– A PARTNERSHIP IN PROFIT

United Aftermarket Network (UAN) prides itself in being a different type of automotive aftermarket buying group. Unlike the traditional business model UAN is innovative and progressive determined to work closely with customers and working closely in partnership with shared goals.

A case in point is Autoparts UK, a growing replacement car parts business with a major operating base in Glasgow serving the Scottish motor trade. The company was founded some 20 years ago and now has a 70,000 sq ft warehouse facility in Glasgow stocking over 60,000 individual car parts and accessories worth sme £ 2 million and serving the aftermarket with a dedicated staff of 125 and 50 delivery vans.

Autoparts UK has been a member of United Aftermarket Network since 2006 and the two companies share the same vision, expectations and approach to business and its customers. The key is delivering the right product at the right price at the right time designed to support customers and help maintain profitability. In addition the company has a garage management system available to customers with full details at www.workshopexpert.co.uk

The pace of change in the automotive aftermarket and with developments in vehicle technology seems at times to be bewildering. But it is those market changes and developments that help bind the two companies together with UAN delivering a different type of service to its customers. The key is being innovative and progressive, supported by class leading customer service and technical back-up, vital in today’s competitive marketplace.

Craig McCracken of Autoparts UK is a great supporter of the UAN business model. “Our company values and expectations are mirrored by UAN,” said Craig. “Having shared values makes for a strong working partnership and we rely on UAN for its industry insights and the very professional approach to business which has always been a key to our success.”

This year, 2014, is a significant year for UAN, marking an important milestone in the company’s history celebrating a decade in business. As far as UAN is concerned it has been 10 years of success with the buying group growing sales in every year and with a strong and growing membership which has helped to make it the leading UK based buying group.

Another key difference at UAN is the buying group’s commitment to training and the development of specific training modules for existing and emerging technologies. As a consequence UAN created a Training and Education division which has active support from the UK ’s leading automotive technology training provider GTG, a sister company of Autoparts, offering a range of programmes from technical training, finance management and H&S all available to UAN members at special discounted prices. According the UAN’s managing director Phil Dodd, “The UAN Training and Education division is at the forefront of an important drive to educate and train motor factors and garage and workshop technicians to ensure that the independent automotive aftermarket continues to keep pace with the fast changing technologies we see in today’s modern motor vehicles. Our partnership with GTG is just another example of the excellent relationship we share with Autoparts and the Arnold Clark group”.

The last word comes from Autopart’s Craig McCracken, “UAN is a genuine partner of choice for us between suppliers, factors and garages/workshops. We enjoy a close working relationship with them and I feel sure that our relationship will grow and strengthen over time.”