Aftermarket December/January 2023

MONTH 2017 AFTERMARKET 3 www.aftermarketonline.net DECEMBER/JANUARY 2023 AFTER ARKET 5 Top Technician and Top Garage 2023 open Top Technician and Top Garage are back for 2023, with the doors being swung open for both competitions over the next few weeks. Turn to pages 18-19 for the full story. Supporters from across the industry are signing up too, with TOPDON becoming the first Full Event Partner to provide its backing for the two competitions for 2023. Commenting on the decision to support Top Technician and Top Garage 2023, Mike Zhou, CEO at TOPDON commented: “We are delighted to be working with the team behind Top Technician and Top Garage as a proud sponsor for the 2023 competitions. These competitions show the value of ongoing education and striving to be the best, as well as the positive effect made on those businesses and individuals who are putting the effort in. Our constantly changing sector needs its people and businesses to keep up to date with the latest challenges, and Top Technician and Top Garage encourages its participants to do just that.” Mike added: “We absolutely believe that supporting technicians and businesses to work towards higher goals will have the effect of improving the whole industry.” Both competitions come to their exciting conclusions on 14 October 2023. Immediately after the finals, which are being held once again at the Delphi Technologies Training Centre in Warwick, the Top Technician and Top Garage Awards Evening will be held at Coventry’s DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel. For this event, Premier MOT Training will be Drinks Reception Sponsor. The company also took the much-prized slot for 2022, and according to Premier MOT Training Director Donna Chapman, they are delighted to be returning for 2023: “Supporting Top Technician and Top Garage enables us to work with the best mechanics and businesses in the sector; Those who are really pushing things forward. We were so impressed by everyone that took part last year, and want to continue to be a part of the competition this year and beyond.” Top Technician and Top Garage 2023 come to you in association with the Garage Equipment Association (GEA), the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) and the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), and is sponsored by TOPDON. The first round of Top Technician 2023 will open on 5 December, with Top Garage 2023 beginning on 2 January. For all the details on how to sign up, turn to pages 18-19. Sponsored by: New training roadshows for 2023: OESAA Academy Live OESAA will be running a new series of free-to attend regional training events across the UK in the New Year. OESAA Academy Live will be held at IMI- approved colleges, with the first event taking place at Lincoln College on Friday 13 January and Saturday 14 January, with the next at Castleford College on Friday 24 February and Saturday 25 February. Additional dates and venues will be confirmed in due course. The sessions will be split, with Fridays focused on apprentices, taking place from 2.30pm to 4.30pm, while the Saturdays will cater to working technicians, from 10am to 4pm. Brembo, DENSO, HELLA, Laser Tools, Schaeffler and VARTA UK have confirmed their attendance at both opening events, with experts from the various companies leading training sessions focused on their field. For more on OESAA Academy Live, turn to pages 46-49. Motorists swerving garages in favour of DIY repairs? Will the cost of living crisis lead to motorists attempt to perform their own car repairs? According to Online Automotive, 77% of their sales in recent months were to individual drivers, not businesses. Online Automotive Sales Manager Nicky Tsang believes the cost of living crisis is driving the trend: “We are seeing a surge in demand for our aftermarket parts from consumers, with a much bigger percentage of sales arising from this sector. We put this down to the cost of living crisis and more people trying to make savings wherever they can.” Meanwhile, research from eBay has identified Bangor in North Wales as Britain’s DIY car repair capital, with more than 30% of residents having bought car parts last year, followed closely by Barnstaple, North Devon and Boston, Lincolnshire. Bangor also topped the chart for tuning and styling parts and accessories.