Aftermarket October 2022

NEWS MONTH 2017 AFTERMARKET 5 www.aftermarketonline.net A1 members will now be able to source water pump and timing belt kits from Airtex. The water pump kits include an Airtex OE water pump and a Dayco timing belt, as well as all pulleys and idlers required for a complete system replacement. UK & Ireland Sales Manager Andy Taylor said: “We’re thrilled that we’re bringing our fantastic Airtex water pump kits to A1 members to supplement our TRICO wiper blades. They’re always incredible customers to work with and very loyal to the products they trust.” He added: “We’re also very pleased that we could further strengthen our relationship with A1, a company that we’ve been working with for nearly 15 years. So, we’re excited for the next stage of our growth with the Airtex brand in the UK.” OCTOBER 20 2 AFTERMARKET 7 Convertible opportunity? Counter-intuitively, garages in the North of England may be best placed to exploit the UK’s ongoing love affair with convertibles, new research has shown. After thisismoney.co.uk identified the UK as the convertible capital of Europe in 2021 with more sales than France, Spain or Italy, garages may have been wondering if this is a market worth exploring. Nationwide sales indicates that Mercedes-Benz convertibles account for 21.2% of convertible sales made via Anglo Scottish Asset Finance. The next most popular examples were from BMW, which made up 18.9% They were followed by Audi on 11%, and then Porsche on 8.1%. Bentley was fifth, making up 5% of the total data. Buyers in County Durham and Tyne and Wear bought 17.6% of all convertibles. In fact, the top five areas for convertible sales, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, Lancashire, Cleveland and Yorkshire, were all based north of Birmingham. This is despite that fact that if you take hours of sunlight per year as an indicator, Chichester in West Sussex would statistically be the best place to own a rag-top. For more information, visit: www.angloscottishfinance.co.uk/n ews/what-are-the-best-selling- convertibles-in-the-uk Get your kit on! NGK supports international football charity NGK has lent its support to KitAid a charity that has been supplying football kits to young players in developing countries around the world for almost 25 years. KitAid was established in 1998 by Derrick Williams MBE, who set up the charity following a trip to Tanzania when children asked if he could provide a proper football kit. Since then more than 870,000 items since being sent to projects across Africa, South America, Asia and Eastern Europe. NGK donated a pristine past kit, which sported the logo of customer PITSTOP Autofactors of Mildenhall, and also donated £200 to KitAid.Stuart Bayne, National Field Sales Manager for NGK Spark Plugs (UK), said: “We last wore the kit at a football competition hosted by West Ham United and it is currently on its way to Tanzania by sea.” For more information, visit www.KitAid.net Follow us on Facebook @aftermarketmagazine Pump it up