Over 700 garage customers from the surrounding areas received a very special greeting when they visited the Riviera International Conference Centre at Torquay for a trade motor show this week.

They were all warmly welcomed by Titan the Robot  - a giant modern robot who was one of the ‘star attractions’ at the Autoquip - now part of the Mill Group  - trade show which gave garage proprietors and technicians  the opportunity to see product demonstrations and question some 40 top suppliers about the latest news and Technology in the Automotive aftermarket.

The trade show was the first of its kind and was organised by Mill Auto Supplies to showcase the services and products offered by the four Autoquip branches  - at Torquay, Paignton, Newton Abbot and Taunton - which the company took over in November last year.

Mill Auto Supplies and Autoquip supply vehicle parts and accessories for cars and commercial vehicles throughout the south west – from Weston-Super-Mare to Penzance.

Assistant managing director Mike Stevenson explained: “Mill Auto Supplies was launched by the current managing director Alan Johnson in 1971 to supply vehicle parts and accessories to garages within Cornwall and has grown to become a well respected distributor throughout the south west.
 “ We are listed as one of the top 100 Employers in Cornwall, employing 378 staff in 18 different branches located across the South West and operarte a fleet of 154 delivery vehicles.”

The show was organised by the group marketing manager Andy Stovell in conjunction with Mike and, the Riviera Centre’s events co-ordinator Maria Sofiano.

Mike added: “ The Riviera International Conference Centre proved to be a first class choice and it was a pleasure for us as a professional company to work alongside a professional team with a superb venue.”

The four hour show concluded with the presentation of a number of certificates to employees who had successfully passed the two year Mill Auto Supplies parts apprenticeship based at Cornwall College.

They were  Sean Brosnan and Carl Shortell (Helston), Fraser Robinson (Bodmin), Matthew Garland (Camborne). Unable to be present but who also passed were Robin Fraser (Liskeard) and Darrel Ricketts (Penzance).