ABP Club News - August 2008

Below is a news headline summary. The full news stories appear on the ABP Club members' forum.

31/8/08		ABP Club Social Golf Day - 25 September 2008 - book your place! We are pleased to remind members that we'll be holding the ABP Club third annual industry Social Golf Day at Macdonald Hill Valley Hotel & Spa - Nr Chester Shropshire on 25 September 2008.

29/8/08		T-s Coachworks - bankruptcy Publication Date: Friday 15 August 2008 Notice Code: 2503 Bankruptcy Orders SOULSBY Stephen Page H.

29/8/08		Enterprise Coachworks Ltd - creditors meeting Publication Date: Monday 18 August 2008 Notice Code: 2442 Meetings of Creditors ENTERPRISE COACHWORKS LIMITED (Company Number 5539588) Notice is hereby given pursuant to Section 98 of the Insolvency Act 1986 that a meeting of creditors of the above-named Company will be held at 1st Floor 1 East Poultry Avenue West Smithfield London EC1A 9PT on 27 August 2008 at 12.

29/8/08		Brookroyd Auto Repairs (B Eggett Ltd t/as) - administrator appointed Publication Date: Wednesday 20 August 2008 Notice Code: 2410 Appointment of Administrators In the High Court of Justice Chancery Division Leeds District Registry No 1199 of 2008 B EGGETT LIMITED (Company Number 06031551) (t/a Brookroyd Auto Repairs) Nature of Business: Bodyshop repair.

29/8/08		The Sinclaire Group Ltd - administrators appointed Publication Date: Tuesday 19 August 2008 Notice Code: 2410 Appointment of Administrators In the High Court of Justice No 6690 of 2008 THE SINCLAIRE GROUP LIMITED (Company Number 04649148) Nature of Business: Motor Vehicle Repair Centre.

29/8/08		North West Bus and Coach Repairs Ltd - liquidator appointed Publication Date: Thursday 21 August 2008 Notice Code: 2443 Appointment of Liquidators Company Number: 01678780.

29/8/08		D M Windscreens - liquidator appointed Publication Date: Tuesday 19 August 2008 Notice Code: 2443 Appointment of Liquidators Company Number: 5941570.

29/8/08		Outer Auto Panels - liquidator appointed Publication Date: Thursday 21 August 2008 Notice Code: 2443 Appointment of Liquidators Company Number: 05785714.

29/8/08		Chips Away Car Care (tony Woodcock) Ltd - liquidator appointed Publication Date: Monday 18 August 2008 Notice Code: 2443 Appointment of Liquidators Company Number: 05485681.

29/8/08		Chapmans Bodycraft Ltd - liquidated and wound-up Publication Date: Friday 22 August 2008 Notice Code: 2443 Appointment of Liquidators Company Number: 04203613.

29/8/08		AJN Coachworks Ltd - liquidated and wound-up Publication Date: Thursday 28 August 2008 Notice Code: 2443 Appointment of Liquidators Company Number: 04689889.

29/8/08		Glasurit’s man in the north achieves ATA accreditation. With 23 years experience in the automotive refinish industry we would have been very surprised if Billy Richardson had failed his ATA accreditation but needless to say as the newest member of the team he is the latest to complete his ATA accreditation.

29/8/08		Bradley Smart Ltd - liquidator appointed Publication Date: Friday 15 August 2008 Notice Code: 2443 Appointment of Liquidators Company Number: 05200360.

29/8/08		GM eyes return to profit in 2010 US car giant General Motors (GM) is hoping to return to profit in 2010 a top executive at the firm has said.

29/8/08		IMI - consults industry on occupational standards Employers in the automotive sector are being asked for their views on two areas of major significance which will influence future skills development in consultations by the IMI the professional association and Sector Skills Council.

29/8/08		RMIF back new Motor Industry Code The Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF) and its associations fully back the Motor Industry Code of Practice launching to consumers today.

29/8/08		Capita - confirmed as replacing CORGI scheme The Capita Group Plc (owners of MVRA) has been selected by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to operate a new gas installer registration scheme in Great Britain from April 2009 to replace the current CORGI scheme.

29/8/08		Marshall takes Standox prize Dean Marshall of Marshall Panelcraft was the deserving winner of the Scottish leg of the Standox 'Home Nations' Golf Challenge.

29/8/08		H R Owen - interim results - The results for the first six months were strong particularly in the circumstances of the challenging and worsening economic climate.

