TMS Motor Spares Ltd has installed the Autocat+ electronic parts catalogue at trade counters in its 18-strong branch network.

TMS, a founding member of the RAPID buying group, is thought to be the  largest independent supplier of motor parts in South Scotland and Northern England.

Autocat+ from MAM Software is an all-makes parts catalogue that enables users to identify and compare millions of part references from hundreds of aftermarket parts suppliers.

Updated almost daily, the data is served live via the internet.

The owner of Auto Windscreens has sold its stake in the company to a new majority shareholder one year after acquiring the firm.

ARQUES Industries AG has transferred ownership of the glazing company to MOGUNTIA invest GmbH, which is controlled by Christian Daumann.

Daumann was the ARQUES executive responsible for the original purchase in December 2008, and has worked closely with its managing director, Peter Fox, who will continue in this role.

Fox said: “Auto Windscreens’ strategy and direction will continue. It is one Christian and I believe in and have been fully involved since its inception at the beginning of the year.

“The Company has come a long way in 12 months. It is now financially robust and we have developed a strong platform on which to build the business further.”

The company, which was founded in 1971 and employes 1600 people, was acquired by ARQUES Industries AG from Aviva in December 2008 for a symbolic purchase price.

Following the acquisition, Auto Windscreens was established as an independent brand, strict cost management was introduced and a new senior management team was appointed earlier this year.

All existing management structures within the company will remain.

Unipart Automotive has re-launched its range of batteries with applications to cater specifically for stop-start enabled vehicles.

The company says the new line-up features the latest AGM technology and covers 99 per cent of the stop start technology vehicle parc.

Vehicle marques catered for include Mercedes, Porsche, BMW and Audi.

The range offers an original equipment matching quality guarantee and comes with a four-year warranty.

Wendy Williamson, Unipart’s marketing director, said: “Our new and improved battery ranges suit different budgets and requirements.  The ranges are engineered to last and represent real value for money.”

The company has developed a marketing campaign to support the launch, including advertising, point of sale and new label designs.

Elektromotive, the electric vehicle recharging specialist, has been awarded the second annual Green Innovation award by TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk.

It is perhaps best known for its Elektrobay recharging station for on-street or multi-storey car park use.

There are now more than 250 of the bays across the UK and the company has also expanded its business into Saudi Arabia and across Europe.

On receiving the award, Calvey Taylor-Haw, managing director, said: “We’ve seen a huge growth in demand for the Elektrobay.

“Next year we’ll see the arrival of many new production-ready electric cars and we’ve already secured firm commitments from a range of government bodies and major organisations to support the shift to zero-emissions motoring.”

When people ask me what I do for a living, and I reply that I am a publisher, the next question is usually “what do publishers actually do?”

It’s a good question, perhaps because there isn’t an easy one-line answer I can give that sums it all up. There are too many facets to the job.

I guess the simple response is to say this: that my main duty is to ensure CAT is well run and makes money.

Publishing CAT magazine means I have responsibilities across just about every area of the business, including:

• Planning the brand’s long-term business strategy
• Building relationships with key clients
• Writing budgets and monitoring the monthly accounts
• Putting together bespoke campaigns for bigger clients – Denso and ECP, for example
• Organising our Awards
• Selling bespoke sponsorships for the Awards
• Managing the business side of the website

From time to time, editor Emma even lets me do the occasional bit of editorial, both in the mag and online: I actually wrote half of our 30th anniversary special supplement back in June, which was fantastic as it taught me so much about the history of our industry.

Often, there can be so many little projects on the go at once, that I get into the office and don’t really know which one I should be concentrating on.

When I first arrived at Haymarket, one of my colleagues on What Car? magazine said that publishing was very much like trying to keep a dozen spinning plates in the air at the same time, and not allowing them to fall down and smash on the floor.

It was a decent analogy. That’s exactly what publishing a magazine can be like at times, even one as relatively small as CAT.

But I love it. So there!

Euro Car Parts has opened a new branch in Barking, in line with its continuing expansion plans.

The 10,000sq ft Barking branch, based at Muirhead Quay Fresh Wharf Estate, is ECP’s 73^rd outlet.

