Distributors from across the World were invited to the recent Blackhawk Open day at the company’s Strasbourg HQ.

 

The open day was to showcase an array §of new products from the legendary brand as well as the newly refurbished training facility. The products launched are a result of research and planning by the development team at Blackhawks’ parent company Snap-on- Equipment.

Products launched at the event include two new pulling benches – the Power Pro XL & XXL, a brand new Shark Ultrasonic Measuring Program and a heavy duty wheel and Chassis alignment system.

Representatives from official UK and Ireland Blackhawk distributor, Roberts Automotive, led by company boss Dave Roberts attended the meeting.

The team was impressed by the new products and excited by the prospect of launching them onto the UK and Ireland markets.

‘Since we took over Blackhawk distribution in the UK and Ireland back in 2013, we’ve been eager to see new products coming out of Strasbourg. We’ve noticed a significant change in the approach of Blackhawk under Snap-On guidance and it is obvious that any products they produce are going to be quality and relevant.”
The new bench systems are well thought out giving all the power and performance of a traditional drive on pulling bench yet conforming to the floor management needs of a modern day Bodyshop. Detachable pulling arms, as well as modular runways mean that when not in use, the jig sits at just 130mm above floor level meaning it isn’t taking up an entire bay. The 4 Metre long XL bench is ideal for cars and vans, where as the XXL is a real brute handling anything up to a light commercial,”

Shark has been the biggest selling measuring system in the UK and Ireland over the past 20 years and with ever changing software, the facelift has bought both the console and program right up to date. Featuring new applications and technologies including upper body measurements as part of the largest vehicle data base in the world, the ultrasonic measuring system looks set to continue it’s reign at the top of vehicle measuring.

Commenting on the new system Dave explained: “When I first saw the new program everything was different and I thought it was going to take forever to get used to. After just a one hour demonstration we were all measuring out vehicles in no time at all. It’s very user friendly. We’re very proud of Shark and believe it’s the only system on the market that stays with the repairer throughout the whole job from estimate to full repair. We’re seeing cheaper measuring systems coming onto the market but they really are just estimating tools for reference checks. Shark gives live measurements as the vehicle is being realigned.”

One of the biggest developments on show was the new HDL40 Wheel alignment system,which now features a frame alignment set to diagnose deviations in the chassis of trucks and large commercial vehicles.

“The wheel alignment system is impressive enough but this is the first system of its type to be able to pinpoint chassis damage and convert collated data onto a print out for diagnostics,” Roberts Automotives’ operations manager and heavy duty expert Peter Swift commented,

He added: “This is going to revolutionise the accuracy at which repairers can work. We have the most comprehensive range of heavy duty equipment in the world and this takes our range to a new level.”

Blackhawk haa also made a massive investment to its European training facility in Strasbourg, which now features its impressive heavy duty range, as well as all the general bodyshop equipment. The new training school will undertake training courses for Blackhawk customers worldwide.

For Further information on Blackhawk Products please visit www.roberts-automotive.co.uk or phone 00 44 (0) 1432 357707.

For more information on these new products visit the Roberts Automotive stand at the Auto Trade EXPO, Citywest Exhibition Centre, Dublin, October 17-18.