28/8/08		RSA - shares rise on talk of bid from Zurich Shares in RSA Insurance surged nearly 4% on Thursday to close up 6p at 154p as traders cited renewed market talk of bid interest from Zurich Financial.

28/8/08		Helphire - suing Motor Insurers Bureau The Motor Insurers' Bureau is being pursued by credit hire company Helphire for �5.

28/8/08		HSBC - aiming for 5% of personal motor market by end 2009 HSBC is aiming to grab a 5% share of the personal lines motor market by the end of 2009 after signing a five-year deal with affinity specialist Junction part of the Budget Group (BGL) The bank agreed a long-term contract with Norwich Union for household travel and protection last year after scrapping plans for an insurance joint venture but had proceeded with a panel arrangement for motor with BDML.

28/8/08		Highway reports profit fall Highway this morning reported a fall in profit before tax to �1.

28/8/08		An interview with Steve Lester Tony Levoi Group Steve Lester runs a successful vehicle manufacturer approved single site bodyshop in West Thurrock Essex.

28/8/08		Chaucer - half year results; 20% growth for motor Chaucer Holdings PLC the specialist Lloyd's insurance group today announces its interim financial results for the six months ended 30 June 2008.

28/8/08		Pendragon - half year results; profits down Pendragon PLC the UK�s leading motor car retailer today reports interim results for the six months to 30 June 2008.

28/8/08		Highway Insurance - bought by LV Recommended cash offer by Liverpool Victoria Insurance Company Limited for Highway Insurance Group Plc Summary - The Boards of Liverpool Victoria Insurance Company Limited (LVIC) and Highway Insurance Group Plc are pleased to announce the terms of a recommended cash offer to be made by LVIC for the whole of the issued and to be issued share capital of Highway.

27/8/08		ATA VDA - exam dates Please find below the dates scheduled for Part A and Part B exams for the Vehicle Damage Assessors ATA at Thatcham Automotive Academy Nuneaton.

27/8/08		Solera Holdings - full year results Solera Holdings Inc.

27/8/08		Audatex - Alan Morgan steps down from technical committee Audatex have requested that we publish this letter on the ABP website: LETTER TO MEMBERS OF: - Audatex Advisory Board - Audatex Industry Forum - Audatex Technical Committee 27 August 2008 Dear Sirs Audatex Technical Committee After a successful eight months as chair to the Audatex Technical Committee Alan Morgan has stepped down from the role and we are now actively seeking a new chair person to help lead the Committee onto the next stage.

27/8/08		Bodyshop mag - how to prepare for the VDA ATA Heather Grant reports on what candidates taking the ATA Vehicle Damage Assessor (VDA) assessment can do to give themselves a better chance of passing.

27/8/08		Highway Insurance - possible offer The Board of Highway notes the recent rise in the Highway share price and announces that it is in advanced discussions with a third party that may or may not lead to an offer for the Company.

27/8/08		Kitemarked (PAS125) shops - total now up to 160 Six new Kitemarked bodyshops have been added to the BSi Kitemark website since our last list on Thursday 14 August � however one is only a name change so the total goes up by five to 160 sites � 92 in groups and 68 single sites.

27/8/08		Euro NCAP - new rating system to address low pedestrian scores Euro NCAP today releases the results for five cars in five different vehicle classes - Daihatsu Cuore - Hyundai i30 - Lancia Delta - Renault Koleos - Mercedes Benz - ML class.

27/8/08		Brit Insurance - half year results Brit Insurance has announced its results for the 6 months to 30 June 2008.

27/8/08		Lookers - half year results Lookers plc a leading UK motor retail group announces interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2008.

26/8/08		Roads - congestion falls 12% in a year High fuel prices the credit crunch and the economic slowdown have given motorists a break from congestion with jams down 12% on 2007.

26/8/08		Glassmatix - launch GlassAudit EurotaxGlass’s has launched an automated claims processing system that helps motor insurers evaluate and authorise repair estimates submitted by bodyshops far more efficiently.

26/8/08		Insurance fraud - less than a quarter would report Less than a quarter of people quizzed on their attitudes to insurance fraud would report someone for making a false claim according to new figures.

26/8/08		IMI - Industry clocks up over 30000 SkillMiles in first six months A pioneering way of recognising contributions to skills development in the automotive sector has seen more than 100 businesses plus another 100 individuals sign up since the initiative was launched six months ago by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) the automotive retail industry�s Sector Skills Council and professional association.

