News 6 www.aftermarketonline.net JULY/AUGUST 2025 LKQ Academy has announced several open day events designed to highlight the “realworld value” of its training, products and services. Each event, aimed at existing and prospective customers, will provide a hands-on introduction to how LKQ supports the skills development of technicians throughout their careers. Following events in June, the remainder are in Avonmouth (July 24) and at its flagship training centre at T1 in Tamworth (July 14). Events start in the early afternoon, with attendees being taken through a presentation on the courses available through the LKQ Academy before touring the training centre at their chosen location. Events will also feature products and demonstrations from suppliers including Autel, Texa, GYS, Autoclimate and REM. Additionally, Kielder and Autowave will exhibit at all six events, while Laser Tools will showcase its products at Tamworth and Avonmouth. A networking session will round out each event, offering customers the chance to engage with local LKQ ECP sales teams and branch representatives. More than 90 in-person LKQ Academy courses are available and range from delivering the skills needed to service hybrid and electric vehicles, to helping support staff become more adept at handling customers’ queries. Alongside its inperson training, the LKQ Academy provides more than 300 e-learning courses, and recently introduced bespoke, oneday customer courses for garages with unique requirements. For locations, dates and booking details contact your local LKQ branch or account manager. Unipart has won a three-year contract with Leonardo, a £17.8 billion global industrial group building technological capabilities in aerospace, defence and security. Under the terms of the deal, Unipart will be responsible for warehousing and logistics services, contributing to Leonardo’s support of the UK & Irish fleet of commercial and public service helicopters. Darren Leigh, CEO of Unipart, said: “In an industry facing a number of challenges, ranging from production demands to sustainability targets, it’s crucial for Unipart to provide best-in-class supply chain performance improvement solutions that deliver sustainable growth.” The announcement came just weeks after Unipart reported an increase in turnover to more than £1 billion last year, a 3.2% yearon-year rise. Meanwhile, underlying profit before interest and tax increased 29.5% to £28.1 million. The company also celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Unipart brand in 2024 — a year in which the business said it also extended supply chain partnerships with a number of automotive OEMs across operations in the UK, US and Asia-Pacific. Replacement car parts manufacturer APA Industries has announced a major warehouse expansion that the firm said will directly boost supplies for the UK and other markets. APA said it has completed a 40,000 ft2 expansion to its existing 100,000 ft2 warehouse in California to speed-up orders of more than 9,000 SKUs, supporting its ÜRO Parts and Autotecnica brands and products. Drew Persson, APA’s director of brand strategy, told Aftermarket magazine that while the expansion is in the US, it is a key part of the firm’s global strategy as it serves customers across the UK, Europe, US and Asian markets. “This investment directly benefits them by allowing us to expand our inventory of exclusive and hardto-source SKUs. This means faster fulfilment, greater depth of range, and stronger supply continuity — all of which are increasingly important for UK distributors and garages looking for reliable sourcing partners.” Parts supplier APA says H[SDQVLRQ WR EHQHᎮW 8. 8QLSDUW LQ WKUHH \HDU Leonardo contract Academy open days focus on training and support
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