Anchor Vans Blog » 2009 » March

New Anchor Vans office and vehicle workshop complex

emma.newman — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 09:55:00 +0000

2009 has got off to a flying start with the completion of our new office and vehicle servicing workshop complex here at the Padworth Anchor Business Park. It means that we can now offer MOTs for cars, van MOTs and even MOTs for minibuses (classes 4, 5 and 7) and also cope with three times the amount of car and van servicing and repairs work than we could before. Having secured three vehicle servicing contracts with major fleet companies (NSN, Masterlease and 1link) it’s just as well!

The new offices are fantastic – all 12,000 square feet of them. It’s been quite a build up to this, but the benefits are clear.

The recession is bringing bad news to a lot of people, and if the newspapers and TV are to be believed, there isn’t a lot of good news out there. Well, we beg to differ. Our used van business is thriving and we are adding staff to our team instead of laying them off (we’re actively recruiting Ford approved service technicians for one thing). With the opening of this new office and vehicle workshop complex, times are good, both for us, and our used van customers.

Anchor Vans achieves Ford approved service agent status

emma.newman — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 11:26:00 +0000

It’s amazing what a few days of sunshine does. Everyone is smiling and talking about the spring, but here at Anchor we have another reason for our good mood: we have been given Ford approved service agent status.

This is a great addition to our credentials, not only because it strengthens our vehicle servicing offering, but it also means that we are actively recruiting Ford trained service technicians in the Reading area. Bringing jobs into the local community is important to use, and it’s great to be able to do this at the moment when every one thinks that it’s all doom and gloom in the automotive industry.

So what does being a Ford approved service agent actually mean? Well, we had to demonstrate high levels of technical ability, excellent vehicle workshop conditions and the ability to provide service of such a high standard that Ford is willing to endorse us. And it means that we have a shiny new sign outside with “Ford Approved” in great big letters on it.

We’re proud to be Ford approved, and we’re proud to be one of the Berkshire businesses thriving in the recession. Here’s to the growing Ford approved Anchor Vans technician team!

New and used van prices on the rise

emma.newman — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 10:37:00 +0000

New van prices have gone up in the last few weeks, and we’re not surprised. There are a number of factors contributing to van prices, including:

1: The exchange rate is not in our favour. The pound is weaker against the Euro than it’s even been, and therefore the production costs of new vans manufactured on the continent are higher.
2: There’s been sharp rise in metal prices over the last year, with the basic raw materials costing more, that cost is only passed onto a new van’s retail price.
3: New number plate registrations were released on March 1st, hence the timing of this price rise.

These factors all relate to new vans, and as we deal primarily in used vans, you might wonder what this has got to do with used van prices. Well, in any used vehicle sector, when the prices of the new models go up, people think twice about buying new. Demand for used vans increases and a shortage of stock forces prices to rise. So with all of these factors pushing up the new van prices, the knock-on effect for used van buyers is an inevitably higher price.

What does this mean for businesses dependent on using vans? Well, you’d expect us to say this, but it’s obviously more economical to go for a used van if you are looking to purchase one for your livelihood. Even though used van prices in general are going up, we always have some great deals and finance schemes available.