Volkswagen Trade Parts

Volkswagen Group UK’s new TPS Centres – dedicated trade parts centres that supply original parts for Volkswagen passenger cars and Commercial Vehicles, as well as Audi, SEAT and Škoda to independent motor repairers – have good reason to celebrate.

After the launch of Europe’s first manufacturer-owned, multi-brand trade parts centre, Derby TPS, at the end of 2006, Volkswagen Group UK completed the UK-wide Network with the opening of its 57th Centre, Aberdeen TPS, in December 2007. The following month, the TPS Network won the Institute of Transport Management’s coveted ‘Best OE (Original Equipment) Parts Supplier 2008’ Award.

Now, at the end of the first quarter during which all 57 TPS Centres have been fully operational, Volkswagen Group is achieving record-breaking sales of its original parts.

Alex Smith, Head of Group Parts Operations at Volkswagen Group UK commented: ‘In terms of the motor industry recognition our new TPS Network has received, and also in terms of the demand we are seeing from the motor trade for our original parts, we’ve had a hugely successful start to 2008.’

On top of the Best OE Parts Supplier award and healthy sales, the new TPS Centre Network has been praised, not once but twice, in the regular parts price comparison surveys carried out by independent motor industry magazine AM.

In the first survey, in October last year, AM said that the TPS Centres had ‘blown away the price advantages’ of alternative aftermarket parts suppliers, stating: ‘We can’t recall a manufacturer coming out better priced than all of the opposition.’

For that initial survey AM focused on the price of parts for models from Volkswagen’s Polo, Passat and Beetle ranges.

The TPS Centres now have more than 30,000 trade customers across the UK, and as well as small to medium sized independent motor repairers and bodyshops, many local fast-fit centres, insurance companies and fleet operators also now rely on the guaranteed quality of the Volkswagen Group original parts and body panels stocked and supplied by local TPS Centres.

Alex Smith continues: ‘Ultimately, the TPS Centres enable the independent repairer to deliver an even better service to owners of Volkswagen passenger cars and Commercial Vehicles, as well as Audi, SEAT and Škoda products – and that’s good news for all of our customers.’

More information on the TPS Network, can be found at www.thetradepartsspecialists.co.uk