ARC360 News – Friday 8 August 2025

ESG in focus: an urgent and shared responsibility

As the ARC360 Conference 2025 unfolded under the banner ‘A New Era – The Changing Dynamics of a Sector’, one of the most future-facing sessions of the day was also one of the most collaborative. On the Main Conference Stage, a diverse and expert panel convened for a focused, fast-paced session titled ‘ESG – what does it really mean for the sector?’ Read more

Stellantis has recognised the highest-performing accident repair centres within its UK-wide Multi-Brand Accident Repair Programme through the second annual Stellar Awards. Read more

Fix Auto Colchester is set to open next month following the near-completion of a major redevelopment project that transforms a former bus depot into a state-of-the-art vehicle repair centre. Read more

Steer Automotive paint apprentice, Max McGowan has won the SATA UK Ltd and School of Thought Automotive Spray Gun Design Competition. Read more

XL Motors has been announced as a new Club Partner for Coventry City. A long standing supporter of the Sky Blues, XL Motors returns as a Club Partner for the 2025/26 campaign. Read more

Nova Automotive Group has presented cheques for £884 to both Farleigh Hospice and Suffolk Mind. Read more

FMGRS, part of ZIGUP, has launched its first VDA Apprentice cohort. The Level 4 scheme will be  delivered by Thatcham Research.

Vertu has revealed the new Vertu RepairMaster Van designed to raise the bar for mobile cosmetic and body repairs. Read more

Alicia Gowland has officially passed her Porsche Parts Apprenticeship at Steer Automotive’s Farnham site, achieving a distinction through the Calex programme. Read more

Auto Body Rescue has passed its stage 2 initial BS10125 BSI Kitemark certification audit.

Evan Boon has started a new position as Regional Support Manager at Halo ARC Ltd.

Vizion has named the finalists of its Shine Awards for 2025 with the winners announced at Kinetic ’25. Read more ​

First car models approved for £1,500 discount to turbocharge the move to electric 

Drivers across the UK can save £1,500 on new electric vehicles, with the first eligible models confirmed today (5 August 2025), as government makes owning an EV cheaper and easier for thousands of people. Read more

New car registrations stall in July but recovery expected 

The new car market stalled in July with registrations falling -5.0% to 140,154 units, according to the latest figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The performance was the weakest for the month since 2022 and some -10.8% lower than in pre-pandemic 2019, demonstrating the market’s volatility and wider economic setting. Read more

Eight months of decline for new van market puts strain on EV ambitions 

The new light commercial vehicle (LCV) market fell by -5.1% in July with 24,433 vans, 4x4s, pickups and taxis joining the road, according to the latest figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). This marks the sector’s eighth consecutive month of decline, and the weakest July since 2022, as sluggish business confidence deters fleet investment, and economic conditions remain tough. Read more

BYD introduces long-term support for EV drivers

BYD UK has unveiled a new initiative designed to support the adoption of electric vehicles and deliver long-term ownership benefits. The announcement follows ongoing uncertainty around eligibility for the UK Government’s Electric Car Grant (ECG). Read more

Over 1.5 million Mercedes-Benz counterfeit products seized worldwide.

At first glance, they are often hard to distinguish, yet counterfeit products pose significant risks to millions of road users and cause immense economic damage. Therefore, Mercedes-Benz collaborates closely with customs, trade supervisory, and law enforcement authorities worldwide to combat counterfeits. Read more

NIO Inc delivered 21,017 vehicles in July, ONVO L90 delivery starts

NIO Inc delivered 21,017 vehicles in July, with deliveries for the first seven months of 2025 up 25.2% YoY. The deliveries consisted of 12,675 vehicles from NIO’s premium smart electric vehicle brand NIO, 5,976 vehicles from the family-oriented smart electric vehicle brand ONVO, and 2,366 vehicles from the small smart high-end electric car brand firefly. Read more

Exclusive: Vehicle repair is key to managing risk – but it begins with damageability

In an evolving mobility landscape driven by electrification, sustainability, and innovation, one truth holds firm: the vehicles on our roads must be insurable. In the second article in Thatcham Research’s Vehicle Risk Rating (VRR) feature series, we explore how vehicle repairability is intrinsically linked to damageability – and why this relationship is critical in the push for a more sustainable, efficient, and customer-focused claims ecosystem. Read more

