Motoring Articles - CAAR

Mont Blanc Under the Spotlight

noreply@blogger.com (CAAR) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 19:03:00 +0000

Think of roof systems and the name Mont Blanc inevitably comes to mind.
Since its foundation in 1947 the Swedish company has developed into a leading player in the roof system and leisure market and has grown alongside the expanding market.
Within the UK, Mont Blanc came to the fore back in 1995 when they acquired the Paddy Hopkirk company which was already an established roof bar and rack supplier. A rebranding exercise began in 1998 replacing the Hopkirk name with that of Mont Blanc and the company became Mont Blanc Industri UK in 2004.
Over the last 15 years the company has gone from strength to strength. They are now one of the top two players in Europe and the UK, Much of the UK growth has come from the independent retail sector in which it is the acknowledged brand-leader
Man At The Top
Overseeing the British operation is UK Managing Director Ian Graham who is also Chief Commercial Officer for Mont Blanc Industri AB. Many members will have met Ian at CAAR shows as well as other trade shows over the years. Ian joined Mont Blanc as Commercial Director in 1998, becoming UK managing Director two months later. With a background in accessories that includes spells at MA Brands, Mason Accessories and Summit, Ian already had plenty of experience within the aftermarket and, under his guidance, Mont Blanc has become a dominant force.
So what changes has Ian noticed in the market over his 12 year tenure?
“Well probably the greatest change has been the explosion in fittings required to cover the market”, says Ian. “Back in 1998 we had 4 bars and 20 kits giving excellent coverage. Today we still have four basic bars but now it takes over 300 kits to maintain 93% vehicle coverage.”
Continuing the theme, Ian tells us that back in 1995 guttered roof bars covered 80 per cent of the market whilst today it’s less than two per cent!
Made In The UK
You may think that, like so many products in the market, much of the range would be manufactured in the far east and shipped into the UK. Well if you do, then you’re wrong because adjoining the companies offices in Leighton Buzzard is a massive production facility which carries out, in Ian’s words, “good old-fashioned metal bashing”!
The company either produces or assembles all of its products in-house with components being made here for other plants within the group and vice versa.
Over 50 per cent of the workforce has been with the company for over 10 years and the operation is a hive of activity as components are produced and then assembled into the finished article. Investment in machinery includes a state-of-the-art paint plant that allows a colour change within 20 minutes and fits in with the company’s ‘just in time’ manufacturing policy. Instead of making thousands of one item at a time, Mont Blanc operate a system which analyses forthcoming orders and ensures that the right product is available at the right time.
All Mont Blanc items carry a 3 year guarantee which emphasises the quality of the product
Market Trends
Whilst roof bars have always been popular and staple products for retailers, the explosion in the items fitted to them has produced many more profitable sales opportunities than the old roof rack deck ever did. Mont Blanc were pioneers in roof boxes, producing fibreglass models in Sweden back in the 1970’s for the ski market. Today there is a vast range of boxes available from the company in all shapes, sizes and price points. Now made of hi-grade ABS with a UV stable cap to prevent fading, the boxes incorporate features such as dual-side opening, quick-fit systems and multipoint locking systems that don’t allow key removal unless all the points are firmly locked down.
Ian points out that the market in boxes in the UK is still well behind that on the continent but it is growing steadily, “We’ve also seen the roof box become a fashion accessory on top-end models such as the BMW X5 and so we now produce some beautiful high-gloss finishes on some of the boxes”, he says.
Of course many CAAR members stock a wide range of roof boxes and Mont Blanc offer seasonal pricing that ensures continuity of price throughout the year.
And There’s More
Ski-holders, bike carriers (roof and rear mount), surf board holders and a whole host of other accessories are available to offer even more sales opportunities There is also a fantastic range of commercial vehicle racks and fittings as well as internal van racking which we will feature in a future issue.
The popular Mont Blanc Vista Roof Boxes are available from www.caarbitz.co.uk

Denso secure Toyota OE supply

noreply@blogger.com (David Owen) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:13:00 +0000

