch to bring it in to line with the highly efficient Portadown headquarters.

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Terry Cullen Porters Bodyshop uses two ovens

Keith Cassidy

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Porters Belfast bodyshop allows the company to expand and extend their mark share.

Porter’s Bodyshops in Portadown and Belfast are prime examples of leading the field in car body repair and doing so with such efficiency and skill that approval has been gained from all the leading major insurance Jim Porter takes pride in the quality of his bodyshop, it is kept scrupulously clean and all the equipment has its own number and storage bay

>

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so that everything is always where it should be. Porters have invested in the latest LED lighting for their workshops which is brighter, clearer and cheaper than fluorescent tubes.

Porters also received recognition from the Carbon Trust for their spraybooths which now uses a system where invertors are fitted on all electric motors and this contributes towards a considerable saving on electricity and oil costs.

Since the advent of waterborne

paints, Porters Bodyshop has become even more environmentally aware and ensure that all work is carried out using the latest products that create the least waste or harmful byproducts.

Porters use the latest specialised software for all their insurance work and the EMACS bodyshop management system which covers all aspects of the day to day running of a busy bodyshop. ■

The range of services offered by Porters includes: • Alloy refurbishment • Air conditioning • Aluminium repairs • Customisation and detailing • Superior polishing and waxing • Fleet management • Conference facilities • Glass repair and replacement • Wheel alignment • Insurance products • Smart repairs

Porter’s Promise is very simple: “When only perfect will do.”

BAVARIAN Would like to wish Porter’s Body Shops continued success

2 Boucher Crescent, Belfast BT12 6HU Contact Owen O’Reilly - 028 9066 5293 email: owen.o’reilly@agnews.co.uk www.bavarianbmw.co.uk 28 - garageTRADER

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REFINISHGT

SOLTEC

Reasons to pick Soltec Body filler over your existing brand “H

ere at Soltec we pride ourselves on ensuring that we strive to provide the very best quality in all aspects of our business,” says Michael Corcoran of Soltec. “ We are constantly looking at new opportunities to help our business to evolve and grow which is where our new and innovative body filler range comes in.

“After extensive research and market analysis we have selected a range of body filler products that we feel will lead the market in performance whilst giving value for money.

“Our products have been rigorously tested and have outperformed all the major competitors in the market, in a number of key areas such as having the ideal consistency and spreadability which makes for better mixing and application, which reduces pin holing during the process. Our products are fast curing enabling the end user the ability to complete the task quicker. Also our products have superior sandability thereby reducing repair time which equates to greater profitability.

“And those are just a few of the reasons why Soltec body fillers are the bodyfillers for you,” says Michael. ■

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PROFILE

WILSONS AUCTIONS

Ian Wilson

Managing Director Wilsons Auctions

I

an Wilson may have sold you a house, he may have sold you a car or he may have sold you a bar of gold bullion.

The man behind Northern Ireland’s biggest auction house Wilson’s Auctions has brought his gavel down on some odd items over the years, but variety, he insists, makes his job interesting.

“We have sold everything from a needle to an anchor,” he told Garage Trader, although that statement, somewhat ironically, undersells the items behind both those transactions, something the auctioneer hasn’t been known to do in front of a crowded auction room.

The needle actually referred to a company which manufactured clothes and the anchor to a boat – yacht would probably be a more accurate – which is moored in Tunisia and which was recently auctioned at the company’s Mallusk base.

Meanwhile, the world’s go-to safe haven investment has also passed through the sales ring in recent months.

Gold bars – the likes of which Michael Caine balanced at the far end of a bus in the iconic film The Italian Job – reached over £300,000, while a couple of Ferraris and Rolls Royce – have also roared/ cruised through the ring.

Of course, these are just some of the more high end items which Wilsons Auctions deal with but the bulk of the business comes from more workaday cars, property and a myriad of other items of value.

As well as the Mallusk base, it has sites in Portadown, in Scotland, Dublin and across England and Wales.

The business has come a long way since 1936 when Ian’s father William J Wilson began selling agricultural machinery at his own auctions.

“My father started selling tractors to men who had horse and carts and the business took off from there,” Ian said.

