Pichler Tools looking to build on a strong 2022

Specialist tools supplier Pichler Tools is aiming to build momentum after a strong business performance in 2022.

Pichler says demand continues to be exceptionally strong for its time-saving tools for problem automotive jobs such as injector and glow plug removal.

“We grew sales significantly in 2022,” said Steve Prince, Managing Director at Pichler Tools UK. “The challenge for us is still to reach more garages and show the benefits of the huge range of tools and equipment we have.”

Pichler Tools reports that customer satisfaction and retention amongst garage owners remains very high. Indeed, it’s proven the case that key products ‘sell themselves’ once garage see them in action.

“We often find garages will just be doing certain jobs in certain ways but when you can show the time saving and quality benefits with using our solutions they jump at the opportunity to solve some workshop headaches,” said Steve.

Key developments last year for Pichler Tools included the hiring of new Area Sales Manager Mark Steel to cover East Midlands, alongside the implementation of route planning software which combines customer call plans with live traffic data to maximise efficiency. 

The return of live events – historically a key focus for Pichler - also boosted interest, with successful attendance at the UK Garage and Bodyshop event at the NEC in June, ahead of Garage Hive’s The Blend conference in September.

“Up to now, we’ve mainly grown through garages seeing the products and then from word-of-mouth and recommendations,” said Steve. “Fortunately, our customers tend to really like the tools and the service so they keep coming back for more!”

Pichler Tools has exciting plans in the pipeline for 2023; investment in head office premises will see storage capacity significantly expanded. A new training academy and development workshop for product demonstration are also being created too.

Garages interested in finding out more about Pichler Tools should visit www.pichler-tools.com or call 01335 360759.

BM Catalysts reports significant growth in 2022

BM Catalysts has asserted its position as a market leader in the manufacture of aftermarket catalytic converters, DPFs and front pipes, celebrating another successful year of growth in 2022.

The aftermarket specialist has experienced ongoing high demand throughout the year, and with trends pointing to future European market growth, global demand is set to continue.

In order ensure it is set up to meet this demand, in 2022, the company opened its third manufacturing plant in the UK for final assembly. BM Catalysts’ three hi-tech manufacturing facilities enables the company to stock over 60,000 parts, covering 95 percent of the European car parc, while also developing up to 300 new-to-range parts each year. Once at full capacity, it will allow additional capacity of up to 200,000 units per year.

Availability is key, and even throughout Covid and Brexit the company has managed to keep stock levels high, meaning availability has remained at approximately 99 – 100 percent, which is unique in the industry. 

The company’s ongoing growth is also down to its continual investment during Covid and Brexit both in its plants and machinery. This includes a significant six-figure investment in new additional hi-tech machinery to help further increase productivity and capacity, and in its research and development of new-to-range parts.

This year, BM Catalysts also launched a dedicated European company, BM Catalysts EU Ltd, to facilitate the smoothest possible trading with European partners and help fulfil demand for its products.

BM Catalysts already has an established presence in Europe having built long-term relationships with distributors in the region over the past decade. The formation of BM Catalysts EU further supports its commitment to its partners by allowing them to trade with an EU-based company, simplifying many of the existing processes in place for working with a UK business.

What’s more, BM Catalysts also launched a range of Selective Catalyst Reduction (SCR) references earlier in the year, which have continued to grow in popularity in line with market forecasts, with considerably strong launch sales reported across the UK and Europe.

Commercial director at BM Catalysts, Mark Blinston, said: “It’s been a great year for BM Catalysts, as we continue to focus on what our customers want, and that’s quality, range and availability.

“Looking ahead, it’s clear that continued growth is on the horizon, and we will continue to make valuable investments to ensure we can meet market demand and customer satisfaction. It’s definitely an exciting time for the automotive aftermarket, with plenty of opportunities available and we look forward to doing all we can to maintain our industry-leading position as the number one supplier for hot-end emissions products.”

MAHLE Aftermarket continues to invest in next-gen technology on a global scale

• New highly-automated warehouse in Olive Branch (USA) is opened

• Automation increases delivery speed, reduces the likelihood of returns, and allows an order to be completed in 30 minutes

• EUR 6 million investment

• Conversion of additional warehouse locations in Europe planned for 2023

• Digitisation is an important tool for all MAHLE group divisions, enabling higher efficiency and better quality assurance

MAHLE Aftermarket has opened a highly-automated warehouse in Olive Branch, Mississippi (USA). The warehouse speeds up deliveries to workshops and distributors, reduces the frequency of returns, and enables an order to be comissioned within 30 minutes. MAHLE has invested approximately EUR 6 million in the 1,200 m² fully automated facility. Additional warehouse locations in Europe will be similarly outfitted beginning in 2023. Digitisation is an important tool for all MAHLE group divisions, enabling higher efficiency and better quality assurance.

“MAHLE Aftermarket has been operating digitally in many areas for a long time now. We’re building upon that with automated order-picking, to better serve our customers,” says Olaf Henning, member of the MAHLE Management Committee and Director of the Aftermarket business unit.

