LKQ deepens customer partnerships in 2024

LKQ has focused on strengthening partnerships and delivering on customer needs in the first nine months of the year.

Top of its agenda in the first nine months of 2024 has been supporting customers tackle industry-wide challenges such as skills shortages, rising operating costs and changing vehicle technology, as well as future-proofing profits amidst declining work volumes.

As such it has invested in its Platinum parts portfolio, adding more than 2,500 SKUs to it range, and moved to a new central distribution model enabling the cut-off time for next-day deliveries to move from 10am to 4pm.

It has also bolstered its wider collision range with the addition of over 3,000 body panel and lighting parts in the last year.

Meanwhile, its Workshop Solutions, which includes the specification and installation of large equipment like spraybooths, wheel aligners and lifts, has helped bodyshops reduce key-to-key times and outsourcing costs.

New LKQ equipment

New equipment also allows bodyshops to capitalize on emerging revenue streams like intelligent repair, with LKQ planning to release a prospectus later this year outlining the steps bodyshops can take to offer intelligent repair, including kits and associated training.

Meanwhile, a first-of-its-kind ‘Sustainability in the Bodyshop’ has seen unprecedented demand in 2024 – from independent and multi-site operators – and has helped bodyshops save up to 95% on carbon emissions and costs across products, processes and equipment.

Chris O’Rourke, managing director at LKQ, said:

“While challenges like skills, operating costs and changing vehicle technology apply across the board, each bodyshop’s experience of them is different. And that means there is no one-size-fits-all approach to support. At LKQ we’re always listening to the specific needs of each of our partners and customers, and our scale – and the expertise, innovation and resources we have – means we are uniquely able to adapt to them faster than anyone else.”