Bestplate have made a further investment in its wide-format print resources with the acquisition of the latest Mimaki CJV Integrated Printer and Cutting Machinery, complementing its existing large-scale on-site print facility.

This latest investment increases our digital print capacity for short-run print production and also helps consolidate our market leading position as a supplier of vehicle window stickers, vehicle service/MOT date reminder stickers, MOT wallets, tax disc holders and similar items of motor trade promotional items.

Already installed and operational, the new machinery provides the business with greater resilience and flexibility as well as the capacity to satisfy increased customer demand for better, sharper image quality and multi-colour print works. Using the latest software – set ups are quick and continuous crop mark detection provides accurate contour cutting for the most intricate works.

Consistent with our Quality Strategy our large on-site screen printing facility and digital processes only use quality PVC and premium eco-UV inks. Therefore, regardless of print process, all our printed PVC products can be stretched and applied on curved surfaces without cracking. The products also offer outstanding outdoor durability and are UV light stable which is particularly essential for our huge market of vehicle window sticker, pricing unit and tax disc holder buyers. This is because most vehicle windscreens and rear windows upon which they are applied are angled in a way that subjects the products to high levels of sunlight.

For product samples of our printed motor trade promotional items, please call 01253 345287 or contact your Bestplate Account Manager.

Within the motor trade, it’s common knowledge that producing and supplying number plates without a Registered Number Plate Supplier (RNPS) registration is an offence and subject to a fine of up to £5000! However, even the most ethical of suppliers may be unwittingly breaking the law and facing fines of up to £1000 if their registration becomes invalid.

There are various reasons for your registration to be no longer valid. The key reasons are if your business has undergone the following changes:

• Change in business name or Company operating the business
• Change of premises or location
• New ownership
• Group or multiple outlet changes

 

There may well be other reasons but the outcome is the same – if your current business is different in any way from that which was originally registered, the changes must be notified and recorded by the DVLA and the registration details amended.

Remember – the implications relating to your registration being out of date and/or incorrect is that you cannot legally produce and supply number plates.

Bestplate urge all suppliers to check their registration details. You can check your SID details in seconds via the SID check site: https://www.gov.uk/number-plate-supplier or through a quick call to the DVLA on 0300 123 0797. If you’re not registered or your details are incorrect you can resolve the situation on the telephone.

If you wish to check the situation then please check with the DVLA, the website link is: www.gov.uk/register-as-number-plate-supplier/dvla/apply. If you are a Bestplate customer, we do need to keep an up to date copy of your Registration Confirmation – V942 Form.

Act now! Just 5 minutes of your time could save you up to £5000 in fines!

As various industry sources recently report – promotional business gifts are a form of advertising media that has grown in popularity over the last decade and for many organisations, they are considered to be an essential item within their marketing budgets in driving brand promotion and recognition.

The rise in popularity of business gifts can be attributed to many factors. For example, with increased media consumption, companies are finding it increasingly difficult to stand out from the crowd. This factor, coupled with low unit costs and a plethora of gift choices presents marketers with an affordable means of engaging customers and giving them something that is physical and of practical value. As they have a practical value, featured branding on the gifts achieves high frequencies of brand recall and when combined with appropriate messaging, serves to generate repeat business.

Most established companies today put together a marketing plan that includes business gifts to be presented to clients at various brand touch-points in the customer life-cycle. These touch-points may include anything from a customer visit to a dealer site, to accompany a new vehicle launch, dealer conferences and direct mail campaigns.

To find out how we can help you and your business, email us or call 01253 348634 and we’ll be happy to help.

The issue of vehicle cloning and plate abuse is a concern shared by Bestplate, the BNMA and all parts of the legitimate number plate industry as well as by the government and its agencies. There are consequences in terms of vehicle and other crime when plates are wrongly issued and misused as well as the more personal issues at play when innocent motorists are confronted with fines relating to vehicle use when in fact their vehicle has been cloned. The introduction of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) has brought this issue more sharply into focus and it is in everyone’s interest that this situation is rectified.

The regulations covering the manufacture and supply of number plates are complex. Regulations call up the British Standard (BS AU 145d) which outlines the performance requirement of plates in areas such as durability, reflective performance and impact resistance. This consumer protection measure is designed to reassure the motorist that the product they are receiving is of adequate quality. To this end, Bestplate exceeds BS AU 145d. Other regulations cover how the characters and other information should be displayed on the plate. In addition, there are separate regulations which determine how plate suppliers should be registered and how they verify and record the information necessary to guarantee that the plate is only supplied for the vehicle entitled to that registration.

