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Garage Support Supporting you and your business

2024 Issue 1

What’s inside? • Maximising your profitability • Sustainability – help yourself and the planet • EV and Hybrid – sure you’re ready? The opportunity for your workshop

Call your local branch now!

Hello and welcome, from Andy Southby And just like that we’re a few months into 2024… I’m excited to be writing to you in my new capacity as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). I firstly wanted to thank you for the warm welcome I’ve received from the industry. Taking the CCO post at the end of 2023 follows a busy five years for me at LKQ. First as divisional director of our Southern Branch Network. Then as managing director at both LKQ Bodyshop and Digraph, separately. So, I’m no stranger to what underpins success in the aftermarket, having worked closely with many garages and workshops over the last few years. Ultimately, we rely on forging long-term partnerships built on mutual support. The partnerships we have with our customers help us each to maximise the potential from routine opportunities, and to meet new challenges, like the transition to electric vehicles. It may be another year of new beginnings. But

we’ll continue to stand by the independent aftermarket, and we’ll carry on investing in our customer relationships to drive mutual success. Looking forward to working more closely with you.

Andy Southby, Chief Commercial Officer LKQ UK & Ireland

Ireland’s suicide prevention charity

Pieta provides professional, confidential, non-judgmental help for anyone in suicidal distress, self-harming, or bereaved by suicide. You don’t need a referral from a doctor or medical professional. The service is entirely FREE and is available right now in your area. And remember, it’s on your terms – you can talk to us in person, by text or by phone. At LKQ Euro Car Parts we support Pieta, a suicide awareness and prevention charity who provide support services across Ireland.

Our free counselling service is available in person at OVER 20 centres nationwide.

If you or someone you know is in crisis call Pieta’s 24/7Crisis Helpline 1800 247 247 or text HELP to 51444

Visit pieta.ie

Sustainability Helping garages and workshops make a positive difference

At LKQ Euro Car Parts, we are committed to making a positive difference in the world. We’re holding ourselves accountable for our progress by making a series of commitments and setting challenging targets across three key pillars – planet, people and communities.

As part of this, we’re working hard to make our operations as environmentally sustainable as possible, reducing our carbon emissions, energy usage and waste. But, more than that, we’re focused on boosting equality, diversity and inclusion, improving health and safety, and supporting our communities at home and abroad through fundraising and volunteering.

Having a positive impact isn’t just a priority for our business, we know it’s important to our customers too. However, whether it’s operating more sustainably or hiring, retaining and training talent, we know there are many challenges facing garages and workshops. That’s why we’re committed to helping in all these important areas.

Some of the ways we can help you include guidance on: • Improving energy efficiency and making cost savings • How to switch off and save • Great value, sustainable tooling.

Through LKQ Academy, we also provide a range of industry-leading training courses that can help you protect and grow your business by upskilling teams in key areas such EV and Hybrid.

When you’re facing a complex challenge, it can be easy to forget that lots of smaller steps can add up to a big impact. If you want to do something differently in 2024, we can help.

Look out for more sustainability advice and guidance in future editions, or get in touch for support.

Garage Support | 2024 Issue 1 | Page 3

Our friends at Garage Hive have updated their Gross Profit Target Calculator for 2024. This tool is free to anyone that wants to use it, and will work with any management system that can produce an accurate Gross Profit figure. Are you set up for success in 2024? How to set a Gross Profit Target and why it’s so important

This invaluable tool provides you with help and assistance to manage your business and maximise profitability.

The calculator is designed to demonstrate the Gross Profit & Efficiency required to cover the day to day running costs of the business. From labour rates, loans to fixed expenses and more – It’s more important now than ever to consider all costs that can affect your business. It’s simple to use, and could be a game changer for your business. Find out more today.

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Are you ready to maximise your 2024 profit? Are you ready to calculate your costs and check your labour rates? Scan the QR code where you will be able to download the spreadsheet and also find a useful video and instructions on how to use it to maximise your success in 2024. Are you set up for success in 2024?

Reviews: See what other workshops have to say

When an outgoing changes or a new one starts it gets added to it, thinking about taking new staff on, you just change the figures and you know straight away if it will work financially. It took us just a Sunday afternoon to fill it in. And now it takes minutes to make any adjustments. Every business should use this. It makes you feel that you are in charge of your business not the business in charge of you!

Game changer – you THINK you have everything covered, you know exactly what your business is paying out each month right? WRONG! Having such detail in the GP spreadsheet I found many “small” things we didn’t factor into monthly costs.

Before I would just look at the bank account daily, weekly monthly, and as long as it was going up I was happy, but how do you then plan for a big spend like expensive equipment or in my case expanding into a bigger workshop, I was running blind. Now we can look at the figures and make decisions based on raw financial data. Absolute game changer!

The staff wages calculator is invaluable, a slight tweak to a salary gives you an immediate new daily target to hit, and a pay rise request can be sorted within minutes. The equipment needs in any garage are never-ending, a loan or a lease cost can be added again allowing an instant decision, no need to ring the accountant or have sleepless nights about can we afford it?

