The recent UK Whitegoods meeting took place on Friday and, as usual, there were some interesting speakers and some interesting news to report.
One of the most interesting topics covered was of course, the conversation with MFI’s Jim Frow who kindly attended and took questions, some of which were not the easiest to deal with, from the attendees on MFI’s current plight as well as historical issues.
Also of huge interest to the repairers and, some insurers and manufacturers who take payment for services or contracts directly, was the new legislation surrounding solicited contracts. Bryan Williams of FFR Services in Luton explained how it all worked according to current information from various Trading Standards offices around the country.
Many repairers were introduced to Terry Blair from the Centrica backed Home Assistance who are currently looking for repair agents around the country. Full details of this are and, have been, available in the WTA forums.
Julian Hunter Jones and Dave Highton from Independent Service (ISDAL) presented on ISDAL and took questions on the well known service operation.
John Hopwood and Ian Dales explained all about WEEE and how that ISE Appliances are, to date, the only manufacturer that is recycling more than it sells, offers independent producer responsibility (IPR) more than four years before it becomes law and also recycles more packaging than it uses. They seemed a bit confused as to how no other manufacturer could do this.
The WTA agenda was also discussed by a group interested in moving the TA forward, further events have been scheduled to forward that agenda.
It has to be stressed however that the event is as much about the people as the content and it was nice to see some new faces as well as some familiar returning ones. But the social side of the event is the true heart and soul of it.
Special thanks has to be made to Ian Dales who chaired the meeting with supreme style and humour that was enjoyed by all that attended.
Although this meeting, as the September on usually is due to holidays etc. usually is, was not as well attended as usual just wait to see what is have planned for February 2009.
Already there is advance plans for product training on refrigeration, some on home laundry and dishwashing products as well as the usual interesting guests.
But before that, there’s the Christmas meeting at Loch Lomond and, if you’ve not booked that or been before you’ll have to now book for 2009 as it is now fully booked for this year.