Cover story 6 Future-proofing starts today Niterra UK Ltd Marketing Manager, Becca Knight, explains why future-proofing a workshop isn’t about choosing between internal combustion and electrification, but preparing to support both. The aftermarket has always adapted to changing vehicle technology. The conversation around 2035 is simply the latest chapter. The noise around the 2035 deadline can sometimes distract from the reality facing independent workshops. While the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate is accelerating the transition towards electrification, it only applies to the sale of new vehicles. Millions of petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles already on UK roads will continue to require maintenance and repair for many years to come. Rather than replacing one opportunity with another, the industry is entering a dual-track future. Workshops must continue investing in new technologies while maintaining the expertise needed to support an ageing vehicle parc that remains the backbone of today’s servicing business. We’re already seeing some dual-track uncertainty as the 2035 deadline creeps closer. Vehicle owners are keeping their cars for longer, with many waiting to see how legislation develops or how quickly electric vehicles become accessible to them. As a result, the average age of the UK vehicle parc continues to rise and workshops are maintaining older vehicles next to increasingly complex new technology. However, workshops have always moved with the times to keep their business alive and now is no different. The Road Ahead Future-proofing isn’t simply about preparing for environmental regulations a decade from now. It’s about ensuring the business is ready for the vehicles arriving in the workshop today. Modern petrol engines have evolved dramatically. Downsizing, turbocharging and increasingly sophisticated engine management systems have enabled manufacturers to extract more performance, greater fuel efficiency, and lower emissions from smaller capacity powertrains. The result is that ignition components are required to perform in hostile environments while maintaining precise, reliable ignition over increasingly long service intervals. Diesel technology has evolved too. Glow plugs continue to play an important role in supporting reliable cold starting and efficient combustion during the warm-up phase, helping modern diesel engines operate as intended. For independent workshops, ignition components will remain a dependable and profitable product category thanks to the many years of operation expected from petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles. This is why product quality remains so relevant. Built-in Quality Today’s engines place far greater demands on ignition components than their older counterparts. High-stress engines, higher pressures, leaner air-fuel ratios and tighter emissions regulations all mean that the spark must be more powerful, more precise and more consistent. In these environments, material and design make all the difference and that’s where premium plugs earn their price tag. Nickel alloy plugs are cost-effective and perfectly functional in many cases, especially for older vehicles. But the difference in price for premium plugs is about far more than just a brand name; it’s about advanced materials and engineering designed to meet rigorous performance demands. And it is the quality of materials used that is the primary differentiator in cost. Premium spark plugs are built with precious metals including platinum or iridium -elements chosen for their exceptional performance in extreme conditions. Iridium, for example, has a melting point of 2,450°C and is one of the hardest materials in existence. This makes it extremely resistant to fouling and ideal for delivering consistent ignition under pressure. Platinum plugs also provide better durability and reliability
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