ARC360 News – Friday 13 March 2026

Seven months on from Activate Group’s acquisition of Avant Group, we caught up with Hannah Wilcox and Mark Johnstone to get their views on progress so far. Read more

Cosmetic Repair Solutions Rotherham has successfully passed its first BS10125 Kitemark audit in its new premises.

FMG Repair Services has announced a significant investment in an innovative Health & Safety Mock Trial training programme, reinforcing its commitment to proactive risk management and leadership development across its UK-wide operations. Read more

Fix Auto Leicester has been named among The Financial Times FT1000: Europe’s Fastest Growing Companies 2026, recognising the Leicestershire repairer as one of the continent’s fastest-growing businesses. Read more

Peggs Accident Repair Centre has opened its third site.

Ezi Methods, provider of official vehicle repair methods, has announced a new partnership with FMG Repair Services’ technical training academy near Goole. The business will provide free access to its extensive library of more than 80,400 vehicle repair methods to support FMGRS’ apprentice and technician training.

MK Dons are delighted to announce thatPennings has extended its longstanding partnership with the Club, marking a significant step forward in their collaboration. The enhanced agreement includes expanded branding across Stadium MK, both internally and externally, strengthening Pennings’ visibility and alignment with the Club. Read more

The Vella Group Repair Centres Manchester East site recently had a visit from Manchester Young Lives. Manchester Young Lives is a charity that supports the social and educational inclusion of children and young people across Manchester. Read more

UK De-Fleet Services Ltd has now been awarded BS10125 Accreditation.

Dan Hendy has started a new role as Bodyshop Manager at Halo ARC Ltd.

Stephen Quinn has started a new position as Bodyshop Manager at Fastech Glasgow.

Nova Automotive Group Hemel Hempstead is now open for business. The new site was opened in record time.

ITAS – International Technical Automotive Systems has been appointed by Geely Auto UK to operate its approved body and paint repairer network, supporting the brand’s continued development of a robust and high-quality aftersales platform in the UK. Read more

ZEV mandate’s cost to industry cannot continue indefinitely 

In an increasingly uncertain global automotive landscape, market stability and trusted trading relationships matter more than ever. They underpin investment, competitiveness and the delivery of ambitious regulatory targets that were designed around very different assumptions – namely a flourishing global market, falling costs and strong consumer demand. Read more

Brand Group Core on track despite special items; new steering model gives additional boost in 2026

The Volkswagen Group’s Brand Group Core (BGC) implemented its strategic goals as planned in 2025 – and reported an operating result of 6.8 billion euros – close to the prior year level despite significant negative special items. Adjusted for additional expenses for restructuring, the diesel issue and U.S. import tariffs, the operating result for 2025 came in at 8.2 billion euros – in line with the set target. Read more

Stable Group earnings thanks to consistent strategy: BMW Group on track

Stable earnings power and active cost management were the BMW Group’s key success factors in 2025. At the Annual Conference on 12 March 2026 in Munich, the company reported solid financial results. With the new BMW iX3 and BMW i3 models and a significantly expanding range of battery-electric vehicles by the end of 2026, the BMW Group is also taking the next major step in electric mobility. Chairman of the Board of Management Oliver Zipse sees the company as being strategically well positioned for the future. Read more

Volteras partners with Polestar

Connected vehicle data provider Volteras has partnered with electric vehicle manufacturer Polestar to provide fleet operators with direct access to vehicle data through the Polestar Fleet Telematics service. Read more

Euro NCAP welcomes Allianz to Safer Trucks programme 

Euro NCAP is pleased to announce that Allianz, one of the world’s leading insurance companies, has joined the Safer Trucks programme as an Associate Member, reinforcing the alliance between vehicle safety assessment and commercial risk insight. Read more

Nissan Micra 52kWh now qualifies for full £3,750 electric car grant

Extended range models of the all-new Nissan MICRA now qualify for the full £3,750 UK Electric Car Grant, thanks to a new Europe-sourced battery. The MICRA 52kWh – which is built at the ElectriCity car production hub in northern France – will be priced from £23,245 with the higher Electric Car Grant applied. Read more

