RMIF & MVRA help bodyshops gain Kitemark accreditation

The Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF) Bodyshop Services Division and the Motor Vehicle Repairers Association (MVRA) are working with members to help them meet the requirements of the Thatcham / BSI Kitemark bodyshop standard.

Ahead of the next week’s public launch of the Kitemark, the RMIF and MVRA are offering support to bodyshops who wish to attain the exacting industry technical specification for the process of vehicle body repair. The standard provides the processes and procedures directly related to the safe repair of accident damaged vehicles.

Tony Lowe, RMIF Board Member and Managing Director of Impact Repair Centres Ltd commented: ‘This is the definitive standard for body repair in the UK.’

He continues: ‘While the RMIF had constant involvement in the development of PAS 125, we felt that rigorous application of the Kitemark could lead to additional cost at a time when bodyshop margins were already under extreme pressure. This remains a concern. We also had a longstanding contractual partnership with Allianz Insurance to provide a quality standard for their approved repairer network. Because of the costs involved, the RMIF had made its bodyshop QC scheme a stepping stone to the PAS 125 Kitemark.

‘However, following recent consultation with Allianz, we both agreed a single, unified standard for the sector was highly desirable and we are therefore consulting with our bodyshop members on their current and future requirements for our standards programme.’

The RMIF’s support for the Bodyshop Kitemark is timely following the Federation’s recent purchase of the MVRA from Capita Group Plc. The MVRA provides consultancy services including gap analysis work assisting bodyshops attain the Kitemark standard.

RMIF Chief Executive Rob Foulston added: ‘RMIF bodyshops will benefit substantially from the expertise MVRA has acquired in helping many of its members achieve the Bodyshop Kitemark. We will work together with BSi and Thatcham to ensure bodyshops get the optimum value from the Kitemark scheme going forward.’