Scalable, automated warehouses allow MAHLE Aftermarket to react flexibly to fluctuating stock and shipments, ensuring reliability for its customers. In these times of increasingly tighter global supply chains, this is especially important. Highly-automated warehouses are also more sustainable and resource-efficient. The system MAHLE choose uses only about one quarter of the area of a conventional warehouse. This reduces costs and decreases the amount of land needed for logistics locations. In addition, automated warehouses are extremely efficient: ten of their robotic shuttles use only as much electricity as a vacuum cleaner.

At the Olive Branch location, which encompasses about 30,000 m2 of production and logistics operations, 22,000 different filtration and thermal management products and engine components are currently stocked. Additionally, the logistics center serves as a flexible and scalable way to organise consumables for the on-site production of engine gaskets. In 2023, the next logistics location to be converted will be Décines in France.

MAHLE is driving forward the expansion of its digital offerings for independent workshops and retailers at a rapid pace—ranging from e-commerce solutions, information, technical support and training, all the way to virtual trade shows. 

TMD Friction UK and Ring Automotive put training in spotlight

Ring Automotive has partnered with TMD Friction UK to support with the training of technicians at the braking specialist’s new state-of-the-art facility.

Personnel attending the research and development facility in Seaton Ross, East Yorkshire, will be equipped with Ring’s market leading MAGflex inspection lamps and high-performance lithium jump starters and battery analysers.

The partnership will see TMD Friction welcome the Ring Automotive team to the facility to carry out training and work collaboratively to support schools and colleges and inspire the next generation of talent in the automotive aftermarket.  

Henry Bisson, marketing director at Ring Automotive, said: “We are delighted to be involved at TMD Friction’s new premises. The use of our automotive tech products in the new research and development facility underlines their professional and robust quality, and supports TMD Friction’s uncompromising approach to continuing professional development.”

The Seaton Ross site will benefit from new Ring products including its RIL6000 series MAGflex inspection lamp range, the RIL3700HP MAGflex utility LED inspection lamp, plus the RBAG750 battery analyser and RPPL700, RPPL400, and RPPL360 lithium jump starters.

TMD Friction’s new facility opened earlier in the summer and is now fully operational, supporting the product research and development processes that ultimately deliver high-end friction material out of its global manufacturing plant in Hartlepool.

Scott Irwin MIMI, head of technical training at TMD Friction UK, said: “We really appreciate the support from Ring Automotive with the donation of these high-end products. It means that visitors to the facility, including students from schools and colleges, will have access to the best equipment to assist them with their training. Using these tools and expertise, we hope to inspire the next generation to consider the wide-ranging opportunities available in the aftermarket.”

The launch of TMD Friction’s new premises at Seaton Ross follows a move from its previous proving ground at Elvington. The new facility carries out an important part of TMD Friction’s quality focus with safety-critical tests carried out all day on the test track.

Schaeffler kicks off REPXPERT Academy Live 2023 at New City College, Hornchurch

·   Fifth event comes to North-East London

·   Free training day held in partnership with the IMI

Following on from the success of the REPXPERT Academy LIVE York event, which attracted 111 delegates, Schaeffler has announced a date for the next roadshow, which will take place at New City College Hornchurch on Saturday 4th February 2023. Due to the popularity of these events, workshop technicians and garage owners in North-East London and the South-East of England are being encouraged to register as soon as possible.

The New City College event will follow the usual REPXPERT Academy LIVE format, with attendees being welcomed from 9am for breakfast and registration, and group training sessions starting at 10 am until around 4pm. Complimentary lunch and refreshments throughout the day are included, and as every Academy Live is held in partnership with The Institute of the Motor Industry (the IMI), CPD points can be claimed by all visitors.

Matt Selby, Sales & Marketing Director for Schaeffler Automotive Aftermarket (UK) Ltd said: “REPXPERT Academy LIVE is the perfect platform for technicians and garage owners to enhance their knowledge of the latest products, tools, hints and best practice tips from Schaeffler, with topics this time including LuK double clutch transmission systems and INA timing drive systems, including information on new technologies such as hybridisation and electrification”.

Several instructional and interactive group sessions will be held in both workshop and lecture room environments, incorporating demonstrations, hands-on participation, theory, and engagement – with each attendee having the opportunity to experience everything on offer during the day. They will also have the chance to interact with selected guests in the workshop hub at each event, including experts from the IMI, as well as garage service suppliers such as TechMan, Garage Services Online, garagesnear.me and Laser Tools.

One of the two guest sessions at the event will be presented by well-respected workshop owner Tim Benson, who has been running the high-quality Oldfields Garage business in Leominster for many years and is now offering his unique brand of best practice business advice directly to industry professionals.

Schaeffler Marketing & Communication Manager, Jeff Earl said: “The Schaeffler team and our special guests are excited to be able to welcome technicians and garage owners to the fifth REPXPERT Academy Live roadshow at New City College in Hornchurch. As with all our past events, we expect the classrooms to be full and the workshop buzzing with delegates interacting with the guest presenters and taking the opportunity to network with like-minded workshop professionals.