26/8/08		Lean flow - a win for all The Accident Repair Sector is under pressure like never before.

22/8/08		Ai commend Sutton Car Repairs for achieving the BSi Kitemark Ai recently welcomed one of its network repairers Sutton Car Repairs to its offices in Blackpool in recognition of their achievement of BSi Kitemark status.

22/8/08		ATA public campaign fires on all cylinders with Top Gear One of the UK�s most popular motoring websites is being used by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) to promote the Automotive Technician Accreditation (ATA) scheme following the launch of a major public awareness drive at the British International Motor Show.

22/8/08		AkzoNobel appoints two Technical Consultants AkzoNobel Car Refinishes has appointed Graeme Petrie and Pepe Francis as Northern and Southern Technical Consultants respectively.

22/8/08		EurotaxGlass's hold strategy meeting with Irish vehicle repairers EurotaxGlass's demonstrated its continued leading role in the Irish vehicle repair market by organising a strategy meeting in Ireland last month.

21/8/08		Experian advises UK businesses on the steps to avoid becoming a late payment casualty One year on from the start of the credit crunch new analysis released today by Experian the global information services company shows that UK businesses are now settling their bills almost four weeks after their agreed payment dates.

21/8/08		Helphire - close to identifying souce of malicious email Helphire has claimed it is a step closer to identifying an alleged former employee who sent a malicious email to hundreds of contacts after obtaining internet account details from Google.

21/8/08		RML identify worst insurers for CCJs Report from Post mag today: Motor insurers have been slammed by a legal consultancy for the number of outstanding county court judgments they have been logged against them.

21/8/08		FSA - fine five dealers for insurance sales The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has today imposed fines totalling more than �175000 on five motor retailers for serious breaches relating to the sale of Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) which exposed a total of 2175 customers to the risk of being sold unsuitable PPI policies.

21/8/08		New Repanet video features Apollo's Dave Perkins A new Repanet video features a UK bodyshop to show the benefits of Repanet membership.

21/8/08		Pendragon hurt by tough market conditions - Analyst predicts threat of 5p share price Pendragon is less well equipped than its rivals to cope with the tough market conditions due to its heavy reliance on debt and sales and leaseback deals.

21/8/08		Blackhawk relocates to Snap-on's HQ Blackhawk Automotive has been relocated to parent company Snap-on Equipment's Reading headquarters.

20/8/08		IMI provides an update on MET and VDA ATA The IMI has mailed ABP Club today with an updated position regarding MET ATA below: In its ongoing discussions with the crash repair sector the IMI is conscious of the need to further development the MET route and this will be progressed as soon as the revised National Occupational Standards (NOS) have been agreed by the industry.

20/8/08		Kindertons appoints Marketing Executive Kindertons Accident Management has expanded their Marketing Department due to the ever growing and various types of marketing being deployed by the company on behalf of Bodyshops Dealerships and Insurance Brokers.

20/8/08		Better deal for drivers to blame for accidents Accident Exchange has expanded its Accident Aftercare Plus programme with a 21-day guaranteed mobility promise for drivers who are responsible for a crash.

19/8/08		VBRA - article in Motor Trader Vehicle repairers are increasingly under pressure to adhere to new standards and regulations.

19/8/08		Training standards from Land Rover Jaguar BMW BMW Jaguar Land Rover and Scania are pioneering efforts to develop a UK-wide quality standard for training in the motor industry.

19/8/08		New model launch slow down Economic constraints are forcing carmakers to cut back on plans to launch new models.

19/8/08		Innovation (owners of Motorcare) - trading update The Innovation Group plc the leading technology-led Business Process Outsourcing provider for the insurance sector today publishes its Interim Management Statement for the period from 1 April 2008 to 31 July 2008.

18/8/08		Bizarre car insurance claims Bizarre car insurance claims revealed Cars kicked by camels and damaged by nut-wielding squirrels have been revealed among some of Britain's most bizarre insurance claims.

18/8/08		Spraytone announces Kitemark accreditation Spraytone is pleased to announce confirmation of the Thatcham BSi Kitemark (PAS125) approval.

18/8/08		Allianz - Q2 profits grow slightly but motor gives -inadequate returns- Allianz�s second-quarter operating profit grew to �94m from �91.