As well as the auction side of the 30 - garageTRADER

business, William also ran a number of butchers shops but, rather than go straight into the family business, Ian first went to work at a rival butchers in Glengormley to get some experience of working outside the family company.

Shortly after a manager left one of his father’s shops and he started a long career in the firm, running a butcher shop at the tender age of 16.

It was in the meat business where he said he learned the art of selling and customer relations, skills which would stand him in good stead when he moved into the auction business.

The first was held was on a site behind one of the butchers shops on the Shore Road in Belfast and initially the firm held just one auction a month, then it became fortnightly and slowly built up in frequency over the years.

A move to the purpose-built site at Mallusk allowed for further expansion and, as the business took off, the Portadown site was added.

It was then to Scotland, with Ian taking advantage of the fact son Gareth was at university in Edinburgh to help start the auction site in Dalry, followed by Dublin, where Gareth’s brother Ricky took over a small auction house before expanding it with the help of sister Rebbeca.

Other additions include Queensferry in Wales, Telford in England and a number of other regions throughout the UK and Ireland.

Total full time employment has grown to 400, not including the “Dad’s army” troop of drivers which help drive cars from dealers to the sites and also through the ring on auction night, an essential part of the process.

Despite the growing scale of the business, Ian said he hasn’t lost his enjoyment for the day-to-day operation.

“I love it,” he said. “I do find I can’t go into every site as much as I’d like to because I have to let them get on with it. That’s hard but it’s a sign of progress.” ■

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REFINISHGT

SPIES HECKER, CROMAX, MIRKA

Plastic putty for bumpers and more H

igh elasticity, great adhesive power, secure build-up: With its new Raderal Plastic Putty 2015 Black, Spies Hecker offers an efficient solution to repairing plastic part surfaces even without a primer.

Raderal Plastic Putty 2015 Black is particularly useful for smoothing out imperfections in plastic parts because it can be applied directly to the car part without a primer.

“Thanks to its high elasticity, Raderal Plastic Putty 2015 Black can adapt to the movements of the plastic part,” says Kevin Welling, Training Academy Manager for Axalta Coating Systems in the UK and Ireland.

At ambient temperature, the putty dries in about 30 minutes. Forced

drying cuts the drying time to 15 minutes. And the low-pore putty is also easy to sand.

“To comply with certain OEM requirements, the already strong adhesion of the putty can be further increased by using a primer, such as the Priomat Elastic Primer 3304 Transparent, when preparing the substrate,” adds Welling.

The Raderal Plastic Putty 2015 Black is supplied as a set in a 1.4kg tin, which includes the relevant hardener in a tube fitted into the lid.

For more information on Raderal Plastic Putty, refinishers can download the technical data sheet from www. spieshecker.co.uk or speak to their local Spies Hecker representative. ■

Cromax introduces new aerosol 1K Sandthrough Sealer C

romax has introduced a new zinc chromate-free primer surfacer - PS1600A 1K Sandthrough Sealer. It has been specially developed for application under Cromax waterborne basecoat technologies and over small sand through areas on bare metals including steel, aluminium and galvanised steel. It can also be used on sanded OEM and sanded cured repair finishes.

Kevin Welling, Training Academy Manager for Axalta Coating Systems in the UK and Ireland, says, “PS1600A

A

new marketing campaign designed to raise awareness of airborne dust emission associated with sanding is being introduced by Mirka. ‘Abranet Perfection’ is being communicated through a series of compelling imagery to highlight the importance of air quality control to minimise occupational exposure to airborne dust in a variety of sanding operations.

The marketing campaign is being supported with a beautifully designed coffee table style book that features pre and post Abranet imagery and data to reinforce the abrasive’s ability to deliver clean, virtually dust-free working environments.

The data is founded on research conducted by Durag Group, a leading independent environmental monitoring and data management company, in laboratory conditions, supported by the Finnish Work Environment and Mirka. The aim was to determine airborne dust emission in sanding with a ventilated manual sanding machine, comparing Abranet products with perforated paper.