We think it is important that the motorist is easily able to obtain a plate to which they are entitled and which is of the right quality and design. The motorist should also have choice in a competitive market place in order to get the best value for money. However, a balance clearly needs to be struck – it is important to acknowledge that the plate is a legal document and is therefore a valuable item in its own right and if incorrectly issued can have serious ramifications. Hence, measures need to be put in place to eliminate the risk of abuse and non-compliance.

It is generally accepted that there is a case for reviewing the content and operation of the standard and regulations governing the manufacture and issue of plates in order to better meet policy objectives and this is a process in which Bestplate, as a Founder Member of the BNMA is keen to play a full part.

One of the main drivers for the increased demand for Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) and its derivative, Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA), has been the Flat Screen Monitor Market which has taken a disproportionate share of PMMA output over the last 12 to 18 months.

During May of this year, there are signs that this market has slowed somewhat, but industry experts consider it unlikely that demand will slow sufficiently to ease pressure on prices as worldwide demand still outstrips production.

There are global plans to increase capacity of MMA and PMMA but they are not projected to come on line until late 2012 and into 2013.

There are of course other factors which are continuing to impact on contract pricing, such as a recent increase in Acetone of 25% in addition to increase costs of energy, packaging and distribution. These factors alone have increased costs by around 8% in the last month.

Despite legislative changes to extend the Register of Number Plate Scheme (RNPS) and a change to regulations regarding non-compliant ‘show plates’, the DVLA continues to identify and prosecute those number plate suppliers who flout the law.

In a recent DVLA communication to BNMA members, the DVLA highlights how the legitimate industry is being hit and is shedding labour as a result of this illegal activity, as well as the problems that plate abuse brings generally in the areas of vehicle and other crime.

Like other BNMA members, Bestplate supplies only to businesses registered under the RNPS scheme and all our employees are well aware of our obligations under the law. In addition to this, the BNMA is in the process of preparing a Code of Practice which will incorporate this.

Members are taking the opportunity to circulate the recent DVLA communication widely and as part of this process have supplied a copy of the letter which can be viewed by clicking on the link: DVLA Letter – Register of Number Plate Scheme (RNPS).

As a Member of the BNMA, Bestplate and other legitimate players within the industry appreciate the DVLA’s efforts in addressing this problem and by stepping up our efforts to work together in conjunction with the DVLA, aim to eliminate plate abuse.

There are extraordinary market conditions that are adversely affecting the market for plastics and associated commodities.

Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) is used in the production of Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA), which is clear, impact modified material used in a wide variety of applications including the production of number plates. The current situation is that global demand for MMA has exceeded supply for several months and this has had an adverse affect on the production of PMMA and as a consequence there is a significant imbalance between the supply and demand for PMMA products. Unfortunately Europe has been the hardest hit with current estimates being that only 60% of current and scheduled demand is being met. As a result prices have become highly volatile with many users having confirmed forward orders cancelled by suppliers who are simply unable to meet demand. There is expectation that contract pricing will become a thing of the past as early as the first quarter of 2011 being replaced by spot pricing.

There are several factors, which have combined to create this extraordinary situation. In late 2008 and early 2009, manufacturers of MMA experienced a slump in demand as the global recession hit. Many of these manufacturers took capacity off line and others scheduled major maintenance operations closing off production in some cases for several months. It seems that manufactures were taken by surprise when there was an unexpected resurgence in demand. At the same time demand in Asia, and in particular China, increased dramatically as manufacturers of LED and Plasma TV’s were forced to use acrylic instead of styrene.

The latest instructions issued by VOSA for the inspection of number plates in the MOT test.
Follow the link for details: http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/htdocs/m4s06000301.htm

The DVLA has issued a flyer informing drivers of the new registration number system that comes into effect beginning March 2010 and will remain effective for the next ten years.

Click here to view the DVLA website where you can find detailed information regarding the upcoming changes in vehicle registration numbers.

The government issued an amendment of the Road Vehicle (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 in relation to the display of national flags.

The regulations do not apply to Northern Ireland where the only legal option is the European Flag.

Legal Flags are the:

• Union Flag
• Cross of Saint George
• Scottish Saltire
• Red Dragon of Wales

 

In addition to the flag one of the following text descriptors can be included:

• Great Britain or GB – United Kingdom or UK
• England or Eng – ENGLAND or ENG
• Scotland or Sco – SCOTLAND or SCO
• Cymru or Cym – CYMRU or CYM
• Wales or WALES

 

All flags are printed onto the reflective .