18/8/08		Drivers warned road tax changes will knock up to �1000 off the value of their cars By James Chapman Daily Mail More than a million drivers were warned last night that up to �1000 will be knocked off the value of their cars because of Labour's road tax hikes.

18/8/08		Glassmatix - new version achieves 150th installation Installations of the all-new version of the GlassMatix repair estimating system are being completed well ahead of schedule according to EurotaxGlass�s.

18/8/08		Chris Regan Bodywork Services - final dividend Publication Date: Wednesday 13 August 2008 Notice Code: 2510 Notice of Dividends In the Shrewsbury County Court No 84 of 1993 CHRISTOPHER GRAHAM REGAN (In Bankruptcy) current occupation unknown trading at Unit 4 Monkmoor Industrial Estate Monkmoor Shrewsbury Shropshire SY2 5SX as a car repairer as Chris Regan Bodywork Services.

18/8/08		Auto Body Perfections Ltd - final meeting Publication Date: Tuesday 29 July 2008 Notice Code: 2445 Final Meetings AUTO BODY PERFECTIONS LIMITED (Company Number 4373232) Notice is hereby given pursuant to section 106 of the Insolvency Act 1986 that a General Meeting of the above-named Company will be held at 63 Walter Road Swansea SA1 4PT on 12 September 2008 at 10.

18/8/08		Mobb (Vehicle Refinishers - bankruptcy Publication Date: Tuesday 12 August 2008 Notice Code: 2503 Bankruptcy Orders ELSTOB Lee Unemployed of 19 Stornoway Road Southend On Sea Essex SS2 4NZ lately carrying on business as Mobb (vehicle Refinishers) of Unit 4 Stock Industrial Park Stock Road Southend On Sea Essex SS15 Court�SOUTHEND COUNTY COURT.

18/8/08		Chapmans Bodycraft Ltd - creditors meeting Publication Date: Friday 25 July 2008 Notice Code: 2442 Meetings of Creditors CHAPMANS BODYCRAFT LIMITED (Company Number 04203613) Notice is hereby given pursuant to Section 98 of the Insolvency Act 1986 that a Meeting of the Creditors of the above named Company will be held at 11 Clifton Moor Business Village James Nicolson Link Clifton Moor York YO30 4XG on 13 August 2008 at 10.

18/8/08		AJN Coachworks Ltd - creditors meeting Publication Date: Wednesday 30 July 2008 Notice Code: 2442 Meetings of Creditors AJN COACHWORKS LIMITED (Company Number 04689889) Notice is hereby given pursuant to section 98 of the Insolvency Act 1986 that a meeting of creditors of the above-named company will be held on 15 August 2008 at 11.

18/8/08		Abley Motor Company Ltd - appointment of administrator Publication Date: Wednesday 30 July 2008 Notice Code: 2410 Appointment of Administrators In the High Court of Justice (Chancery Division) Manchester District Registry No 3191 of 2008 ABLEY MOTOR COMPANY LIMITED (Company Number 03200230) Nature of Business: Maintenance and Repair of Motor Vehicles.

18/8/08		Motor Body Repair Centre Gravesend - petition to wind-up Publication Date: Thursday 14 August 2008 Notice Code: 2451 Petitions to Wind Up (Partnerships) In the High Court of Justice (Chancery Division) No 5336 of 2008 In the Matter of MOTOR BODY REPAIR CENTRE (A FIRM) and in the Matter of the Insolvent Partnerships Order 1994 A Petition to wind up Motor Body Repair Centre (a Firm) having its principal place of business at Norfolk Road Gravesend DA12 2RX presented on 30 June 2008 by the Commissioners For Her Majesty�s Revenue And Customs of EIS Liverpool DMB 3rd Floor Nw Queens Dock Liverpool L74 4BJ claiming to be a Creditor of the Partnership will be heard by the Royal Courts of Justice at The Strand LONDON WC2A 2LL on 3 September 2008 at 10.

18/8/08		Deejay Accident Repair Centres Ltd - winding-up order Publication Date: Thursday 7 August 2008 Notice Code: 2452 Winding-Up Orders Name of Company�DEEJAY ACCIDENT REPAIR CENTRES LIMITED.

18/8/08		Premier Paint - Panel Ltd - application to continue using Fix Auto Doncaster North name Publication Date: Wednesday 6 August 2008 Notice Code: 2301 RULE 4.

