At D Gawthorpe ACR Ltd, we’ve always been proud of the high quality of commercial vehicle body repairs we offer to our customers – but now, following our recent final audit by the Vehicle Builders and Repairers Association (VBRA), we’ve been awarded the UK’s first ever Elite Truck & Van Body Repair Certificate.
Until now the commercial vehicle accident repair industry has lagged behind other similar sectors, with no audited regulation process to ensure service quality when it comes to commercial vans and trucks between five and 44 tonnes.
Improving standards in commercial vehicle body repairs
With the launch of this new assessment and certification, customers can look forward to more consistent standards, while reducing the risks that have been inherent in the industry for some time.
These types of commercial vehicle repairs are incredibly complex by nature, and as a result, many so-called specialists don’t actually have the skills and resources in-house to complete them. This means that for many customers, their accident damage isn’t actually being carried out by the company they’ve entrusted their vehicle to, but passed to a third-party with no guarantee of their experience or knowledge.
Now, as the new certification standards start rolling out, businesses, manufacturers and insurers will have the opportunity to ensure that their commercial vehicle body repair providers are capable and competent.
Adding to our exceptional reputation for excellent standards
Building on our existing accreditations and approvals, we’re incredibly pleased to have been awarded the first certificate of its kind in the UK. In fact, with our existing Mercedes, EV, VW and ADAS certifications, our MD, Dean Gawthorpe, was also involved in developing the Elite Truck & Van Body Repair standards.
Technicians’ competency is assessed using IMI and other organisations’ competency standards, with all applicants being thoroughly audited and inspected, including via a physical visit. A specialist online platform developed by VBRA and ITAS allows several auditing factors to be managed virtually, and there are a range of membership grades available:
The standard consists of several grades of membership:
- Elite Truck & Van Body Repair (Structural with Cab & Chassis Repair)
- Elite Truck Repair (Structural with Cab & Chassis Repair)
- Elite Van Repair (Structural with Chassis Repair)
- Elite Truck & Van (Non-Structural no Cab or Chassis Repairs)
These new standards for commercial vehicle body repairs will provide much more confidence in service delivery, and with more membership registrations currently in progress, approved suppliers will soon be available through further areas in the UK.
View the VRBA article here = https://nbra.org.uk/the-first-vbra-truck-van-body-repair-standard-has-been-awarded-to-d-gawthrope-acr-ltd/