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FEBRUARY 2015 PRO INSTALLER
PRO MOTORING
www.proinstaller.co.uk
Bevan racks up another
Type Approval ‘first’
West Midlands bodybuilder Bevan Group has underlined its
leadership in the field of European Community Whole Vehicle Type
Approval by becoming the first company to secure accreditation
for external glass racks (frails) fitted to panel vans.
The breakthrough follows months of negotiation with VCA, the Department for Transport
agency responsible for
confirming type approvals to all automotive
European Community
Directives and other
regulations.
It means that vans fitted by
Bevan with racks manufactured at the Merseyside
production facility of Supertrucks, the glass transport
solutions specialist which it
acquired in 2014, can be automatically accorded Whole
Type Vehicle Type Approval
under the enhancement
scheme.
Previously, such vehicles
have had to be submitted
to the Driver & Vehicle
Standards Agency (DVSA)
for IVA (Individual Vehicle
Approval) tests. But as well
as adding cost, this process
can result in delivery delays
– often extending to several
weeks – before the van can
be registered and put to
work.
Bevan Group was also
the first UK bodybuilder to
secure European Community Whole Vehicle Type
Approval certification for its
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vehicle bodies. The Halesowen-based manufacturer
secured this status as long
ago as March 2009 – the
deadline by which all categories of commercial vehicle
must meet Type Approval
standards by 29 October
2014. Since then it has
been authorised to build an
unlimited number of bodies
of the same type and sell
them, provided they have
met conformity of production requirements, without
further inspections.
Bevan Group’s Operations
Director Lee Dimmock
confirms: “Having audited
all of our systems, as well as
Supertrucks’ products, VCA
has now cleared Bevan to
produce groups of vehicles fitted with glass racks,
which will comply with
current Type Approval regulations. The potential advantage in terms of reduced
lead times i s huge.”
on the road is not the one
that was registered, and
this can cause problems
further down the line,” says
Lee. “Responsible operators
‘some glass carriers have been
exploiting a loophole in the
regulations by purchasing and
registering unmodified vans’
Lee says some glass carriers have been exploiting a
loophole in the regulations
by purchasing and registering unmodified vans,
then having them fitted
retrospectively with external
racks.
“But that means the vehicle which eventually goes
prefer to do things properly
and ensure that their vans
are fully finished, and approved, with quality racking
systems and other features
such as additional lighting
already in place, prior to
registration.”
The European Community
Whole Vehicle Type Approv-
al regulations are designed
to ensure that new light
commercial vehicles meet
environmental, safety and
security standards.
Supertrucks Manager Dave
Hill adds: “We have modified significantly the design
of our frails to the requirements of the approval
scheme, while maintaining
the superior quality of the
equipment. Our racks and
other glass-carrying systems
are widely acknowledged to
be the finest in the industry,
and are already exported
into a number of European
countries. The fact that we
can produce and Bevan can
now fit our systems here
in the UK is a further step
forward for the two businesses.”
Electric Vehicle Industry Revs Up
NAPIT Training has released an electric vehicle
training taster video to the industry for the benefit of any tradesperson who is considering a move
into this promising technology.
Regular positive news within the industry suggests a likely
rise in popularity for electric vehicles and thus a probable
increase in charging point installation work.
2013 saw sales of electric vehicles double within the
European Union. Should growth continue at this rate, by
2020 we could see almost 500,000 sold and by 2030 more
than two million, this would account for 15% of all new car
sales.
‘Plug-in Grant of up to £5,000’
ADF PLASTICS LTD
New models should encourage this growth in the UK.
Also, electric vehicle pioneer Tesla Motors has opened its
second UK store and service centre, with further facilities to
come.
It’s not only the country’s manufacturers who are showing increased faith in green motors; the Government has
announced that ministers will soon be driven to official
appointments in electric cars.
The Government’s Go Ultra Low campaign makes EVs a
more financially attractive option for consumers by offering
a ‘Plug-in Grant’ of up to £5,000 to cover 25% of an electric
car and up to £8,000 for an electric van. Charge point costs
may also be alleviated with a grant to cover up to 75%,
capped at £1,000.
If you’re interested in getting involved in this growing
industry, view NAPIT Training’s electric vehicle
charging point installation taster video at www.youtube.
com/watch?v=h6fZVNFjfew&feature=youtu.be