The results showed that sanding with the abrasive net reduced the airborne dust emission per the removed mass at between 99.96 and 99.99 per cent depending on the material, compared to between 97.05 and 99.76 per cent for perforated paper. ■ check out the website: www.garagetrader.co.uk

1K Sandthrough Sealer offers our refinishers a host of benefits, and it is an important addition to the Cromax undercoat portfolio. It is designed specifically for refinishers already in the spray booth who notice a small area, like an edge, which has been sanded down to the metal.

Rather than use a wash-primer and filler, which can take a while to dry, refinishers only need to shake the aerosol can, to spray one or two coats of PS1600A 1K Sandthrough Sealer over the affected area, allowing it to flash-off, and let it dry

for 10 minutes at 20oC. Once dry, they can then apply the basecoat.

The addition of PS1600A 1K Sandthrough Sealer to our portfolio strengthens our commitment to help our bodyshops increase their productivity.”

PS1600A 1K Sandthrough Sealer comes in a handy 400ml aerosol spray can and offers an extremely good corrosion resistance. Thanks to its neutral medium grey colour, PS1600A 1K Sandthrough Sealer ensures minimum discolouration to Cromax Basecoat. ■

Mirka’s Abranet Perfection campaign raises issue of air quality control

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TRAINING

AXALTA,SKODA

Axalta announces 2016 training courses for its

three global refinish brands

• Fast Repair package

Spies Hecker

A

xalta Coating Systems, a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, has announced the 2016 training courses for its three global refinish brands - Cromax®, Spies Hecker and Standox.

Training takes place at the Axalta Refinish Academy in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, where each brand has its own dedicated training room, mixing area and spray booth. The courses on offer this year cover all aspects of refinishing such as colour training, product training and application techniques, as well as ATA assessment training.

Kevin Welling, Training Academy Manager for Axalta Coating Systems in the UK and Ireland, says, “The

majority of the training courses start with a theory session followed by practical training in our state-of-theart practical work spaces. This is a wonderful facility which was designed to ensure that course participants have an excellent experience and return to their bodyshops with increased confidence and competence.”

The available courses are as follows: Cromax • Advanced Cromax Basecoat training • ChromaManager training course • Cromax Basecoat tri-coat application course • Cromax colour matching course

PARTS ADMINISTRATION

APPRENTICESHIPS If you have an interest in improving your business and up skilling your staff in the following areas:

Standox • Advanced Standohyd application training • Micro Repair course • Standohyd colouristic course • Standox Genius+ colour tool course • Standox three-stage colour course The following ATA courses can be booked through any of the brands’ webshops: • ATA/AOM pre-assessment day • ATA/AOM re-accreditation • ATA full route accreditation • ATA cosmetic repaoir technician assessment Courses can be booked from each of the brands’ webshops - www.cromastore.co.uk, www. spiesheckerwebshop.co.uk, www. standoshop.co.uk - where course dates and more detailed information can be found.

• For refinishers who can’t spare

Four Skoda Ireland technicians to compete at International Finals

• Advising customers on how to solve a problem with their vehicle

F

• Taking orders from customers both face to face and over the phone • Maintaining an ordered stock room and finding parts from stock • Raising invoices for parts sold • Liaison with other members of staff • Improving level of customer care in your business

Contact Riverpark Training & Development Riverpark Training Riverpark Blackwater Road Mallusk BT36 4TZ Tel: 028 9034 2400 Fax: 028 9034 2609 E-Mail: riverparktraining@btconnect.com

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• Permahyd colour college training • Permahyd Hi-TEC Performance System training • Speed Repair training • Spies Hecker ColorDialog training • Spies Hecker three-stage paint system training

time away from their bodyshops, all three brands offer comprehensive e-learning training programmes - e-CTC from Cromax, MyTraining from Spies Hecker and MiKey from Standox. Each programme consists of eight modules which cover topics such as colour and colour tools, repair processes and techniques, health and safety in the workplace and rectification of application defects.

• “Our e-learning training programmes are a fantastic way for refinishers to learn at their own pace and with minimal disruption to their work schedules,” states Welling. “The training modules can be worked on anytime and, for refinishers only wishing to brush up on specific topics, modules can be purchased individually, so they are very efficient tools for a busy bodyshop.”