18/8/08		Premier Paint - Panel Ltd - liquidation - winding-up Publication Date: Tuesday 29 July 2008 Notice Code: 2443 Appointment of Liquidators Company Number: 05026010.

18/8/08		J - H Automotive Ltd - liquidation Publication Date: Tuesday 5 August 2008 Notice Code: 2443 Appointment of Liquidators Company Number: 6085692.

18/8/08		Excaliber Vehicle Storage Ltd - liquidation Publication Date: Thursday 7 August 2008 Notice Code: 2443 Appointment of Liquidators Company Number: 05192003.

18/8/08		Lister Coachworks Ltd - liquidation - winding-up Publication Date: Wednesday 13 August 2008 Notice Code: 2443 Appointment of Liquidators Company Number: 05574659.

18/8/08		An interview with Simon Bowers Spraytone Ltd Spraytone Accident Repair was founded by Simon Bowers Managing Director in 1999.

17/8/08		Sharia car insurance: For the first time Muslims can buy policies in line with Islamic law By Miles Goslett Sunday Mail Muslim drivers are for the first time being offered insurance that obeys the teachings of the Koran.

17/8/08		RSA - more rumours of possible buyers says Sunday Times A number of the bidders for RBS Insurance who dropped out are rumoured to have been taking a close look at RSA Insurance Group which recently posted forecast-beating first-half results.

17/8/08		RBS Insurance - sale to be cancelled says Sunday Times The Royal Bank of Scotland is on the cusp of abandoning the auction of its Direct Line and Churchill insurance empire after raising close to �6 billion through the sale of risky loans.

15/8/08		Automechanika - Right to Repair Campaign (R2RC) Automechanika will be held in Frankfurt from Tuesday 16th until Sunday 21st September 2008.

15/8/08		Lesonal - 150th anniversary conference Lesonal will celebrate its 150th anniversary in Naples Italy on September 25 and 26 2008.

15/8/08		World Skills - painting squad selected Three young car painters have been selected to go forward in the squad for further training and assessment for the World Skills which take place in Calgary Canada from 1 � 6 September 2009.

15/8/08		Akzo - training centre now offers paint ATA exams AkzoNobel has announced that their Training Centre has been approved as an ATA Assessment Centre.

15/8/08		RSA Insurance - Allianz to bid? Following report is from todays Telegraph: Insurance group RSA shone out yesterday as hopes of a bid for the blue-chip company gathered pace.

15/8/08		Ai extends timeline for Kitemark accreditation Ai has announced that having thoroughly reviewed the current situation with PAS125/Kitemark in conjunction with BSI they have decided to re-aligned the timescale for their network repairer accreditation.

15/8/08		Audatex - What does the Audatex UK data team do? The Audatex UK data development centre is responsible for verifying the accuracy of the parts database compiling model sheets and adding the standard vehicle specifications for the UK.

14/8/08		Kindertons - set up own approved network Kindertons Accident Management are currently establishing a repair network to handle the increasing volumes of repairs generated each year through both their credit repair and claims handling service for Brokers and other Accident Management Companies The volume of repairs is set to potentially double this year and they have recruited two new teams to deal with this growth; one specifically to recruit and manage the network and the other to handle the increasing volume of repairs they are being asked to manage from our partners.

14/8/08		Whiplash - Post mag reports RSA and NU are not backing Thatcham project Insurance giants RSA and Norwich Union are understood to have chosen not to back the development of a whiplash injury toolkit that it is hoped will cut the number of exaggerated and fraudulent motor insurance claims.

14/8/08		AA Accident Management - hoping to pick up business dropped by RAC The AA is looking to make a huge leap to lead the accident management sector in the wake of arch rival RAC�s decision to dump 60% of its least profitable accident management business.

14/8/08		Traffic levels fall across the UK 'The number of journeys taken by car decreased by 2% suggesting that the massive increase in the cost of fuel over the past 12 months has forced private and company car drivers to find alternatives to getting behind the wheel.

14/8/08		Dumped cars - numbers plummet due to scrap values Over the last four years councils across England have seen a 72 per cent drop in the number of abandoned vehicles being reported according to the Local Government Association (LGA).

14/8/08		Glass's - used car values continue to fall (= more write-offs) Following a five per cent fall in July's trade prices - the highest drop so far this year - used car values will fall by at least 12 per cent between now and Christmas according to EurotaxGlass’s.