* GH Launch take no responsibility for the accuracy of this spreadsheet, all figures produced are an estimate.

Garage Support | 2024 Issue 1 | Page 5

Unlock the power of EVs

2024 Predictions – The importance of EV skills in the aftermarket Kevan Wooden, our newly appointed Chief Executive believes more garages in the independent aftermarket sector ought to invest in their equipment and skills to service EVs. Though the government has moved the end date for the sales ban of new ICE engine vehicles to 2035, the ZEV mandate states that vehicle manufacturers must target 22% of their sales to be battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) in 2024, a figure that will rise in increments to 100% by 2035. Component manufacturers, motor factors and independent garages and chains must all increase their focus on EVs to be able to support an ever-growing part of the car parc.

Kevan Wooden, Chief Executive Officer LKQ UK & Ireland

Scan to read the full article.

Sustainability As the EV transition accelerates, Kevan expects to see greater ingenuity from garages in fixing and maintaining batteries, which would otherwise be fully replaced at a high cost to customers and the environment.

Only 18% of technicians are trained to work on Hybrid and EV’s.

Are you helping to bridge the gap? Don’t lose out on this crucial business and get left behind. With a range of training courses available – you can find one to suit you and your garage. Dive into the world of EVs and unlock new opportunities for your garage.

Scan for our 2024 Training Prospectus and discover the Hybrid/EV courses available.

Go to www.lkqacademy.ie to find out more

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Unlock the power of EVs Safety best practice All electric vehicles boast unique features, but they share one

common thread – a HV electrical system with currents exceeding 30 volts AC or 60 volts DC.

Whenever electric vehicles are being repaired, special protective workwear and equipment must be used to disable or isolate the battery and perform work on these systems safely.

Other specialty tools required are electrical testers and meters, designed to read the power of the battery and the system in volts and amps. Just like the hand tools, these electrical testers and meters need to be handled with care – not only to ensure proper functionality but to minimise the risk of compromising the tool and more importantly, the technician.

In addition to workwear, specialised tools that are insulated for high- voltage are also required. Grabbing any off-the-shelf screwdriver or wrench is not going to cut it when performing work on a HV system. These specialised tools are typically rated for up to 1,000 volts and are either made out of a non- conductive material, such as plastic, or coated to insulate electricity. Care must be taken with these tools to ensure that their insulative properties are not damaged and compromised.

Having the proper tools for testing and repairing electric and hybrid cars is important not only for safety but for accurate electrical measurements as well. Having the right tools is the first step when working with HV systems; knowing how to properly use them is the next, which LKQ Academy can support with.

Our most popular Hybrid and EV courses

Level 2 & 3 IMI Award in Electric/Hybrid 263773020 • Routine maintenance activities, vehicle system repair and replacement.

Level 4 IMI Award in Electric/Hybrid 263773040

Included in our training packages

Included in our training packages

• The diagnosis, testing and repair of electric/hybrid vehicles and components.

Two day course LEVEL 2 & 3 = 14 IMI CREDITS € 649 .00

Two day course LEVEL 4 = 14 IMI CREDITS € 649 .00

Lunch included

Lunch included

PER CANDIDATE

PER CANDIDATE

Garage Support | 2024 Issue 1 | Page 7

Air con machine maintenance You’ve invested in an Air Con machine – so how do you maximise performance?

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Off-peak servicing Getting your machine properly serviced during the quieter periods allows for a more in-depth review of performance and fast diagnosis of any issues. Not to mention how quickly you’ll be seen.

Calibrate your machine It is recommended to calibrate all air conditioning machines once every 12 months to ensure precise charging and minimising the risk issues arising with end-user’s vehicles.

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Failure to prepare, prepare to fail… Gain advance notice of potential issues arising from the machine aging or usage-related factors. This proactive information can aid in budgeting for repair costs or making informed decisions about investing in a newmachine.

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Limit machine downtime Detecting faults out of season ensures that machines remain operational when they are needed the most, with scheduled maintenance avoiding any impact on both revenue and customer service levels.

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Right oil The importance of having the right oil…

Is your workshop becoming increasingly full of oil that is half used? Too many grades and not enough of the right vehicles coming in to move this stock? Becoming over stocked with the wrong oil can be a real issue not only for space but also tying up capital in stock.

Having the right grades in stock for the vehicle car parc you are servicing can be tricky, and continually having to order more grades time consuming. This is where MPM can help, they have designed a Fleet Analysis tool that can help you get what you need, when you need it. MPM Fleet Analysis enables garages to enhance efficiency, cut down on waste and realise cost savings. By providing a comprehensive evaluation of lubricant and oil needs tailored to each garage’s specific fleet, the analysis offers a personalised approach that is unmatched in the industry.

How Does it Work? All you need to do is provide MPM the vehicles that have been serviced in the past 12 months. You can do this by extracting data directly from your garage’s management system. Once this data is collected and sent to support@mpmoil.co.uk along with necessary LKQ Euro Car Parts customer details, our unique algorithm creates a fully customised analysis based on the specific data provided (number of technicians, number of vehicles, storage capacity, etc.). The analysis is completed within 10 working days and is then presented back to the workshop by your local Branch Manager or Account Manager, along with an MPM specialist.

