Manbat has reported significant sales growth in the UK aftermarket.

Increasing sales of OE brand Varta, along with its own brand Numax, and the expansion of the leisure sector account for majority of the gains, however without training, the picture would be far less rosy says the company.

Martin McGreevy, UK sales manager explains: "Manbat is dedicated to help its customers sell more batteries and the growth of these major accounts is a perfect endorsement of the philosophy, with sound staff training being a key element in the process.

"Training is the only way to quickly bring the workforce up to speed with the terminology, applications and testing procedures of batteries," said McGreevy.

Manbat conducts on-site training with its customers and the training is tailored to cover the specific requirements of the business. However, generic training starts with a basic knowledge-based programme aimed to define the relevant terminology such as CCA (Cold Cranking in Amperes), Ah (ampere hour) capacity, battery type (VRLA, GEL AGM) and battery characteristics (starting, cyclic etc).

Regional manager, Martin Shillito, added: "To make the most of its battery sales, businesses need to provide customers with the most suitable battery for the purpose. It is risky to assume that a direct like-for-like replacement is the correct application. In many cases the incorrect battery could have been fitted and so the correct procedure is to use an application guide for that particular vehicle.

"However, there is the opportunity to upgrade the battery when a more advanced battery is suitable to the vehicle, or to the use that the vehicle is being put to. Manbat training helps customers match the most appropriate battery to each particular application and to explain why cheaper isn't actually better value for money," he concluded.