Aftermarket September 2022

www.aftermarketonline.net SEPTEMBER 2022 AFTERMARKET 3 CONTENTS BUSINESS 8 Big Issue: Running on empty 14 Neil Pattemore: It’s just not fair 16 Rebecca Pullan: Relationships 18 Wild West of EV infrastructure 20 LKQ Euro Car Parts: CarSys TOP TECHNICIAN/TOP GARAGE 24 VARTA: Save fuel through battery care TECHNICAL 26 Aftermarket of the future 28 Andrew Marsh: What’s in a name? 30 Frank Massey: Building the better garage 32 Kevin Toms: Overvoltage adversity 34 Repairify: Living Life at the limiter 36 Kalimex: Rocketing fuel prices IN FOCUS 38 Automechanika Frankfurt preview 42 20 years of MEYLE HD 44 Ignition 46 Lighting 48 Bearings 50 Online tools and management 54 EVs and hybrids PLUS... 58 Aftermarket 30th anniversary 64 Competition 65 General products 66 On the Road: Maverick Diagnostics 68 Recruitment 72 Training update 74 Teabreak AGE IS JUST A NUMBER Editor | Alex Wells alex@aftermarket.co.uk | +44 (0) 1732 370 345 Managing Director | Ryan Fuller ryan.fuller@dfamedia.co.uk | +44 (0) 1732 370 340 Media Sales Executive | Haley Sibley Haley.sibley@dfamedia.co.uk | +44 (0) 1732 370 349 Contributors Neil Kennett | Andrew Marsh | Frank Massey | Aidan McClean Neil Pattemore | Martin Pinnell-Brown | Rebecca Pullan | Kevin Toms Project Liaison Manager | Emma Floyd emma.floyd@dfamedia.co.uk | +44 (0) 1732 370 340 Marketing Executive | Hope Jepson hope.jepson@dfamedia.co.uk | +44 (0) 1732 371081 Finance Manager | Caren Brown caren.brown@dfamedia.co.uk | +44 (0) 1732 370 340 Chief Executive | Ian Atkinson ian.atkinson@dfamedia.co.uk | +44 (0) 1732 370 340 Published by | DFA Media Ltd 192 High Street, Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 1BE Alex Wells, Editor Average net circulation July 2019 to June 2021 18,265 @aftermarketmagazine @aftermarket01 @aftermarketmagazine ISSN 2516-9149 Aftermarket is published 10 times a year and is sent free of charge to applicants meeting the publisher’s criteria. All others may subscribe at £60 per anum, £120 Europe and £150 rest of the world. While every care is taken to provide accurate information, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors or ommisions, no matter how caused. All rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior consent of the publisher. The views of contributors do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher. Copyright: DFA MEDIA LTD 2022. W elcome to the 30th anniversary bumper issue of Aftermarket! Back in 1992, the magazine that would ultimately become Aftermarket was first published. Over the course of the next few decades, it grew and changed with the industry. In view of this, we have a special article looking at the history of the magazine, including recollections from key figures from the past and present. It’s a big birthday party for the mag, like a static Studio 54, only it’s on pages 58-63. Moving a little closer to the present day, but not by much, 2022 is also the 20th anniversary of the MEYLE HD line of parts. If you turn to pages 42-43, you will find out what happened when we sat down with the experts in Hamburg to learn more. Speaking of Germany, later this month Automechanika Frankfurt returns, running from 13-17 September. Back to its full size for the first time since the pandemic, the show is set to be huge. Aftermarket will be heading over, but before we check ourselves in for our flight, check out our preview on pages 38- 41. With a skills crisis like the one that has afflicted our sector for years now a mainstream problem affecting the kind of businesses that get on the TV news, the topic has become a talking point. Of course, what affects the rest of the world impacts on us too. This makes staff retention more important than ever. What happens if your staff, even if they want to stay, are running themselves into the ground, and have to leave for health reasons? Are you thinking about the well- being of your techs? Are they considering it themselves? Turn to Big Issue on pages 8-12 to find out more. Elsewhere in the issue, Neil Pattemore has returned to offer up his thoughts on how the legal framework governing the sector may change over the next few years, with the MV-BER up for renewal next year. That is on pages 14-15. We also see the return of Rebecca Pullan, who looks at the importance of the relationship between a garage and its suppliers. The way a garage runs itself is the topic of an article from LKQ Euro Car Parts on pages 20-23, where the company’s CarSys GMS is discussed. We also take an in-depth look at other set-ups in our online tools and management systems feature on pages 50-53. On the technical front, Frank Massey examines how a garage can build up its diagnostic offering. That is on pages 30-31. Then, on pages 32-33, 2021’s Top Technician winner Kevin Toms returns, with a piece considering electrical issues, specifically overvoltage. Getting back to what’s newsworthy outside the garage, the guys at Kalimex are considering how the very high cost of fuel could put garages in high demand as motorists look to maximise fuel efficiency. That’s on pages 36-37. If that’s not enough for you, we also have features on ignition, LIGHTING, bearings, and EVs and hybrids. We also went to see Maverick Diagnostics’ new training centre when it opened over the summer. You can find out more about this on pages 66-67. Lastly, if you turn to news on pages 4-7, you will learn the names of the 10 mechanics who will be taking part in the Top Technician semi final on Saturday 3 September, which is taking place at the Delphi Technologies Training Centre in Warwick. Speaking of anniversaries, Top Technician is hitting 20 this year too. It feels like I’m going to need to write a lot of anniversary cards!