• Upon successful completion of all eight modules, refinishers become e-certified and then have the opportunity to attend a hands-on assessment at the Refinish Academy to become fully certified.

• The full e-learning programmes can be accessed from the brands’ webshops.

• For more information on any of the courses listed, refinishers can also speak to their local Cromax, Spies Hecker or Standox representatives. ■

our Škoda employees from across Ireland have been selected to compete at the international finals of the Škoda Service Challenge in June 2016.

Team Škoda Ireland will compete against 35 countries in the International Finals, which take place in the Czech Republic. Ireland will be represented

by Diagnostic Technician Kieran McGinty, from Donegal; Parts Advisor Joe Noone, from Galway; along with Service Manager Martin Healy and Service Technician Jonathan Leonard, both from Cork.

Kieran McGinty has been working at DMG Motors in Donegal town since he was a teenager under the direction of his late uncle, Dan McGinty.

Meanwhile, Parts Advisor, Joe Noone has been in the motor trade industry for over 20 years. He qualified as a Motor Technician after serving his apprenticeship in a Ford dealership, and has been working in the parts department at Monaghan & Sons in Galway for the past two and a half years.

Martin Healy works as Service Manager in Noel Deasy Cars in Blackpool, Cork. Martin has been with Noel Deasy Cars since March 2003, having studied automobile engineering in CIT where he completed a diploma with Merit.

Jonathan Leonard is a Service Technician from E. Tarrant & Sons in Banteer, Co. Cork and has claimed the title of Service Technician champion for the second year in a row. ■

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TRAININGGT

GATES

Gates way to better drive belt installation S

Gerry McGivern, SRC Motor Vehicle Lecturer, Andrew Vaux, Gates Technical Support and Training Specialist and John Muckian, SRC Deputy Head of School for Construction and Engineering with Motor Vehicle students in Armagh’s Hamiltonsbawn Road Campus

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tudent technicians from Armagh, Portadown and Newry have taken part in a Synchronous Drive Belt Systems technical workshop delivered by Gates, at Northern Ireland’s Southern Regional College.

Gates Technical Support and Training Specialist Andrew Vaux and District Sales Manager Bob McAvan were invited to the Hamiltonsbawn Road Campus to discuss timing belt installation issues and highlight some basic diagnostic techniques to Motor Vehicle students who are at various stages of training and development.

As one of the world’s leading manufacturers of belts and tensioners for OE and aftermarket installation, Gates provides technical workshops and training to more than 1500 automotive technicians around the UK each year. As garage mechanics of tomorrow and the garage proprietors of the future, Gates sees apprentice student technicians as important members of its technical workshop audience.

“We are very happy to visit colleges and training providers to give them information and help to develop the appropriate drive belt installation skills they will need. Failure to replace a timing belt correctly can cause severe engine damage.

Experienced mechanics may have many years of experience, but technology has changed along with the techniques required to install them.” said Andrew Vaux. “It’s essential that they develop a diagnostic approach and use the appropriate tools for the job.” ■

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RIVERPARK

TRAINING

Vehicle Damage Accreditation returns to Riverpark Training M

arch 2016 sees the return of Thatcham Training to Riverpark to complete the Assessed Outcome Modules (AOM) for Vehicle Damage Assessor. So far we have 20 booked for this highly sought after assessment and would encourage all who need this for BSI10125 approval to get in contact quickly as spaces are limited. We at Riverpark will be facilitating the training but all booking MUST be done through Thatcham Training (details are available on their website). Windscreen

ATA has also been taking place over the last month and new training and assessment dates have been added to try to accommodate all who need this for compliance.

Northern Ireland Body and Paint Challenge 2016 Following the great success of the skills challenge launched last year, Riverpark Training have decided to run another skills competition on the 14th-15th

March. This time it will be targeted at the Body and Paint sector only. The competition will have 2 strands, one for competitors who have won or were finalists in previous skills competitions and one for new entrants who want to test their skills against similar student levels. Sponsorship has been attained for the novice entries and prizes of Sata spray guns and Snap-on Tools are up for grabs.

There will be prizes for all successful entries so hurry and nominate yourself or your colleges best.

