IVECO Retail’s flagship site in Farnborough has achieved IRTE (Institute of Road Transport Engineers) Workshop Accreditation – becoming the first dealership in the IVECO-owned dealer group to hold this status. It marks the first stage in a plan by IVECO Retail to ensure its four sites, which also include dealerships in Croydon, Hayes and Reading, secure accreditation during 2019.
The 3,000 sq m. facility in Chancerygate Way – which opened in May 2017 – successfully passed the rigorous independent audit, which looked at workshop appearance, documentation of work carried out, health and safety practices and on-site tools and equipment.
It now joins a comprehensive online database of accredited maintenance providers in the UK, with prospective customers able to view information on its facilities, services, vehicle test pass rates, RIDDOR stats and HSE notices.
Lee Hosier, Group Service Manager at IVECO Retail, says: “We’ve enjoyed a strong start to business since opening this new site and earning this accreditation was the natural next step. Customers are increasingly asking if we have this standard when appointing a new maintenance provider, so securing this seal of approval gives them confidence we meet the IRTE’s high standards.”
Commenting on the process, Hosier adds: “The IRTE accreditation looks at the procedure when a vehicle enters our workshop, through every stage of the service until the final inspection. All actions must be correct, equipment properly maintained and our MOT pass rate – currently 95.7 per cent –
above the national average.”
Facilities at Farnborough include nine workshop bays for truck, van and minibus servicing, with the site also featuring a dedicated ATF lane, MOT facilities, rolling road brake testing capability and tachograph calibration and repair facilities, which can be converted to additional servicing bays to suit customer demand.
The dealership stocks genuine IVECO spare parts on-site and is also an accredited IVECO Truck Station – one of a network of 250 specialised and highly-efficient dealers across Europe offering advanced heavy truck expertise.
The IRTE Workshop Accreditation Scheme is an independent verification of the expertise, health and safety and quality of workshops in the HGV and PSV industries. IRTE is an independent body providing support and guidance to transport engineers and technicians and is one of the most respected names in UK transport today. It is also a professional sector of the Society of Operations Engineers, which represents 17,000 of the UK’s engineering professionals in safety, standards and best-practice.