Benefits for the Workshop • Increased operational efficiency by ensuring you stock only what is needed • Create a better and more economical way of purchasing the goods • Enhanced customer satisfaction by using the correct and approved

recommended oil for your customers vehicle • Significant cost savings for the workshop • Monetary benefits.

How can a customer get a Fleet Analysis? It’s easy, just speak to your local Account Manager who can arrange a visit to discuss the benefits of this brilliant tool.

Garage Support | 2024 Issue 1 | Page 9

Enda McCarrick Cars Limited Know your garage

Number of employees: Two workshop, seven total

Name: Greg Hayes, Aftersales Manager

Company: Enda McCarrick Ltd

Quantity of ramps/MOT bays: Two lifts

Time as LKQ Euro Car Parts customer: Five years

Time in business: Ten years

Number of sites: One site

(including dealership)

1. T ell us a bit about your business, its history, size and the services it provides. Background: The business is primarily a car dealership but has a workshop in the back which is mostly used to service and repair cars bought from Enda McCarrick Cars Ltd.

2. W hat do you tend to buy from LKQ Euro Car Parts? We use LKQ Euro Car Parts for mechanical parts and components – often braking related, as well as timing belts, suspension and clutch parts. LKQ Euro Car Parts has an impressive range, meaning we can choose from a wide selection of products depending on vehicle type and customer needs.

We’ve had an excellent experience with the Eicher brand over the years. Equally, we’ll happily purchase Bosch and Pagid for certain customers and vehicle types, and we know that we’re getting high quality, reliable parts no matter the price point. Most of our workshop revenue comes from servicing vehicles sold through our dealership. We get to know our customers, and it’s important that we can choose from brands at different price points, tailoring what we offer to suit their budgets and encouraging trust and repeat business.

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Know your garage

3. W hat do you like about working with / buying from LKQ Euro Car Parts? Omnipart streamlines the ordering process massively. We cross reference parts ourselves and so being able to easily look up a part in the system catalogue and get it ordered straight away is ideal. Our local branch always has good stock levels, and we can often expect parts within a couple of hours or less. We’re only 600 yards down the road from the branch and so we tend to work a 50:50 spilt between opting for delivery and going down the road to collect the parts ourselves. The local branch team know who we are and how we work, and they’ll always be reliable – whether they’re delivering the parts themselves or serving us in branch.

4. W hat’s your relationship like with your local branch? Almost 100 per cent of the time we can quickly and easily process an order through Omnipart. On the rare occasion a part isn’t stocked, the team will make an effort to source and have it delivered to us in couple of days max.

5. D o you feel well looked after by LKQ Euro Car Parts? As a supplier, LKQ Euro Car Parts is invested in its customers and will go above and beyond to build strong relationships. We feel supported by them, outside of just being a parts partner, and recently won a survey prize draw – which was a nice surprise. What’s really important though, is that they don’t compromise on stock and service. We can always count on the business to be reliable, trustworthy and provide us with high quality products.

Garage Support | 2024 Issue 1 | Page 11

Branch Manager Conference New for 2024! Have your say! This GSNL has been devised to support your business. We would like to signpost you to organisations to add benefit your garage. We would really like to hear your comments on any of the articles featured or if there are any subjects that you would like us feature more of, or fewer? Our reward to you… …The best feedback or suggestion selected will be awarded with a €50 .00 voucher. We will share your views in future editions of the Garage Support Newsletter Send your comments to marketing@eurocarparts.com We are looking forward to hearing from you! Approximately 800 LKQ colleagues, garage owners and suppliers gathered at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole for LKQ UK and Ireland annual two-day Branch Managers Conference in February. Here’s the key takeaways that you need to know… • NewChief Executive outlines vision for a sustainable future: Kevan Wooden outlined his commitment to long-term supplier-customer partnerships as key to driving sustainable growth across the aftermarket. He said sales excellence will be achieved through management and adviser training underpinned by new customer service technology. • Ambitions to be first to market: In a talk to delegates, Anthony McAteer, Group Commercial Director at LKQ Euro Car Parts, committed to being the first to market on key products launching in the next few years to help customers keep pace with evolving vehicle technologies. Kevan Wooden also spoke of the business working hard to get the crucial electric vehicle parts that garages need to retain and win new customers. • Suppliers showcased their innovations: The Supplier Zone at the conference featured activations and demonstrations from leading brands like Shell, Varta, Pagid, Brembo, Valeo, Mann, Bosch and Schaeffler – many of which work closely with LKQ on the 1TEC Auto Hub garage concept network launched last year, and which share LKQ’s commitment to innovation and customer support.

Speaking about the show, Kevan Wooden said: “We can never rest on our laurels in a dynamic market like the aftermarket. At the heart of the show was the principle of how we can continue to deliver excellence for customers by investing in our people and products, and by fighting industry issues on their behalf to secure our mutual success.”

Follow our LinkedIn page to find out more!

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