Riverpark Training wins 3 medals at the 2015 Skills Show

Andrew Gault Gold Medal Autobody Repair 34 - garageTRADER

Andrew McClure Silver Medal Autobody Repair

Jonathan McNaughter Silver Medal Car Painting check out the website: www.garagetrader.co.uk

RIVERPARKGT

TRAINING

Riverpark Training apprentices have yet again demonstrated their high skill level at this year’s Skills show held in November in the NEC in Birmingham. These three young lads competed for 2 days against the best of the rest of the United Kingdom and were elated to achieve medal success presented to them at the glittering Closing Ceremony.

Another apprentice from Riverpark Training also competed this year, Andrew Spiers, although he didn’t achieve medal success, he does however join these 3 medal winners into “Squad UK”. This means that there are now 4 apprentices from Riverpark Training in “Squad UK” and yet again we could see another Riverpark Training apprentice at World Skills. This is due to be held in Abu Dhabi in October 2017.

Parts Administration Apprenticeships at Riverpark Training Parts: A critical piece of the jigsaw that your business and its performance depend on.

To many within the Motor Industry, and, indeed to the general public at large the role of the Parts Advisor

is a much misunderstood and indeed a greatly maligned position.

As a result it has traditionally been a role that many people fall into by chance rather than by choice.

In this piece we will look at the nature of the role and three critical questions: What is the calibre and nature of the people needed to fill this role? What impact does this role have on your business? And what impact does unskilled and unmotivated individuals in this role and other roles in your operation have on the overall performance of your business; both in financial terms and matters relating to customer care?

The role of a parts advisor is, many assume, similar to that in a retail environment, but closer inspection tells us that this role requires greater commitment, flexibility and individual talent than jobs of a similar nature in other industries. The parts advisor is responsible for customer service for some of your most lucrative after sales customers, they deal with internal, retail and trade orders that for many can make or break the performance and profitability

Riverpark Training are now seeking a part time tutor/assessor for 2/3 days per week Applicants need to have: • qualification in MET/light vehicle or hold a current ATA • Applicants must be interested in developing young people and have good numeracy, literacy and ICT skills.

Applications need to forward their CV to riverparktraining@btconnect.com

www.riverparktraining.com Riverpark Training and Development Ltd Unit 1, Riverpark, Blackwater Road, Mallusk, Co. Antrim

check out the website: www.garagetrader.co.uk

of your business and indeed your customers businesses.

Through their checking and ensuring availability of parts for you and your customers they keep your workshops and those of your customers moving. Cycle times for your jobs depend heavily on your parts personnel. The parts advisor ensures that some of your most expensive assets such as tools and parts stock are maintained, safe and secure.

The parts team deal with large amounts of revenue coming into your business, they deal with cash on a daily basis and the accuracy of the receipts and documents they generate can either help or hinder your business when it comes to audits and revenue inspections.

An unqualified, unskilled and untrained parts team can cripple an automotive business in a number of ways. Firstly a poor performing parts department can effect ‘Cycle times’ on jobs; unordered or incorrect parts orders can extend the time a vehicle is in your workshop, this in turn impacts profit margins.

Lost or damaged parts can quickly become a critical drain on resources in your business and thirdly a parts advisor without the desired skills, motivation and training can have a detrimental effect on your customer’s impression of your business. Customers are a critical component of continued success of any automotive business and a loyal customer base can ensure continued health and growth in your business.

For many, a good Parts advisor who is on their game at all times is worth their weight in gold, the knowledge they hold, the skills they possess and their work ethic ensure that an important aspect of your business is in safe hands. We at Riverpark Training are currently recruiting keen, enthusiastic intelligent young people that could improve your business and our Parts apprenticeship programme is designed to work with the employer to develop quality staff that truly reflect your business.

