Winners announced: new competition for the ‘Best PROFI Werkstatt Brand 2014’ at Automechanika

New cooperation between Messe Frankfurt and Huss Verlag 

The readers of  ‘PROFI Werkstatt’, the trade magazine for the commercial-vehicle aftermarket, have chosen the winners in 19 different categories from over 200 brands in the commercial-vehicle aftermarket. The winners of the best ‘PROFI Werkstatt Brands’ were honoured with a trophy during an awards ceremony attended by around 100 guests at the Automechanika fair in Frankfurt am Main on 18 September 2014. The Munich-based HUSS-VERLAG, publisher of ‘PROFI Werkstatt’ trade magazine, and Messe Frankfurt, organiser of Automechanika fairs worldwide, joined forces to find the winners of this new and unparalleled brand competition.

“Our readers could vote either by postcard or online for their favourite brand. We were delighted that so many readers took part and the number of votes exceeded our expectations for the participation in the first reader voting”, explained ‘PROFI Werkstatt’ Editor-in-Chief Thomas Pietsch.

“There are numerous well-known suppliers and service providers operating in the commercial-vehicle sector. Our idea was to find out which brands are held in highest regard by fleet, workshop and haulage managers by asking readers and experts to vote on them”, added publishing-house manager Bert Brandenburg.

Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt GmbH, said he was delighted that this new award was presented during Automechanika Frankfurt because it represents an excellent addition to the programme of events during the fair. “The best of the best belong here, at an Automechanika Frankfurt distinguished by a new record of 4,631 exhibitors from 71 countries”, explained Braun. “And, to date, we have not had a readers’ choice competition, such as the Best ‘PROFI Werkstatt’ Brand, in our portfolio of awards ceremonies. Moreover, it is high time for us to give even greater emphasis to the subject of ‘Truck Competence’ and honour outstanding products and services in the commercial-vehicle sector.”

Top representatives of the winning companies gratefully accepted the awards, which were presented by Olaf Musshoff, Director of Automechanika Frankfurt, and Michael Johannes, Brand Manager Automechanika, and expressed their pleasure at the significance thus given to their brand in the commercial-vehicle after market. The winners were introduced by Thomas Pietsch, Bert Brandenburg and Dr Petra Seebauer, also publishing manager at HUSS-VERLAG. The ceremony was hosted by Lina van de Mars, TV compère and racing driver.

In his speech, Christoph Huss, publisher of ‘PROFI Werkstatt’ trade magazine, noted that, under its new editor-in-chief Thomas Pietsch, ‘PROFI Werkstatt’ trade magazine would appear six times a year from 2015. “This will enable us to increase the presence of our ‘PROFI Werkstatt’ brand on the market and to continue the process of expansion. Therefore, readers can look forward to our first independent special issue this year, in which we report extensively about the awards ceremony at the Automechanika trade fair and the winners of our readers’ competition”, said Huss. The special issue with all results, analyses and facts, as well as information about the competition and the winners, will be published on 24 October.

The winners of the 19 of the Best ‘PROFI Werkstatt’ Brand competition 2014 are:

1. Wheel alignment: BOSCH (21.03 %)
2. Battery and charging systems: VARTA (36.92 %)
3. Braking systems: KNORR-BREMSE (29.67 %)
4. Spare parts: SACHS (23.83 %)
5. Filters: MANN Filter (33.88 %)
6. Vehicle hoists: BlitzRotary (19.63 %)
7. Air-conditioning service equipment: WAECO (19.39 %)
8. Lighting technology and lighting: HELLA (40.65 %)
9. Commercial-vehicle parts trade: EUROPART (41.12 %)
10. Oils and lubricants: LIQUI MOLY (43.22 %)
11. Bus, truck and trainer service: BPW Originalteile (25.00 %)
12. Tyre service: EUROMASTER (18.22 %)
13. Washing and care: LIQUI MOLY (29.67 %)
14. Software and vehicle diagnosis: TEXA (27.57 %)
15. Hire companies: Mercedes-Benz Charterway (20.09 %)
16. Vehicle-wash systems: KÄRCHER (31.07 %)
17. Workshop and vehicle equipment: Sortimo (19.39 %)
18. Workshop concepts: Trailer Station (27.80 %)
19. Tools: HAZET (25.93 %)

About PROFI Werkstatt:

‘PROFI Werkstatt’ trade magazine is aimed at decision makers in commercial-vehicle workshops and the workshops of commercial and municipal companies, as well as official marque workshops and the parts trade in the OEM and aftermarket. ‘PROFI Werkstatt’ focuses in particular on the technology, repair and service of transporters, trucks and buses. To be published six times a year from 2015, the trade magazine belongs to the HUSS group of companies based in Munich, Berlin and Arnheim.

HUSS-VERLAG GmbH was founded by Wolfgang Huss in Munich in 1975 and is now headed in the second generation by Christoph Huss. Today, HUSS-VERLAG publishes ‘PROFI Werkstatt’, ‘busplaner’, ‘Logistik Heute’, ‘Logistra’, ‘taxi heute’ and ‘Transport’ trade magazines. The corporate group took over the Berlin-based HUSS-MEDIEN GmbH in 1991 and the Dutch Recycling International B.V. publishing company in 2011. Today, the HUSS media group is one of the biggest, independent trade publishing companies. Specialised on the B2B business, the publications provide professional and background knowledge for skilled and managerial staff in the industry, trade and fitting segment. The thematic focal points are technology, logistics, transport, traffic, tourism, recycling and foodservice, as well as law, commerce and construction. Other companies associated with the publishing company are the EuroExpo Messe- und Kongress-GmbH (fairs and exhibitions), Bavaria-Druck GmbH (printing) and the Institut des Interaktiven Handels GmbH (interactive commerce), all in Munich. With around a permanent staff of 220, the HUSS corporate group publishes 18 trade magazines and several periodicals, as well as reference books, online media and software products, with a total print run in excess of four million copies.