14/8/08		Credit hire - insurers turning to the alternative of bilateral agreements Insurers are starting to turn to bilateral agreements with rival companies in greater numbers as a way around their increasingly strained relationship with the credit hire industry.

14/8/08		RBS Insurance - Post mag editorial article And so one of the most drawn out summer transfer saga continues.

14/8/08		Speed limits should be slashed says insurer Spanish government proposals to cut motorway speed limits to 50mph and town speeds to 25mph should be adopted in the UK according to Yes Insurance.

14/8/08		Kitemarked (PAS125) shops - total now up to 155 Seven new Kitemarked bodyshops have been added to the BSi Kitemark website since our last list on Wednesday 30 July taking them up to 155 sites � 91 in groups and 64 single sites.

14/8/08		WNS - worldwide net profits down 60% in Q1 WNS (Holdings) Limited a leading provider of global business process outsourcing (BPO) services today announced results for the first quarter of its 2009 financial year the 3 months ended June 30 2008.

13/8/08		Classic Ford cars stolen to order Classic Ford car enthusiasts fear their treasured motors are being stolen to order after two were taken in as many days.

13/8/08		ABP's Cresswell to moderate Audatex 'repairer update' nationwide roadshows With a host of new developments to report and a continued focus on timely customer communications claims solutions provider Audatex UK has announced the latest in its highly-successful series of repair roadshows.

13/8/08		Zurich reports strong growth in first half of 2008 Zurich Financial Services Group (Zurich) reported today another set of consistently strong results for the first half of 2008 demonstrating sound underlying operating performances from all business segments and continued growth in attractive business lines.

12/8/08		Moody urges garages not to write off debt and highlights insurance company Judgements Some of the most recognisable names in motor insurance have failed to pay their debts on time resulting in County Court Judgements (CCJs) being registered against them.

12/8/08		Former C-C MD joins Accident Exchange Former Carter & Carter Group Managing Director David Carter has joined Accident Exchange as Business Development Director.

12/8/08		ClaimWatch goes global - starting with New Zealand After thriving for seven years in the UK repairer and insurance markets ClaimWatch is now starting to repeat its success overseas and has recently signed an agreement with the Advance group; a leading New Zealand (NZ) claims management company that handles around 20000 claims for insurer clients every year.

11/8/08		IMI - to appoint chief operating officer; Sarah Sillars becomes Executive Chair After unprecedented growth over the past year the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) Executive Board has decided to increase its Senior Operational Team and will commence recruitment of a Chief Operating Officer immediately.

11/8/08		Price comparison sites change market 'considerably' Price comparison sites have led to changes in the insurance market the head of e-business at More Than has asserted.

11/8/08		UPD partners Proton UPD UK Ltd (UPD) can formally announce that they are Supplying the Proton import and distribution centre at Avonmouth.

09/8/08		Tesco dips toe into vehicle leasing market Tesco is dipping its toe in the new car retail business with a leasing service for its employees.

09/8/08		RBS Insurance - sale still on track but only at right price Fred Goodwin ceo of RBS told reporters in a conference call on Friday.

08/8/08		Allianz announces up to �2 per hour incentive for Kitemark accreditation From the 1 July 2009 Allianz�s 173-strong approved repairer network will be required to conform to the new PAS 125 British Standards Institute Kitemark specification.

08/8/08		Allianz appoints motor damage supply manager Allianz Insurance has appointed Simon Law as its new motor damage supply manager.

08/8/08		Enhanced Global Presence for Parts Certification Scheme Thatcham the insurer funded research centre are announcing changes to their aftermarket crash parts accreditation scheme with the news that from September 1st the programme is to align with TUV Rheinland the leading German certification body creating a new joined up approach to parts certification.

08/8/08		Additional regional centres strengthen VDA ATA process Increasing the opportunities for Vehicle Damage Assessors to achieve Automotive Technician Accreditation (ATA) is a major focus of the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) which governs the scheme.

08/8/08		Nationwide opens 'state of the art' centre their second site in Bristol Nationwide Accident Repair Services plc has opened a second site in Bristol extending its network of national bodyshops to 72 .

08/8/08		Fortis reports £43.3m pre-tax profits Fortis Insurance UK has announced pre-tax profits of �43.

08/8/08		RBS half year results RBS has today issued its half year results.