For more information please contact Janet Forbes on 02890342400 or email: janet@ riverparktraining.com ■

Bodyshop Requirements for BSI 10125 or CSS Riverpark Training are currently training and assessing technicians from all over the Island of Ireland to meet the Insurance Industry Requirements for 2016 we currently cater for: • Senior Panel ATA • Senior Paint ATA • Senior MET ATA • Windscreen ATA • Vehicle Damage Assessors • IMI 009 & BSI 4872 Welding Standards

www.riverparktraining.com Riverpark Training and Development Ltd Unit 1, Riverpark, Blackwater Road, Mallusk, Co. Antrim

garageTRADER - 35

GT

AFTERMARKET

INA, FAG, LuK

INA increases range for millions more vehicles…

New INA tensioner parts have been introduced for more than 17 million additional vehicles over the past year.

T

he phenomenal increase in UK and Ireland vehicle parc coverage was achieved by the introduction of 58 new INA Primary kits (including water pump kits), 58 Front End Auxiliary Drive (FEAD) singles, 27 FEAD kits, 22 Primary INA singles/sets and nine Over Running Alternator Pulleys (OAPs).

The company recently announced it has introduced a range of INA timing belt kits with water pump and INA Front End Auxiliary Drive (FEAD) kits.

The INA FEAD each contain the belt/belts, tensioners, idler/deflection pulleys, Over Running Alternator Pulleys (OAPs) and water pump where the pump is driven by the FEAD system.

Major recent releases include FEAD v belt and deflection pulleys and v belt kits for the Ford B-Max, C-Max II, EcoSport, Fiesta VI, Focus III, Grand C-Max, Tourneo Connect and Transit Connect 1.0 EcoBoost 10/2012-, plus a primary tensioner set for the PSA C3 II, C3 II 1.4HDi 70, 207, 208 and 2008 1.4HDi/Ford B-Max, Ecosport, Fiesta VI, Focus III, Mondeo V and Transit Courier 1.4TDCi, 1.5 TDCi and 1.6 TDCi, 02/2006-, and a FEAD v belt kit for the Dacia/Renault Sandero 1.4MPi/Espace, Megane and Scenic 1.8 16v and 2.0 16v 10/1998-. ■

FAG forges ahead…

Forty new FAG wheel bearings kits have been introduced by Schaeffler (UK) Ltd over the past year with new kits being introduced to cater for nearly 1.25 million additional vehicles on the UK and Ireland’s roads.

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ignificant additions include a rear kit for the Vauxhall Astra Mk V1 (J) 1.4, 1.6, 1.8, 1.7 CDTi and 2.0 CTDi, 12/2009-, to complete the leading brand’s Astra offering, and front kits for the Mercedes A Class 180 CDi and B Class 180 CDi, 2011-, and BMW 5 Series 518d, 520d, 530d and 525d (F10, F18, F11), 03/2010-.

There’s also an addition for the Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) range with a rear wheel bearing kit to fit the Ford Transit Custom 2.2 TDCi, 04/2012-.

Malcolm Short, Technical Services Manager for Schaeffler Automotive Aftermarket in the UK, said: “The FAG range continues to expand to offer a complete solution for a wide range of vehicles being worked on by independent garage workshops in the UK and Ireland.

“We will continue to add to the range throughout 2016 to offer an even more comprehensive offering for our distributors and their garage customers.”

For more information on exact applications for these new FAG wheel bearings, please visit HYPERLINK “http://www.schaeffler-aftermarket.co.uk” www.schaeffler-aftermarket.co.uk ■

LuK still leads the way…

Schaeffler (UK) Ltd has kicked off 2016 by continuing to add to its market-leading LuK clutch range.

T

he global technology giant introduced new parts for a staggering additional 5.55 million vehicles last year and has already announced more additions to continue to make it the first-choice for independent garage workshops.

In 2015 it introduced 53 new LuK RepSets, 23 LuK RepSet Pros, 24 Dual Mass Flywheels (DMFs) and 14 LuK Cylinders, and so far this year has added six new LuK RepSets, two RepSet Pros and a DMF, to increase vehicle parc coverage by more than 366,000.

Recent additions to the range include parts for some significant Ford models including LuK RepSets for the Focus III 1.0 EcoBoost, 02/2012, and Focus III 1.6 Ti, 04/2011-, LuK RepSet Pros for the Fiesta VI 1.0 EcoBoost, 01/2013-, and Mondeo IV (BA7) 1.6 TDCi, 02/2011-, and a LuK RepSet 2CT for the Focus III 1.6 Ti (Dual Shift Gearbox), 04/2011-. Plus there’s a DMF for the Focus III 1.6 TDCi, 04/2011-.