It has 6 members of staff boasting more than 20 years’ combined experience in the automotive aftermarket

In addition to the usual hard parts and accessories ranges, the branch stocks ECP’s Pit Lane portfolio, which includes Bilstein suspension kits, alloy wheels and ICE products.

Donna West, director of communications at ECP, said the branch would offer savings of up to 70% on its products.

She added: “Everyone is looking for a good deal during the current climate and we are helping the motorist in every way.

“Garages are calling out for ECP to deliver quality products at rock bottom prices as fast as possible.”

Nearly £70,000 was raised for industry charity BEN at this December’s ADF Dinner, it has been announced.

Chief executive Brian Spratt admitted to being “staggered and tremendously gratified” at the total of donations announced at the dinner, which was held at the Metropole Hotel in Birmingham’s NEC complex.

A number of fund raising events through the year belied the effects of the recession, with charity golf, cricket and karting tournaments being particularly successful.

Companies were invited onto the stage to present cheques to BEN – key contributions coming from:

• GMF Motor Factors - £1000
• Jayar - £4010
• Unipart – £9300, plus £10,434 for the Unipart golf day
• ADF – £5100
• UK Batteries - £10,000
• Klarius – £5000
• ECP staff – £3500
• On the night – £6,000

Charles Davis, BEN’s director of fundraising, said: “This total comes as a fantastic surprise to us at the end of a tough year. I’d like to pass on sincere thanks to all our supporters in the trade who allow us to continue providing quality care and support to colleagues in need.”

The BSI Kitemark has gained its 500th garage.

New Malden based independent Wedd and White has become the 500th bodyshop to join the scheme, which only passes on accreditation if applying garages meet a stringent set of standards.

Wedd and White were tested on the following criteria:

• Skills standards
• Repair methods
• Equipment and tooling used
• Materials used

The garage was assessed by independent BSI inspectors before being given full certification.

Wedd and White’s achievement comes at a great time for their business, as they are set to expand and open a new site.

Peter Needham, the garage’s MD, said: “The Kitemark is the way forward as it standardises the quality of repairers.

“Already we have seen an influx of new business from insurance companies – giving us the confidence to open a bigger site and expand our business to 30,000 sq ft.

“We’re looking to recruit new staff in the new year too.”

SMMT figures released today show the possible effect to come of scrappage on the aftermarket, as the number of cars scrapped through the scheme broke the 250,000 mark.

Figures just released from the SMMT showed that:

• New car registrations through scrappage totalled 251,629 between May and November 2009
• Scrappage accounted for 21.6% of all new car registrations in November
• The average CO2 emissions of a car bought through this scheme was 133g, which the SMMT claims is 27% below ‘a scrapped car’s emissions’ (although they didn’t say this was the average figure for all scrapped car emissions)

These are cars which effectively have been taken away from the independent aftermarket as potential business.

SMMT chief executive Paul Everitt commented: “Scrappage continues to have a positive impact on vehicle registrations, contributing to the 57.6% increase in November’s registrations.

“It has helped to generate consumer confidence and SMMT urges government to sustain the recovery and support the long-term future of the motor industry.”

What the long-term effect of scrappage will be on the aftermarket remains unclear at this time.

In a recent CAT poll on this website, 46% of aftermarket employees were against the scheme, thinking it would damage business long-term.

There is some good news, however, and that is that more than 250,000 cars will need their first MOT in May of 2012!

CAT has exclusively learned that Denso is to launch a massive sales promotion in the new year: aimed solely at UK factors and distributors.

The scheme – which we believe will be labelled the ‘Millionaires Club’ – will be backed up by a huge marketing budget.

A glamorous prize structure is likely to be put in place, with luxury trips to Europe’s top F1 events on offer (among other prizes) to Denso’s top-performing distributors.

The scheme is designed to recruit new distributors for Denso, as well as increase business within the company’s existing customer network.

Distributors that reach individually-set targets are likely to benefit the most.

CAT believes that the ambitious scheme is scheduled to run until the end of March – we’ll post more live here as and when we find out more details.