9:20 am, March 1, 2019
AFTER months of anticipation and excitement, last night saw the winners of the inaugural Car Dealer Magazine Aftermarket Excellence Awards reap their just rewards.
Taking place in the stunning landmark that is the 170m-high Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, the event shone the spotlight on the service and repair sector, as its unsung heroes and heroines were honoured for their professionalism and hard work.
Those in the running for recognition enjoyed a drinks reception and three-course meal as part of the event, presented in association with the RAC Approved Garage Powered By Autofirst Network partnership, with Autologic a key partner as well.
Welcoming everyone, James Baggott, chief executive of Car Dealer Magazine publisher the Baize Group, spoke of the importance of the aftermarket sector to the automotive industry.
‘New car sales have been declining for almost six months now as people hang on to their vehicles for longer, potentially meaning more work for you all – and what important work it is,’ he told the attendees.
‘When car sales are struggling, the revenue that garages and workshops generate is crucial to help keep car dealerships in a healthy financial position.
‘At Car Dealer Magazine, we hugely admire the efforts of everyone working in the automotive sector. With a dedicated aftersales section in the magazine each month, we keep our readers up to date with the latest news and views.
‘It’s a part of the automotive industry that we feel doesn’t get the recognition it deserves – and hopefully the awards we hand out tonight will help put that right.
‘May I be the first to congratulate every one of you here with us at the top of the amazing Spinnaker Tower – simply getting a place on our list of finalists is an achievement in itself.
‘We’ve been swamped with entries from across the UK – so much so that our judges had an incredibly tough time whittling them down to just three in each category. Huge congratulations if you pick up a highly commended place or the winner’s award itself.’
The winners and highly commendeds were as follows:
Manufacturer Warranty Scheme of the Year
Winner: Kia Motors UK
Apprentice of the Year, sponsored by Autologic
Winner: Connor Foylan-Mead – Bryan Swales Auto Repairs
Technician of the Year, sponsored by RAC Approved Garage Powered By Autofirst Network
Winner: Charlie Hudson – Shortfield Garage
Highly commended: Stephen Senogles – S & J Garage; Dean Butcher – Premier Autocentres
Aftersales Team of the Year, sponsored by Autologic
Winner: Uckfield Motor Services
Highly commended: Shaikly Motor Company; Shortfield Garage
Workshop Manager of the Year
Winner: Kevin Appleyard – BNTec German Autocare
Highly commended: Bryan Swales – Bryan Swales Auto Repairs; James Trott – Performance 3000
Workshop Website of the Year, sponsored by RAC Approved Garage Powered By Autofirst Network
Winner: ACC UK Ltd
Highly commended: MOT City; BTE Automotive
MOT Centre of the Year, sponsored by RAC Approved Garage Powered By Autofirst Network
Winner: West Malling Garage
Highly commended: Premier Autocentres; Colville Road MOT Centre
Aftersales Director of the Year, sponsored by Autologic
Winner: Anthony Heard – Braintree Motor Works
Highly commended: Simon Cook – ACC UK Ltd; Nick Errington – West Malling Garage
Franchised Workshop of the Year
Winner: Fine Cars Kia
Highly commended: Bristol Mitsubishi; Snows Volvo Winchester
Independent Workshop of the Year, sponsored by RAC Approved Garage Powered By Autofirst Network
Winner: Devonshire Motors Accident Repair Centre
Highly commended: Uckfield Motor Services; Shire Hill Garage
Specialist Garage of the Year, sponsored by Autologic
Winner: BNTec German Autocare
Highly commended: S & J Garage; Trophy Cars – South Witham
Aftersales Customer Care Award, sponsored by RAC Approved Garage Powered By Autofirst Network
Winner: Ben Dewar – Redgate Lodge
Highly commended: Suzanne Davey – Ashburton Motor Works; Samuel Evans – Beck Evans
Equipment Supplier of the Year
Winner: Snap-on
Highly commended: JD Garage Equipment – Humberside; Straightset
Product Innovation of the Year
Winner: OEC
Outstanding Achievement Award, sponsored by Autologic
Winner: Meridien Modena
Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by RAC Approved Garage Powered By Autofirst Network
Winner: Stuart Evans – Beck Evans
Most Reliable Car – Far Eastern, sponsored by RAC Approved Garage Powered By Autofirst Network
Winner: Honda Jazz
Most Reliable Car – European, sponsored by RAC Approved Garage Powered By Autofirst Network
Winner: Skoda Octavia
Most Reliable Car – Overall, sponsored by RAC Approved Garage Powered By Autofirst Network
Winner: Skoda Octavia
Most Reliable Manufacturer, sponsored by RAC Approved Garage Powered By Autofirst Network
Winner: Lexus
Congratulations to each and every one of you!
Issue 133 of Car Dealer Magazine, to be published next month, will have an in-depth picture feature about tonight’s event.
MORE: RAC and Autofirst join forces to create UK’s biggest independent garage network