In addition there have been new LuK Master Cylinders released for the vehicle manufacturer’s Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) models, the Ford Transit 2.2 TDCi, 10/2011-, and Transit Courier 1.6 TDCi, 02/2014-.

New releases also include parts for a wide variety of Far Eastern vehicles including a LuK Slave Cylinder for the Toyota RAV 4 Mk II (CLA2, XA2, ZCA2, ACA2,) 2.0 D-4D 4WD, 09/2001-11/2005, and a LuK RepSet Pro for the Nissan Qashqai/Qashqai +2 (J10, JJ10) 1.6 dCi, 10/2011-. ■

36 - garageTRADER

check out the website: www.garagetrader.co.uk

PRODUCT NEWSGT

PRODUCTS

Launch UK unveils new extended warranty

L

aunch UK has unveiled a new extended 24 month warranty on key diagnostic products.

With Launch products manufactured to the highest standards to guarantee longlasting performance and excellent service, the company is committed to providing the best products on the market.

The warranty covers top diagnostic products, including: Launch CRP123 CReader Professional; Launch CRP129 CReader Professional; Launch CRP229 CReader professional; Launch X431 Euro Pad; Launch X431 Euro Pad II; Launch X431 Pro; and Launch X431 Pro II. Dave Richards, Launch UK managing director, said: “Customer satisfaction is key to Launch’s ethos, and the introduction of our extended warranty on all our products highlights our determination to always provide exceptional service.

“As a UK leader of automotive diagnostics, we intend to expand our horizons and further promote our brand throughout 2016.” ■

Team P R Reilly jump start the New Year with shocking price drop on GYS Booster Cables!

T

eam P R Reilly is dropping prices on GYS Booster Cables throughout the country to kick off the New Year.

With short days and freezing nights, dead car batteries become a real problem. Even the AA recognises that; “Battery faults are far and away the most common cause of breakdowns at this time of year”. The only way to combat this issue is with top quality booster cables. GYS only use professional, heavy duty booster cables that, unlike the regular brands, won’t burn out when used on a heavy duty battery. Team P R Reilly are ensuring everyone can get the best by bringing these booster cables as low as €33.95, almost 50% less than original cost!

Team P R Reilly is supplying these cables at either 500 or 700AMP and with solid brass or fully insulated clamps - running at up to 4.5m in length with a diameter of 35mm squared. Each one also comes with a handy storage bag which means no more tangled wires messing up the boot of the car. There’s just one catch. This offer is for a limited time only, so make sure to place an order before missing out on this incredible deal!

For more information on this offer, other GYS products or details on Team P R Reilly’s other special deals, contact our team on the contact details below. ■

W: www.launchtech.co.uk/warranty

E: sales@team.ie W: www.team.ie Tel: (01) 8320006

3M™ Accuspray™ Pressurised HGP Spray Gun

Standox launches two new special effect mixing tints

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he new 3M™ Accuspray™ Pressurised HGP Spray Gun and PPS™ Pressure Cups are designed for high viscosity coatings and is ideal for use with 3M™ BodyGard™ coatings.

The Accuspray™ Pressurised HGP Spray Gun offers easy cleaning, less overspray and allows users to process hard to reach places; with the diverse adjustment and nozzle options, many textures can be reproduced with less material consumption.

Used together with 3M™ BodyGard coatings it enables most manufacturers’ stone chip finishes to be reproduced in the body shop, it can be used for any applications to any part of the car requiring stone chip protection. ■

W: www.3M.co.uk/bodyshop For further information contact Karkraft sales team on 028 9085 5555

PPG Refinish UK launch new NEXA AUTOCOLOR website

P

PG Refinish has launched a new responsive Nexa Autocolor brand website optimised to smart devices; in response to a growing number of visitors to the website using tablets and smart devices.