MG introduces its first 7-seat SUV, the all-new MGS9 PHEV

Safety is a priority for every MG model and the all-new MGS9 PHEV has already been awarded the top level 5-star rating from Euro NCAP, thanks in part to its extensive use of high-strength steel and up to 16 advanced driver assistance technologies. Read more

EV repair costs fall

Average repair costs for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) fell in February, according to the latest data insights report from Gecko Risk. The analysis shows that repair costs decreased across all five tracked manufacturers during the month, with several brands experiencing notable reductions compared with January. The shift comes alongside a wider drop in parts costs and seasonal changes in repair activity. Read more

S&G Response: Biggest changes facing fleet managers in Q2 2026 

As we move into the second quarter of the year, fleet managers across the UK are navigating a period of rapid operational adjustment. Where rising cost pressure, evolving compliance expectations and increasingly complex incident environments are reshaping how fleets manage risk, maintain vehicle availability and respond to accidents. In this article we delve into the biggest fleet management challenges expected in Q2 of 2026. Read more

A new chapter for ERS Commercial Motor 

There’s been some changes within the ERS Commercial Motor team recently so we caught up with Alexandra Carroll and James Hayward to talk through what’s happening behind the scenes, how the structure is evolving, and what brokers can expect. Read more

PRA fines U K Insurance Limited £10,625,000 

The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) has imposed a financial penalty of £10,625,000 on U K Insurance Limited (UKI Limited) in connection with a miscalculation of their Solvency II balance sheet during 2023 and 2024. This resulted in UKI Limited overstating its solvency to the PRA and to the market. Read more

Blakedale, FridgeExpress and Auxillis rebrand as Northgate Mobility launches 

Northgate is consolidating its portfolio of businesses into Northgate Mobility in an effort to simplify its offering to customers. It will comprise Northgate Vehicle Hire, insurance replacement vehicle provider Auxillis, traffic management and refrigerated hire specialists Blakedale and FridgeXpress, along with ChargedEV and Principia Law. Read more

Wayve, Uber and Nissan Announce Collaboration on Robotaxis

Wayve, Uber and Nissan today announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on the development of robotaxis and commence activities to realize the deployment of robotaxi services. Read more

Somerset Bridge launches telematics proposition in partnership with IMS 

IMS, the global telematics and connected insurance solutions provider, and Somerset Bridge Group today announce their collaboration on GoSkippy Connect, a new app-based telematics proposition designed to support smarter pricing, underwriting, and renewals through data-driven insight. Read more 

Millions risk fines as MOT deadlines missed

New data from Kwik Fit has revealed that millions of UK drivers are failing to book their MOT on time, with one in six vehicles tested only after the expiry of their certificate. According to the figures, more than 4.3 million vehicles underwent MOT testing after the legal deadline in the past year. Of these, 50% were tested within 10 days of expiry, but the average delay was over a month – at 33.7 days. Read more

AXA UK Commercial gives vital safety advice for EV paint repairs 

The government ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030 means we’ll see an increasing number of electric vehicles (EVs) on UK roads in the coming years. The shift to greener transport presents a raft of new challenges for garages and repair shops, mostly due to the lithium-ion batteries that replace traditional engines in EVs. These batteries require careful storage and handling – and AXA UK Commercial is highlighting a less obvious area where safety risks must be mitigated. Read more

Ben launches search for new chair and trustees

Automotive industry charity Ben has launched a search for a new Chair and several trustees as it enters the next phase of its 120-year history. The organisation is inviting applications and expressions of interest from leaders who can help guide the charity’s future direction and support its ambition to expand health and wellbeing support across the automotive industry. Read more

GYS UK is pleased to introduce Craig Mortimer as its new North East Technical Area Sales Engineer. Craig brings over 20 years technical & sales experience.

Following significant growth in 2025, telematics insurtech, ThingCo, has been on a recruitment drive to build its data science and operations resources.Adam Lough has joined the Operations team to take ownership of operational processes. Elliot Hurley has joined the Data Analytics and Data Science team, supporting the company’s delivery of valuable insight to its customers. Read more

Europcar Mobility Group UK has confirmed the appointment of Niamh Smith as New Business Director as well as the recruitment of two new Business Development Directors: Amanda Lawrence and Paul Brown.