Aftermarket April 2022

APRIL 2022 AFTERMARKET 55 www.aftermarketonline.net products we can sell into the independent aftermarket. We will be looking to identify those opportunities. They don’t have a very big aftermarket presence within Faurecia, therefore it is a very big opportunity for us to sell some Faurecia product into our market. Where these products will sit in the market will be very much Faurecia and Hella combined.” Citing a specific example, Neil continued: “We will be looking to introduce the Faurecia Easy2Fit exhaust range into the aftermarket in the not-too-distant future.” This is a boxed exhaust system, with all necessary components contained in the pack. “It is unique within the market. It is easy to store, easy to move and easy to fit to the vehicle. We hope to have this ready by the end of April.” This is just one of a wider range. Neil added: “We will have DPF kits, Cat conversion kits and exhaust kits, 3,300 covering about 26,000 OE applications. This is the introduction to Faurecia and there are more products to come.” Advanced The main focus for our visit, however, was the chance to get up-close and personal with the all-new kit being launched. Our guide here was Neil Hilton, Head of Garage Equipment at Hella UK, who unveiled the trio of new equipment, namely the Hella Gutmann mega macs X, the macsRemote and CSC- Digital. Starting with mega macs X and the macsRemote, Neil said: “Hella Gutmann is widely recognised throughout Europe as a leader in diagnostic technology, but with the introduction of mega macs X and macsRemote, we’ve not just raised the bar, we’ve changed the landscape. “Not only is the mega macs X very different in appearance to other diagnostic devices, it’s also the most advanced tool Hella Gutmann has ever developed. It incorporates the processor, diagnostic software and integrated diagnostic protocols, which includes among others, the CAN FD and DoIP for recent vehicle models such as Škoda Octavia, Volvo XC 90 and Volkswagen Golf 8, but communicates on a wireless basis. “The revolutionary product therefore fundamentally changes the operational method and communication with Right: Working with the CSC-Digital the vehicle from a diagnostic standpoint, providing the utmost flexibility when it comes to both hardware and software configurations. It allows individual workshops to choose whether they wish to combine their existing desktop browsers or tablets with the mega macs X, or move to a totally mega macs driven platform, so offering a solution that can be adapted to the specific needs of the workshop.” Next, we were shown the macsRemote. Access to newer vehicles can be a problem without dealer tools, but according to Neil, this issue is addressed via the macsRemote, which he said offers a high degree of diagnostic access to more recent cars: “In short, macsRemote allows independent workshops to legitimately access the vehicle manufacturer’s own tools, to diagnose faults and activate solutions, to any vehicle from the moment it leaves the showroom, which means that no vehicle is out of bounds to the independent anymore.” ADAS calibration evolution Moving away from straight diagnostics for the third product of the day, Neil unveiled the CSC-Digital, which is also the company’s third and latest ADAS camera/radar calibration solution. This joins the already available CSC-Tool SE and CSC-Mobile offerings from the company: “The CSC-Tool Digital is the latest ADAS calibration evolution, and so everything that’s possible with the analogue tools also works with the digital version, but faster and more efficiently. “However, the digital tool also has some additional benefits, for example, the targets required for the front cameras are accessed via remote control and an Apple TV box, which are then simply projected onto a screen, so there’s no need to store and carry around the large-format targets. This saves both time and money because currently many different targets are required for the vehicles that are commonly used in the UK.” Being on-site at their H.Q, we were able to get our hands on the kit, and see it working up-close, which was educational. Once the demonstrations were over, Neil added: “With these three introductions, Hella Gutmann has developed the solutions that provide independents with a route to remain at the forefront of the service and repair sector, and rightfully and effectively, compete with the VM franchised dealer network.” Further information: www.hella-gutmann.co.uk With the introduction of mega macs X and macsRemote, we’ve not just raised the bar, we’ve changed the landscape ”