Exclusive: Distorted data, distorted decisions: the hidden cost of claims mismanagement

In today’s motor insurance landscape, the pressure on pricing, the rise of AI-driven reserving, and a wave of mergers and acquisition (M&A) activity are reshaping how insurers manage claims. Through all these changes, one thing remains paramount: claims are a strategic asset, with their true value realised through the data they generate and how this data is leveraged across the insurance value chain. Read more

Major industry players join forces to back AutoRaise

AutoRaise, the vehicle repair industry’s dedicated skills charity, is delighted to announce a powerful wave of new investment from some of the sector’s leading names.

LKQ Euro Car Parts, LV= General Insurance, esure, S&G Response, Solus ARC, BASF, and Repairify have all pledged their support – joining a growing movement to address the urgent shortage of skilled talent in the automotive repair sector. Read more

Silverlake secures quadruple ISO certification

Silverlake Automotive Recycling has achieved a rare quadruple ISO certification, underlining its commitment to best practice and operational excellence.

The business has successfully renewed its ISO 9001 (Quality Management), ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) and ISO 27001 (Information Security Management) accreditations, while adding ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety Management) for the first time. Read more

Nearly half of England’s apprentices are over 25

Apprenticeship Central has highlighted new figures from the House of Commons Library which reveal that 48% of apprenticeship starts in England are now aged 25 and over, signalling a major shift in how businesses are using apprenticeships. Read more

The leadership skills you need in a rapidly transforming sector

The automotive world is undergoing one of its most disruptive periods in decades, and with it, the role and skillset of managers and leaders is fundamentally changing. Exclusive IMI insight highlights that while the total number of management roles is projected to remain broadly stable, the types of roles, where they are needed, and the skills they require are shifting sharply. Read more

LKQ SYNETIQ: What our new Joint Venture means for sustainable vehicle repair 

Last month, we announced something that’s been months in the making – LKQ Europe’s strategic joint venture with SYNETIQ Ltd., creating LKQ SYNETIQ. Now that the dust has settled, I wanted to share the detail on how this partnership represents a key building block in our emerging, Europe-wide salvage strategy. Read more

Analysis of electric vehicle (EV) accidents 

In response to the pressing need for sustainable transportation, initiatives have been underway globally to promote the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). This movement aims to conserve fossil fuels and facilitate a transition toward a net-zero emissions future and has resulted in remarkable growth of EV usage worldwide. Read more

West Midlands PCC joins Operation Skybridge for intensified crime crackdown 

Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Simon Foster, joined officers from the proactive crime-fighting team Operation Skybridge this week in Birmingham, as they continued their targeted crackdown on vehicle crime and street robbery in the area. Read more

Drivers lose 565 hours to car-related admin over a lifetime

A poll of 2,000 drivers, of all vehicle makes and models, revealed that on average, they spend the equivalent of a full day each year thinking about service schedules, MOTs, and potential issues – time that could be better spent elsewhere. The research was commissioned by BMW, whose Proactive Care service is designed to give drivers added confidence and convenience, working quietly in the background to help keep them moving with greater peace of mind. Read more

Insurer momentum continues to build for mobility conference 

More than 70 insurers are now confirmed to attend the Mobility in Insurance Conference 2025, highlighting the event’s growing influence across the motor claims and mobility sector. Taking place on Thursday 16 October 2025 at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon, the conference will unite key stakeholders from insurance, mobility, credit hire, legal, and technology. Read more

Terry Barnett has been appointed as Distribution Manager for Mipa Paints.

Adam O’Neill has started a new role as Partnership Director at GSF Car Parts.

Andrew Logan from National Windscreens’ Southampton branch, has recently achieved two industry-recognised qualifications with GQA a significant milestone in his 32-year career with the business.

Tom Middleditch has started a new role as Head of B2B Marketing for the UK & Ireland at Europcar Mobility Group.

Chloe Wilmot has started a new position as Business Development Manager at Stratstone BMW and MINI.

Jamie Abbott has started a new role as National Operations Manager at Driven Automotive Solutions Ltd.