DENSO Corporation has secured original equipment Spark Plug contracts with Toyota covering a number of the vehicle manufacturer’s latest vehicle models, DENSO Aftermarket Sales UK has confirmed.
The seven Toyota models that now feature original equipment DENSO Spark Plugs comprise the Toyota Avensis (3) 1.6i, 1.8i and 2.0i from November 2008; the Toyota IQ 1.0i from November 2008 and 1.3i from May 2009; the Toyota Urban Cruiser 1.3i from January 2009; and the Toyota Prius 1.8i from April 2009. The plugs selected for the vehicles are DENSO Iridium Longlife Spark Plugs, which feature a 0,7mm Iridium alloy centre electrode and Platinum ground electrode tip to deliver an outstanding plug lifetime of up to 100,000km.
In additional news, DENSO has also announced the introduction of a new Spark Plug to its OE quality, all-makes aftermarket programme. The GX8-1 Spark Plug – a DENSO Iridium Spark Plug with 0.7mm Iridium centre electrode and a platinum tip on the ground electrode – is now available in four-packs for the high performance Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X.
Both announcements reflect the world-leading, patented innovations that mark out DENSO Spark Plugs from the rest of the field. Paul Payne, DENSO Aftermarket Sales UK manager said: “Our continuous acquisition of OE Spark Plug contracts illustrates how DENSO’s advanced Spark Plug technologies lead the world. Toyota chose DENSO for a modern Hybrid car like the new Toyota Prius, quite simply because DENSO Iridium Spark Plugs can meet the strictest standards in low fuel consumption and low CO2 emissions. We are extremely proud to have added these important new Toyota models to our OE provision.”
Iridium Longlife Spark Plugs are just one example of the cutting edge OE Spark Plug innovations that have been developed by DENSO through its investment of eight percent of sales into R&D each year. But these technologies are not restricted to original equipment customers, as Paul Payne explains: “By self-manufacturing our aftermarket Spark Plugs to OEM standards largely in Japan, we also ensure that the same, market-leading OE technologies are available to our aftermarket customers through our replacement Spark Plug programme. Our ranges include Standard (Nickel) Spark Plugs as well as Single and Double Platinum, Iridium Tough, Iridium Long Life, high-performance Iridium Power and Iridium Racing Plugs, and the latest technology Super Ignition Plugs (SIP). Overall there are more than 6,450 automotive references, covering 99% of the European car market. Most of these references feature DENSO’s globally patented ‘U-groove’ electrode technology as standard, delivering better combustion for reduced emissions, enhanced ignition performance and fuel economy. Our Iridium ranges for the aftermarket also feature our patented, micro-fine, 0.4mm iridium alloy central electrode, which helps deliver racing-style performance with lower fuel consumption.”
Find out more about Denso by clicking here.

Willson Flies A Kite For Motorists

noreply@blogger.com (David Owen) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:19:00 +0000

BSI Kitemark reach out to motorists highlighting the importance of using a bodyshop or garage with BSI Kitemark certification with a radio day held today (Friday, November 20th ) with consumer motoring champion Quentin Willson.
The two BSI Kitemark automotive schemes for servicing and crash repairs are one of the most stringent in the UK, reassuring motorists that the work being done on their car is of the highest standard. Despite being launched only two years ago, research shows that almost six in ten people (58%) would prefer to use garages signed up to the schemes rather than non-certified garages.
Not only do they reduce the risk of unsafe work being carried out, they have to offer fair and transparent billing. This is backed up with a massive 77% of drivers saying value for money is the most important element of a good service.
To obtain the Kitemark garages/bodsyhops must address key areas: customer service, customer satisfaction, customer facilities - such as waiting areas, staff competencies - the quality of workmanship in the garage, their ability to use the equipment available, technical inspection, safe repair methods and importantly fair and transparent billing. All these elements are then assessed by independent BSI inspectors and must meet stringent benchmarks if the valuable Kitemark is to be awarded by BSI.
Consumer motoring champion Quentin Willson commented: “While there are other industry codes that are subscribed to by mechanics, garages and bodyshops, many will be assessed only once, or in some cases not at all. The Kitemark scheme has the most rigorous of assessments and insists upon annual reassessment to make sure that that same quality and service is being delivered year after year.
“I strongly believe that with motoring costs spiraling, every garage/bodyshop needs to prove that they are offering industry leading standards and transparent billing. Without these standards the motorist will vote with their feet."
There are currently 479 bodyshops with the Kitemark and 126 garages.
For more information on the Kitemark schemes visit www.kitemark.com.

Ring Extend Compressor Range

noreply@blogger.com (David Owen) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:16:00 +0000

In the current economic climate saving money and reducing unnecessary costs is on everyone’s mind. However, the cost of filling a car up has continued to increase and motorists now face petrol prices well over a £1 per litre.
Ring Automotive is advising drivers to inflate their tyres correctly to make significant savings on their fuel bills. Under-inflated tyres have more contact with the road surface, which increases the drag of the vehicle. Combined with an increase in rolling resistance the engine has to use more fuel to create more energy to maintain the same performance as a correctly inflated tyre. Correct tyre pressures help to maintain optimum fuel efficiency. This can equate to lower Co2 emissions which is good for the environment and good for your wallet. As well as increasing the consumption of fuel, under inflated tyres wear out quicker than normal. This increased wear and reduction in the life of the tyre results in costly new tyres.
To help motorists maintain optimum tyre pressure, Ring Automotive has launched a new range of compressors, which incorporates Ring’s award winning compressor technology. All five new compressors have been designed by Ring Automotive, making them unique to the company, and easily recognizable as a family range.
Analogue and digital compressors are included to suit individual motorist’s needs from DIY enthusiasts through to professionals. Neat tidy storage for fused 12v cigarette lighter plugs and the flexible air hoses means that all the compressors will store away easily in the car.
RAC610 is a compact simple to use analogue compressor.
RAC620 is a compact analogue compressor with a white LED light for direction and a red light for alerting attention with an SOS emergency function.
RAC630 is an automatic digital compressor with a white LED light for direction and a red light for alerting attention with an SOS emergency function.
RAC640 is an automatic digital compressor with a white LED light for direction and an inflator and deflator.
RAC650 is a cordless rechargeable automatic digital air compressor with a removable gauge with a white LED light and inflator deflator.
To find out more about this exciting new range speak to your local CAAR member (find them here) or click here to visit the Ring website. You can call Ring on 0113 213 2389.