Editor’s comment 3 www.aftermarketonline.net SEPTEMBER 2025 Editor John Shepherd john@aftermarket.co.uk +44 (0) 1732 370 345 Head of Sales Angela Lyus angela@aftermarket.co.uk +44 (0) 7823 736 629 Managing Director Ryan Fuller ryan.fuller@dfamedia.co.uk Marketing Manager Hope Jepson hope.jepson@dfamedia.co.uk Production Design Anthony Wiffen production@aftermarket.co.uk +44 (0) 7851 612799 Finance Department accounts@dfamedia.co.uk +44 (0) 1732 370 340 Contributors Bill Fennell | Nathan McHugh Marcel Wendt Published by DFA Media Group 192 High Street Tonbridge Kent TN9 1BE +44 (0)1732 370340 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 Aftermarket Media Ltd 2026. Average net circulation July 2023 to June 2024 21,945 Time to spread some extra Christmas cheer Are your Christmas and new year gifts and arrangements all wrapped up yet? If you’re anything like me the answer is no! There’s also the not-so-small matter of work that has to continue, come what may — but even if you do manage to get a few days away from the garage over the festive holiday period, some last-minute MOTs and services will all be welcome in terms of the bank balance. It’s certainly been another difficult year for many businesses and families. If you are still wondering what to buy friends and family, please consider adding a very worthy cause to your shopping list — the Christmas Families project launched by the automotive industry charity, Ben. The project runs until December 15 and can be a lifeline for families and members of the automotive community in the run-up to Christmas. Now in its sixth year, the project provides financial, emotional and wellbeing support for automotive people struggling to make ends meet at this time of year. You will find full details of how you can help on page 8 of this issue, so please take a look and see if you are able to spread some cheer that little bit further. Also in this edition, we’ve a special roundup of Aftermarket’s 2025 Top Awards, which concluded in spectacular style in November. If you were not among the UK’s leading garages, technicians and automotive businesses at the amazing gala dinner and awards ceremony, you can get a taste of what you missed starting on page 18. We also have our regular news and features, including a look at some of the issues that will have an impact on independents as we enter a brand new year. Find out what the formation of a new industry body to help improve MOT tester training, by a group of the UK’s leading MOT training organisations, will mean for your business. There’s a special article in our business section on how secure access could make or break the UK’s electric vehicle ambitions, with many independents being held back not by skills, but by their ability to gain secure access to the systems that modern vehicles rely on. So, whether you’re reading this on a well-earned tea break at work or taking a break from struggling with the Christmas decorations, sit back, relax and enjoy the issue. Merry Christmas — and we’ll be back with our first edition of the new year in February. John Shepherd Editor
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