07/8/08		RBS Insurance - Allianz confirm they are not bidding The list of potential suitors for Royal Bank of Scotland's insurance division continues to dwindle with German financial giant Allianz yesterday declaring that it had not made a bid for these operations.

07/8/08		Spies Hecker - CUI introduces an Estimator Development Programme Colors Unlimited International (CUI) the pan-european network of Spies Hecker independent refinishers has introduced an Estimator Development Programme as part of the CUI Academy training portfolio.

07/8/08		AXA UK to cut 500 jobs In Reply to: '58048.

07/8/08		EurotaxGlass's extend unrivalled coverage of GlassMatix database in Ireland EurotaxGlass's has completed a major IT development project that has seen a marked increase in the volume of repair time and parts pricing data available to Irish bodyshops and insurers through its GlassMatix repair estimating system.

07/8/08		Allianz abandons profit goal FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Europe's biggest insurer Allianz abandoned its profit targets and said on Wednesday new guidance was impossible given financial market turmoil that kept its Dresdner Bank firmly in the red in the second quarter.

07/8/08		Axa reports 32% fall in net profits Europe's second-biggest insurer reported lower first-half net profit on Thursday although the earnings came in above the average market forecast and AXA said it needed no capital increase.

07/8/08		RSA reports net profit after tax up 23% RSA has today issued its half yearly financial report to 30 June 2008.

06/8/08		Audatex launches automated assessment auditing service Leading claims solutions provider Audatex UK has today announced AudaAudit 2 a fully-automated rules-based assessment auditing solution designed to streamline the time-consuming process of checking and approving body repair estimates.

06/8/08		UPD offers VDA ATA assistance The high failure rate of candidates taking the VDA ATA assessments at Thatcham has generated much discussion and debate.

06/8/08		Accident Exchange meets expectations Accident Exchange Group said first-quarter trading has been in line with management's expectations.

05/8/08		Call Zebra delighted with flying start A successful first two months of business for Call Zebra has meant the accident management firm has already moved to new premises.

05/8/08		Commentary: scary picture at RBS but it's no time to panic The vast - and slightly vulgar - Royal Bank of Scotland logo that hangs over the western approach road to Edinburgh signals more than just a bank; it is a corporate statement for Scotland as a whole.

04/8/08		RSA - Aviva downgraded by Citigroup Broker Citigroup has downgraded RSA Insurance Group and Aviva to 'hold' from 'buy'.

04/8/08		10 years for 'crash for cash' gang A �crash for cash� gang of thirteen people has been sentenced to a total of 10 years imprisonment.

04/8/08		Jennings Motor Group launches accident assist programme Sunderland-based Jennings Motor Group has launched a new initiative to handle customers’ crash or theft enquiries.

04/8/08		Fortis net profit decrease of 21% blamed on credit market turmoil Fortis's first half year net profit of EUR 1638 million Net profit up 3% in second quarter 2008 to EUR 830 million but environment is becoming more difficult * Fortis first half year 2008 net profit of EUR 1638 million down 41% compared to a very strong first half of 2007.

04/8/08		RBS Insurance - Allstate submit a bid From the FT: Allstate the US insurer was last night expected to submit a bid for Royal Bank of Scotland's insurance arm put up for sale in a multi-billion pound auction.

04/8/08		RBS - poised to unveil biggest loss in UK banking history From the Sunday Times: Royal Bank of Scotland is poised to unveil the biggest loss in UK banking history after taking a hit of almost �6 billion from the credit crisis.

02/8/08		Write-off the scale As write-off numbers grow UK bodyshops are facing a future with fewer vehicles to repair.

01/8/08		BSi Kitemark - featured on Radio 4 Quentin Willson is the well-known journalist and campaigner for motoring consumer rights and is the public face of BSI vehicle service and body repair schemes.

01/8/08		ABP Club third annual industry social Golf Day - Reminder The ABP Club third annual industry social Golf Day will be held at Macdonald Hill Valley Hotel & Spa - Nr Chester Shropshire on 25 September 2008.

01/8/08		ABP Club - launch updated website The Auto Body Professionals Club (ABP Club) has launched an updated version of its website www.

01/8/08		RSA acquires new bodyshop and appoints new QRC managing director RSA has announced the acquisition of a fifth Quality Repair Centre (QRC) in Bristol and the appointment of Paul Nightingale as QRC managing director.

