News

Make sure your customers know there’s no MOT exemption this time
Date: Thursday 14 January 2021
Garages across the UK are being advised to communicate recent confirmation that vehicle repair and MOT services are permitted to remain open during the latest lockdown restrictions amid concerns that …

Driving for work – Review of joint HSE/DfT guidance
Date: Thursday 14 January 2021
For most people, driving will be the most dangerous activity they do. It is estimated that one third of all road traffic collisions (RTCs) in Britain involve someone driving as part of their job and c…

IAAF welcomes Brexit trade deal
Date: Monday 11 January 2021
The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) has welcomed the agreed Brexit trade deal, pointing to particularly positive aspects that provide foundations for the future of the UK aftermar…

Automotive Aftermarket open in Lockdown 3.0
Date: Monday 11 January 2021
Following the Government’s announcement of a third national lockdown, the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) is praising the Government’s decision to permit the automotive aftermarke…

Latest advice on Furlough and Support for Business from Lawgistics
Date: Monday 11 January 2021
Furlough scheme remains open The furlough (Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme) has not been changed and remains open until 30 April 2021. The scheme will continue to subsidise 80% of wages to the cap of…

UK government trade credit reinsurance scheme extended
Date: Monday 11 January 2021
On 30 December 2020 it was confirmed that the Government backed Trade Credit Reinsurance Scheme will be extended by 6 months to 30 June 2021. The extension is welcome relief for businesses as the supp…

Merger of FCA and Groupe PSA approved by shareholders
Date: Monday 11 January 2021
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. and Peugeot S.A. have announced that their respective shareholders’ meetings, held on 4 January 2021, have approved the merger of FCA and Groupe PSA to create Stellantis…

New appointments for MAHLE duo
Date: Monday 11 January 2021
MAHLE Aftermarket UK has announced promotions for two of its experienced and long-serving staff members, highlighting its commitment to promoting from within. Jonathan Walker, who began his career wit…

Impression makes key appointments
Date: Monday 11 January 2021
Award-winning automotive PR and marketing agency, Impression Communications, has appointed Cheryl Griffiths as PR Account Manager and promoted Hayley Evans to the role of Senior Account Manager. Griff…

AS-PL wins the title of „Gazela Biznesu 2020”
Date: Monday 11 January 2021
On December 21st, 2020, the list of companies that received the „Gazele Biznesu 2020” (Business Gazelle 2020) title was announced. Among them was the AS-PL, which can be proud of such a prestigious ti…

IAAF office closure over the holiday period
Date: Wednesday 23 December 2020
The IAAF office will be closed from 2 p.m. Wednesday 23rd December 2020 and will reopen at 9.00 a.m. on Monday 4th January. It will still be possible to call the office on 0121 748 4600 to leave a mes…

No-deal Brexit means the return of the Green Card
Date: Wednesday 23 December 2020
Our colleagues at Boswell Aftermarket have provided the following information for any member with employees who will be taking UK registered vehicles to mainland Europe after 31st December 2020. Whils…

HMRC COVID-19 Support: extension of CJRS
Date: Friday 18 December 2020
The UK Government has reviewed the terms of the scheme, and has now announced that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) will remain at the current level of 80% of usual wages for the hours not …

All new trucks sold ‘must be fossil free’ by 2040
Date: Friday 18 December 2020
Europe’s truck manufacturers have concluded that by 2040 all new trucks sold need to be fossil free in order to reach net zero by 2050. Meeting this target, however, will only be possible, if the righ…

Simon Haynes, RIP
Date: Thursday 17 December 2020
It was with much sadness that we learned of the recent death of Simon Haynes. Simon founded Midland Vehicle Components in April 2000, having been in the automotive trade for many years and previously …

Ban on tyres over 10 years old for heavy vehicles and some minibuses
Date: Thursday 17 December 2020
The DVSA has now updated the Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness to include the change in the Construction and Use Regulations for rules relating to tyres aged over 10 years old and manufacturer date …

Give your views: autonomous vehicles and driver training
Date: Thursday 17 December 2020
IAM RoadSmart is part of a project called Drive2thefuture and they are seeking views on developing training programmes, policies and other cost efficient measures to help people to use autonomous vehi…