The new Nexa Autocolor brand website is fully responsive and works across different devices, browsers and operating systems. It has been designed to dramatically improve user experience and makes it easier for visitors to find, access and pass on content in an optimised view irrespective of the screen size and definition used.

The responsive website comes with some new design features such as an improved search box, better tab layout and newly designed imagery. Users can now quickly locate desired information such as new product releases, online colour and technical data sheets without the need for manual re-sizing; ensuring that a great online experience is delivered. ■ W: uk.nexaautocolor.com/en/ check out the website: www.garagetrader.co.uk

C

aribbean Blue Pearl Mix 290 and Indigo Fine Pearl Mix 289 are two new special effect mixing tints that Standox is offering its customers to help them achieve accurate colour and effect matching of special OEM colours. The new paints are available immediately in small 250ml tins and can be used with the Standohyd Plus basecoat system.

The special feature of Caribbean Blue Pearl Mix 290 is its metallic-looking flakes that have an effect coating with a green-blue surface and a transparent flop. Depending on the light, the green-blue colour can appear quite intense or less so, and the highly-chromatic pigments give it deep colour saturation as well as great vibrancy. This mixing tint enables the repair of OEM colours including Kona Blue by Ford, which can be found on the Ford Mustang 50 Year Limited Edition anniversary model. ■

W: www.standox.co.uk

New for 2016: GTi Pro and GTi Pro Lite Spray Gun Platform – more choice, more flexibility”

U

sers distinguish their spray guns for different applications and materials by colour. We have therefore introduced two new colours to the GTi Pro Lite range with a vibrant blue and the ultra tough, black “Quick Clean” coating. Along with the standard Pro Lite gold we have harmonised the colours with the full size GTi Pro to create a new i-System Pro spray gun family. The BASE and CLEAR laser marking has been removed making it simpler for the end user to allocate a spray gun to a specific application or material other than Base and Clear, such as direct gloss, wet on wet etc. For example, the new black ‘Quick Clean’ anodised spray gun could be used for base coats, gold for clear and the blue for those tricky metallic silvers or wet on wet. The choice is yours! ■

W: www.3M.co.uk/bodyshop For further information contact Karkraft sales team on 028 9085 5555 garageTRADER - 37

t•

t • inthe sea d

ersseat • in riv

Adrian Devitt

inthedrive rs

DRIVERSSEAT e edriv rssea th

GT

In this edition we talk to

Adrian Devitt

Franchise Manager for TP Topping Ford, Enniskillen

Tell us about your career so far?

Ironically it started with Ford back in 1985 at Fergusons of Newtownards and now 31 years later I’m back with Ford again! I’ve worked with Volvo, Nissan, VW & Audi after my first venture with Ford, but most of career (25 years in fact) was with Toyota and Lexus then a brief spell with BMW before being offered my current position.

Did you plan to get involved in this industry?

Not really! I took a summer job in a small local garage whilst at college and decided to stay on and serve my time as a mechanic before joining Ferguson Ford as a trainee sales person.

What was your biggest disappointment?

Can’t really say I’ve had any! The car trade is full of challenges and characters and I’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly, but always enjoyed the challenges.

What was the best piece of advice you ever received?

Treat others as you would want to be treated.

Whom do you most admire?

My late parents. Both were hard working honest people and you can’t get better role models than that.

What is the most difficult aspect of your job?

Getting home at a reasonable time!

What is your most effective or personal asset?

Probably keeping a level head and being rational and reasonable, pragmatic I think is the word!

You’ve won the lottery.

What car would you rush out and buy?

A fully restored 1975 Alfa Romeo Spider in red (just like I had when I was 19, the reg number was NOI 445)

How do you relax?

Spending time with family and friends

Tell us something surprising about yourself…

I’m way too modest to do that!

38 - garageTRADER

■

check out the website: www.garagetrader.co.uk

The New Somora Website is Here.

www.somora.co.uk ✓ Improved Functionality ✓ Live Stock Availability ✓ Up to Date Pricing & Information ✓ Dealer Locator ✓ Complete Range of Products

Contact us: info@somora.ie Tel: 00353 1 6754500 32 Lavery Ave, Park West Industrial Park, Nangor Road, Dublin D12 A611, Ireland