01/8/08		Car dealer profits impacted by energy costs - Rising prices hit the bottom line Utility bills are seriously impacting on dealer profitability as the economic conditions continue to tighten according to retailers attending the recent Motor Trader Forum.

01/8/08		Tesco has swept aside RBS in bid to grow empire Britain's largest retailer Tesco has made a push into the UK retail financial market following a �950m deal to buy Royal Bank of Scotland out of its joint venture.

ABP Club News - August 2008

ABP Club Social Golf Day - 25 September 2008 - book your place!

T-s Coachworks - bankruptcy

Enterprise Coachworks Ltd - creditors meeting

Brookroyd Auto Repairs (B Eggett Ltd t/as) - administrator appointed

The Sinclaire Group Ltd - administrators appointed

North West Bus and Coach Repairs Ltd - liquidator appointed

D M Windscreens - liquidator appointed

Outer Auto Panels - liquidator appointed

Chips Away Car Care (tony Woodcock) Ltd - liquidator appointed

Chapmans Bodycraft Ltd - liquidated and wound-up

AJN Coachworks Ltd - liquidated and wound-up

Glasurit’s man in the north achieves ATA accreditation.

Bradley Smart Ltd - liquidator appointed

GM eyes return to profit in 2010

IMI - consults industry on occupational standards

RMIF back new Motor Industry Code

Capita - confirmed as replacing CORGI scheme

Marshall takes Standox prize

H R Owen - interim results

RSA - shares rise on talk of bid from Zurich

Helphire - suing Motor Insurers Bureau

HSBC - aiming for 5% of personal motor market by end 2009

Highway reports profit fall

An interview with Steve Lester Tony Levoi Group

Chaucer - half year results; 20% growth for motor

Pendragon - half year results; profits down

Highway Insurance - bought by LV

ATA VDA - exam dates

Solera Holdings - full year results

Audatex - Alan Morgan steps down from technical committee

Bodyshop mag - how to prepare for the VDA ATA

Highway Insurance - possible offer

Kitemarked (PAS125) shops - total now up to 160

Euro NCAP - new rating system to address low pedestrian scores

Brit Insurance - half year results

Lookers - half year results

Roads - congestion falls 12% in a year

Glassmatix - launch GlassAudit

Insurance fraud - less than a quarter would report

IMI - Industry clocks up over 30000 SkillMiles in first six months

Lean flow - a win for all

Ai commend Sutton Car Repairs for achieving the BSi Kitemark

ATA public campaign fires on all cylinders with Top Gear

AkzoNobel appoints two Technical Consultants

EurotaxGlass's hold strategy meeting with Irish vehicle repairers

Experian advises UK businesses on the steps to avoid becoming a late payment casualty

Helphire - close to identifying souce of malicious email

RML identify worst insurers for CCJs

FSA - fine five dealers for insurance sales

New Repanet video features Apollo's Dave Perkins

Pendragon hurt by tough market conditions - Analyst predicts threat of 5p share price

Blackhawk relocates to Snap-on's HQ

IMI provides an update on MET and VDA ATA

Kindertons appoints Marketing Executive

Better deal for drivers to blame for accidents

VBRA - article in Motor Trader

Training standards from Land Rover Jaguar BMW

New model launch slow down

Innovation (owners of Motorcare) - trading update

Bizarre car insurance claims

Spraytone announces Kitemark accreditation

Allianz - Q2 profits grow slightly but motor gives -inadequate returns-

Drivers warned road tax changes will knock up to �1000 off the value of their cars

Glassmatix - new version achieves 150th installation

Chris Regan Bodywork Services - final dividend

Auto Body Perfections Ltd - final meeting

Mobb (Vehicle Refinishers - bankruptcy

Chapmans Bodycraft Ltd - creditors meeting

AJN Coachworks Ltd - creditors meeting

Abley Motor Company Ltd - appointment of administrator

Motor Body Repair Centre Gravesend - petition to wind-up

Deejay Accident Repair Centres Ltd - winding-up order

Premier Paint - Panel Ltd - application to continue using Fix Auto Doncaster North name

Premier Paint - Panel Ltd - liquidation - winding-up

J - H Automotive Ltd - liquidation

Excaliber Vehicle Storage Ltd - liquidation

Lister Coachworks Ltd - liquidation - winding-up

An interview with Simon Bowers Spraytone Ltd

Sharia car insurance: For the first time Muslims can buy policies in line with Islamic law