Making sense of the pandemic - some thoughts from Ben
Date: Thursday 17 December 2020
This has been a very unsettling year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has played havoc with everyone’s lives. That’s why Ben wanted to take a look at how the pandemic has affected people's physical…

4 Tips to Protect Your Business from Fraud: advice from FinCred IS
Date: Thursday 17 December 2020
Fraud is estimated to cost the global economy £3.89 trillion a year, and over £193 billion a year in the UK. In the last 10 years fraud losses have increased by 56%.[1] Furthermore, with only a fracti…

Haynes to cease publishing new Workshop Manuals
Date: Thursday 17 December 2020
The long-standing Haynes Workshop Manual will no longer be physically printed and published for new cars, the publisher has confirmed. First published in 1966, the comprehensive workshop manuals featu…

There are two weeks until the end of the transition period. Prepare now.
Date: Thursday 17 December 2020
The transition period ends on 31 December 2020. Trade rules will change. With only two weeks to go until the end of the transition period, you must ACT NOW. Businesses need to prepare for the new trad…

New Head for ZF Aftermarket
Date: Wednesday 16 December 2020
Philippe Colpron (42 years) takes over as an Executive Vice President and has the responsibilities as Head of ZF’s aftermarket division on January 1st, 2021. As well as this, he will continue to lead …

Wendy Williamson discusses aftermarket of the future in webinar
Date: Friday 11 December 2020
Wendy Williamson, IAAF chief executive, joined an expert panel on the latest Automechanika Birmingham auto:resource.co.uk webinar Series, which discussed the findings of an extensive industry report, …

IAAF Virtual Conference 2020 - presentations and video now available
Date: Friday 11 December 2020
Following on from the IAAF's first Virtual Conference which took place on Thursday 3rd December, the IAAF has now made the video of the conference available for viewing by IAAF members. The conference…

Take action now to ensure personal data flows freely from the EU/EEA to the UK
Date: Friday 11 December 2020
With just three weeks to go until the end of the transition period on 31 December, there is still time to prepare. You can find out what actions you may need to take by using the checker tool at gov.u…

WAI partners with new breed of motor factor
Date: Thursday 10 December 2020
WAI has reached an agreement with LSA Supplies Ltd, the latest name to commence trading in the automotive aftermarket, supplying garages in the south of England with the rotating electric specialist’s…

Director progresses at Melett
Date: Thursday 10 December 2020
Turbocharger and parts specialist Melett has appointed Darren Johnson to the position of Group Sales Director. Johnson, who was previously Head of Sales at Melett, will now be responsible for the exec…

IMI turns up the power on EV training in partnership with VOCANTO
Date: Thursday 10 December 2020
The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) is addressing the urgency for EV training with an exciting new partnership with international e-learning training experts, VOCANTO. Capitalising on its ground…

UK Transition Period: Important information regarding re-registered international designs
Date: Thursday 10 December 2020
International designs designating the EU will continue to have protection in the UK under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement. From 1 January 2021, the UK Intellectual Property Office will create a …

Furlough is not just for Christmas: advice from Lawgistics
Date: Thursday 10 December 2020
Lawgistics have advised that the government has again updated their guidance with regard to furloughing employees. Furlough is only in place for companies which are being affected by coronavirus (Covi…

COVID-19: Employer support – live HMRC webinars
Date: Thursday 10 December 2020
Claims under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) are currently open for pay periods in November and December 2020. You have until 11.59pm Monday 14 December to submit claims for November. Make…

Updated figures from DVSA on MOT forecasts
Date: Thursday 10 December 2020
Following on from previous information released at the end of November, the DVSA has now produced updated figures and a forecast for January, broken down by postcode, to help understand how demand wil…

Dayco's Charlie Huddleston retires
Date: Wednesday 09 December 2020
Long-time industry stalwart, Charlie Huddleston has retired after a long and distinguished aftermarket career. Having spent a considerable period of his working life with FAI, Universal Automotive and…

IAAF Virtual Conference 2020 - Sponsors
Date: Friday 04 December 2020
The IAAF would like to thank all the companies who sponsored this year's event in the year that nobody expected. The headline sponsors of the event were Alliance Automotive Group and Impression UK. …