To book or find out more about Schaeffler REPXPERT Academy LIVE, including upcoming dates and venues as they become available, please visit www.repxpert.co.uk, or to register for New City College Hornchurch please click on the link here

Gain, Train and Retain – The Autotech Group Year in Numbers

Supporting the automotive aftermarket and creating solutions to bridge the talent gap has continued to be the overriding objective of Autotech Group in 2022. Suffice to say – it’s been a busy year. 

A key highlight of Q1 was our Talent Recharge: ‘How to gain, train and retain talent’ event in March. Over 200 senior leaders from OEMs, dealer groups, independents and the tyre, paint and body sectors united alongside automotive industry trade bodies and representatives from the education sector to kickstart the skills conversation.

Unequivocally, the event was a resounding success and, over the course of the year, each of our divisions, created in response to the needs of the industry, witnessed a significant rise in demand as businesses put the gain, train and retain mantra into practice. 

Putting training into high gear

Not too long ago, electric vehicle training was vastly regarded as a requirement for the garage of the future, but, as the number of EVs on UK roads increased, the aftermarket woke up to the opportunities having EV-skilled staff could yield. This year alone, our Autotech Training division has delivered IMI electric vehicle training to over 1,000 delegates and, following the addition of IMI EV Heavy Vehicle courses to our portfolio midway through the year, over 100 delegates have achieved this accreditation.

EV training hasn’t just been limited to the aftermarket though, and the Autotech Training division has major contracts in place with EV production facilities, vehicle refurb companies, local authorities and emergency services. The message that employers will be liable if their employees are not trained to work around electric vehicles which are, to all intents and purposes, giant batteries, is finally filtering through.

Our EV training reputation, along with our purpose-built EV Training Suite, has reached a global audience this year too – with delegates travelling from the Caribbean, the Falkland Islands, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa for training. But it isn’t all about electric vehicles. Upskilling across all areas has increased and we have seen an uplift across our entire course offering. Over 200 MOT managers have now been trained, while Automotive Air Con Refrigerant and Handling courses remain popular with hundreds of technicians trained and over 50 IRTEC, REACT and ADAS courses delivered. 

While this success is largely underpinned by reputation, what has clearly set the Autotech Training team apart is flexibility. Over 70% of training has been carried out on the premises of a garage or business with our experienced trainers collectively travelling over 150,000 miles this year.

With Colin Gleghorn at the helm as Managing Director, and a team which has grown over twofold in 12 months, Autotech Training will continue to go from strength-to-strength next year with many new initiatives in the pipeline.  

Plugging the gap

The foundation of our business – our Autotech Recruit division – has continued to plug resource gaps throughout the industry this year with over 350,000 hours filled by our network of temporary vehicle technicians, and 150,000 MOTs carried out by our MOT testers. 

From this network, contractors who are trained under our Manufacturer Led Programme (MLP), helped to accrue over £11 million in additional revenue for manufacturers including Volvo, Toyota, Ford, VW, and BMW.

While testament to the reputation of our contractors, demand for their services is also a reflection of the skills gap within the industry and the reliance on temporary technicians to provide additional resources. When we started this business in 2010, temporary cover was largely used to cover holidays and sickness, but over the years this has increasingly turned into longer-term contracts as the industry struggles to recruit skilled workers. As a sector, we need to continue to up the ante and make the pool of talent available deeper, through better pay, and fulfilling training promises, while widening the net and tapping into talent who have previously been pulled from the aftermarket into other industries.

Creating a new recruitment stream

Opening up new avenues to harness fresh talent underlined the creation of our Autotech Academy division in 2021. Overcoming the bottleneck of recruiting newly qualified vehicle technicians, Autotech Academy’s unique, paid internship initiative has paved the way for a new generation of vehicle technicians and the division has gone from strength to strength in 2022.

Over the course of this year, we have forged relationships with 70 FE colleges, partnered with 33 dealer groups, and placed over 140 interns. Since the launch of Autotech Academy over 50 interns have transitioned into full-time employment.

Colleges play a vital role in educating our future workforce and our Academy team works hard to cultivate relationships with them while building ties with automotive employers to effectively ‘close the loop.’ As part of this effort, this year alone, the team has undertaken over 68 college visits across England, Scotland, and Wales – and delivered talks and events to automotive college leavers!

New initiatives for the New Year

The ongoing skills shortage will certainly follow the industry as it moves into 2023 and as a company, we will continue to bang the drum, building upon our continual support for the industry, through the introduction of new, innovative services. As we enter the New Year, our internal workforce will have increased by 35% creating an even stronger foundation of support.

In parallel with the evolution of vehicles, the pace of change within the aftermarket will continue unabated and, early next year, we are planning to announce the launch of a new division of Autotech Group to aid the industry as it continues its journey.

Simon King, Managing Director, Autotech Group