Three new items designed to make repair jobs quicker, easier and more cost-effective join the body shop range from 3M.

MOTOR Codes has claimed 93% of drivers would recommend one of its member garages to family and friends.

AVOIDABLE faults on fleet cars cause 15,000 days of downtime per year, according to RAC data.

Martin Brown has been appointed head of marketing at the Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMI).

COLCHESTER-based independent garage Shaikly Motor Company is urging other workshops to apply for the BSI Kitemark for Garage Services.

Lighting specialist Osram has unveiled its latest bulb in the form of the Xenarc Cool Blue Intense. The company hopes it will provide intensive illumination with cool design.

Spies Hecker has developed the Raderal Special Putty Set 2011 designed to cover welds, gaps and rivets on steel substrates.

Parts firm Febi has upgraded its offer to workshops with the ProKit package - an all-in-one product packaging option designed to make repairs easier.

The family of hand-held diagnostic tools celebrates a new addition to its brood in the form of the Vantage PRO enhanced component test meter and scope.

rong>If it’s incredibly low minimum access you require from your trolley jack then take a look at the new line of Viking trolley jacks from Sealey.

THE RIGHT To Repair campaign (R2RC) has disbanded after claiming victory in its mission to create a fairer and freer aftermarket industry.

SNAP-ON Tools' new boss says the company's sales are up 11% on the same time last year.

EURO Car Parts (ECP) has launched a fleet of vehicles to provide specialist brake-related advice and support to its customers.

APPRENTICE

BRAKING firm TMD Friction has appointed Rob Sweetnam as Managing Director of its UK division.

Texa has just released version 36 of its IDC3 software for cars, which includes new wiring diagrams for various marques including Audi, BMW, Fiat, Ford, Peugeot, Seat, Volkswagen and VW.

rong>A comprehensive range of remanufactured Pagid brake calipers featuring brand new pistons and sliders are now supplied by Euro Car Parts. 

As part of an aggressive expansion policy, Fuel Parts UK claims it is the only company offering a fully-approved Euro 4-compliant range of catalytic converters. The latest additions to its range include cats for the Fiat Bravo and Scudo from 2007 onwards together with the Volkswagen Eos from 2006 onwards.

A few months ago, Aftermarket reported on the booming market for towbar installation work. Now, towbar manufacturer Bosal has come up with another potential aftermarket sales opportunity with its Compact bicycle carrier. The company claims there has been an explosion (not literally we hope, Ed) in the leisure cycling market. That means more people looking for ways to strap mountain bikes to their cars without breaking the law.

It looks like a horrible torture device but the latest product to roll out of Ayce Systems' headquarters is an alloy wheel-straightening machine. The number of scuffed and damaged alloys on the roads shows that wheels take a pounding on a daily basis (not helped by some people's inability to park without hitting the kerb). This product aims to correct the most severe cases of damage.

NEVILLE Briggs, managing director of dealer management system provider Pinewood, says the planned hike in VAT will affect both business and consumer confidence.

VAT will rise from 17.5% to 20% in January, chancellor George Osborne has announced as part of a huge package of tax increases and spending cuts.

JAPANESE and Korean parts supplier Solid Auto has experienced an "encouraging response" after joining forces with the United Aftermarket Network (UAN) buying group.

PLANS for national remanufacturing standards could end the confusion between refurbished, recycled and reconditioned products says Brian Ludford, secretary of the UK's Federation of Engine Remanufacturers (FER).

PARTS distributor Universal Automotive has appointed Ian Hughes as its business development manager for the south west of England.

BM CATALYSTS has announced a £6m expansion plan and the start of a second UK manufacturing plant.

Euro Garage Solutions (EGS) - the workshop equipment division of Euro Car Parts - has become the sole UK distributor of the Werther range of lifting equipment.

rong>With motorists everywhere keen to save pennies, Agriemach has released an Exhaust System Joint & Crack Sealer to help cut repair costs.

General Motors has renewed its approval of paint company Spies Hecker's products for repair and refinish of its vehicles.

STRICTER emissions controls will mean a rapidly-expanding market for lambda sensors, with added opportunities for garages and factors, says Denso aftermarket sales boss Paul Payne.

Pico Technology has announced more training dates to help repairers get the latest knowledge of scope-based fault-finding. The Pico courses are designed to take the fear out of oscilloscope diagnostics, guiding delegates through from the basic understanding of a scope, to the software interface and kit contents and then into the workshop to see the scope in action.

AN ACCIDENT helpline has been launched by the Good Garage Scheme in a bid to speed up the insurance claims process for its members and their customers.

GARAGE boss Keith Kingham has got his hands on a Snap-on SOLUS PRO diagnostic tool and more after taking top spot in Motor Codes' Golden Garages competition.

The Automotive Technician Accreditation (ATA) scheme has celebrated its fifth birthday.

MORE than 15,000 car aftermarket businesses across Europe will be forced to close by 2013, according to business analysis service Datamonitor.

MIKE Stringer has been appointed commercial director of Unipart Automotive.

It looks like a calorie counter or pedometer but the Auto Current Tester from Frost is actually the latest gadget for making electrical checks on cars in your workshop.

Aftermarket couldn't resist the unusualness of the latest news from welding and battery charging company GYS. The company's online website game Master of Welding has been awarded the 2010 Prix Coup de Coeur marketing trophy. The award was presented at the French e-marketing awards for the best innovations in the field of digital marketing.

THE TYRE Recovery Association (TRA) has issued a warning to garages and tyre dealers following the prosecution of nine people who were fined nearly £75,000 for the illegal dumping of tyres.

IMPROVED access to technical information needed for repairs is one way the European Commission hopes the new Block Exemption rules will increase competition in the independent aftermarket.

THE MASSIVE German aftermarket exhibition turns 21 this year and to celebrate, it has brought body repair and paintwork segments together in a brand new hall.

rong>Tuning firm Unichip Europe has unveiled a U-connect Unichip ECU for the Nissan 350Z. The plug-and-play device aims to boost power by 20 bhp and raise peak output from 264 to 284 bhp.

With an eye on engine management, Bosch is reminding garages about the good margins to be made on lambda sensor replacement.

AUTOMOTIVE business expert Neil Pattemore says the latest EU legislation will change the way garages access technical information. Here, he takes a look at the impact of Euro 5:

Triplewax Car Shampoo has been revised and improved with a new formula. The company claims the result is a richer cleansing agent that offers "outstanding results" against modern day pollutants.

A survey released recently showed that independent garages have an increasingly important role to play in servicing feet cars.

The Unique seen here, is the latest addition to the Italian-made MAK Wheels range, distributed in the UK by Yokohama HPT.

Parts firm XPart is launching a range of front and rear bumpers and bonnet bars for the classic Mini with what it claims is a more superior finish than ever.

rong>The 2010 cooling catalogue from Gates includes everything from hoses to cooling accessories and provides for passengers cars to light commercials.

Electronic tuning firm Superchips has released a so-called 'plug-and-go' remap for the popular 2.7 litre Land Rover Discovery TDV6.