The show must go on: IAAF gets the wheels in motion for aftermarket recovery in first virtual conference
Date: Friday 04 December 2020
A successful first-ever virtual Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) conference has taken an in-depth look at the opportunities and threats affecting aftermarket businesses in a post-B…

IAAF celebrates the ‘Pride of the Aftermarket’
Date: Friday 04 December 2020
The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) has revealed the worthy winners of its new-look awards ceremony, ‘Pride of the Aftermarket’, celebrating the individuals and businesses who hav…

New digital platform launched to inform, train and connect UK automotive aftermarket
Date: Thursday 03 December 2020
Messe Frankfurt UK, organisers of Automechanika Birmingham, has launched auto:resource, a new online directory and resources platform to inform, train and connect the UK automotive aftermarket. The co…

HMRC Transition Update: Completing customs import declarations
Date: Thursday 03 December 2020
The UK transition period ends at the end of this month. If your business trades with other countries from Europe or you represent a business who does, from 1 January you’ll need to be prepared for the…

Automotive aftermarket to be provided with industry insight in latest webinar
Date: Thursday 03 December 2020
After the success of the first and second free webinars for the automotive aftermarket, Messe Frankfurt UK, organisers of Automechanika Birmingham, has confirmed the date for the next webinar in the A…

Brexit tax and customs changes are coming very soon. Are you ready?
Date: Thursday 03 December 2020
IAAF member E-Motive is co-hosting a timely webinar to help companies prepare for Brexit on Tuesday 8th December at 2:30pm. A panel of experts from the fields of ecommerce technology & services, c…

Do we have to shut our workplace after a confirmed case of COVID-19 among our workforce?
Date: Thursday 03 December 2020
Our colleagues at Xecutivesearch have brought to our attention the following article, put together by Mondaq, which outlines what is recommended should an employee be confirmed as having COVID-19. The…

Kerridge Commercial Systems launches new Ecommerce Division
Date: Thursday 03 December 2020
MAM Software, a Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) company, has today announced the formation of a new strategic Ecommerce Division within the group. The company, with operations across the globe, has …

David Sedgley, Roadlink International chairman, has sadly passed away following a long illness
Date: Friday 27 November 2020
David spent his whole working life in the commercial vehicle industry, leaving school to begin work with Edmunds Walker in the early 1960s. Always championing the independent business, he established …

Balyfa joins IAAF membership
Date: Thursday 26 November 2020
The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) has welcomed its latest member, global brake fitting supplier Balyfa, to its growing network of aftermarket businesses. Balyfa delivers a high-…

URGENT - help needed from IAAF members for important study on access to in-vehicle data access
Date: Thursday 26 November 2020
FIGIEFA and IAAF have been approached by TRL on behalf of the European Commission to take part in a study on access to in-vehicle data. As TRL are advising the Commission on policy options on this top…

Loveday Ryder appointed as DVSA's new Chief Executive
Date: Thursday 26 November 2020
Loveday Ryder has been appointed as the new Chief Executive of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and will be starting her new role on 1 January 2021. DVSA’s purpose is to help everyone st…

Last chance to register for the IAAF Virtual Conference
Date: Thursday 26 November 2020
IAAF members are reminded that time is running out for them to register for this year's conference, which is being hosted virtually on Thursday 3rd December. As usual, the IAAF will be welcoming a top…

“Could the 2030 UK Government ban on new petrol and diesel only cars be good for the aftermarket?” asks Klarius CEO Mark Brickhill…
Date: Wednesday 25 November 2020
“The answer, in the short to mid-term could be ‘yes’ if you look past the populist politics. Most manufacturers are introducing mainly hybrid vehicles now anyway, and plans for an electric-only future…

GS Yuasa Academy receives IMI accreditation
Date: Wednesday 25 November 2020
GS Yuasa Academy has become the first battery training program to partner with The Institute of the Motor Industry. The online learning platform will give users who have completed all courses the oppo…

BEIS Update: Rules for providing services are changing
Date: Wednesday 25 November 2020
In the run-up to the end of the transition period on 31st December, The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has issued further guidance for businesses regarding the rules covering …