Betta ask Beta

Beta is already a respected name in bike race paddocks. Now, the Italian tool specialist is looking to expand its presence in dealerships around the UK. Alan Dowds met with the firm’s team at a recent press event to learn more.

It’s an obvious point, but a good set of tools is fundamental for any serious bike technician. Where a DIY fan can get away with an ancient adjustable spanner and their grandad’s hammer, professionals need reliable kit that fits and works. And that applies to dealers’ workshops too. Customers – and manufacturers – demand proper investment in the kit to maintain their bikes, and a properly designed, well-laid-out workshop area is also vital for efficient operations, as well as a health and safety requirement.

Beta Tools reckons it can step in here. It’s a big outfit based in Italy, with annual group revenues of €280m, more than 1000 staff, nine Italian production bases, and more than 250 global importers. It spends 10% of its revenue on R&D, and has specialist arms for automotive supply, marine, industrial and even supports niche industries like theme park maintenance (the folks at Alton Towers service their roller coasters with Beta’s orange-handled tools…)

Beta also has a solid presence in the two-wheeled world. It’s the official tool partner for the Ducati Corse factory race programmes, on tarmac and off-road. It supplies the Raceways Yamaha BSB team as well as CCM Motorcycles, Vertu Motors and Yamaha UK. But it’s also proud of its bespoke workshop design service for dealers, small and large.

I spoke to Mark Pearson, Beta’s UK country manager, and asked him what the firm can offer a dealer who’s looking to kit out new or a renovated workshop.

“You can come to us with whatever your footprint is, however many technicians you’re thinking of having, and we can calculate the space that you’re working within to map out out a workshop solution,” he said. “We’d look at the space you have available, and also your specialisms, if there’s a particular area that you are working with. That might be just tyre changing and oil changes or something more specific. Specialise in suspension servicing? We have a suspension module you can add to the workshop.”

Pearson says much of the development comes from the race side – the bespoke suspension work unit came from a superbike team’s request, as well as race stands, spare wheel trees and the like.

On a more mundane front, Beta’s sales staff and computer-aided workshop design software can also help with stuff like MOT bays for both cars and bikes. “We don’t do MOT kit; we deal more with the general repair and maintenance side. But MOT test bay design is something we’d work around. If you have a multi-purpose dealership that’s got four wheels and two wheels coming in, we will design the workshop around pits and car lifts. Dealers will often put units onto the back wall; they can go L-shaped or even a full run. Some install working islands as well.”

Good for a new location, then, but what about renovating an existing space? “Absolutely, we can also blend within what somebody’s got and freshen things up. You can use roller cab mobile units, so you’re not fixed to having to rip out what you’ve got. We can help with the design side of things if you’re scratching your head about how to make things work, how to fill the space, and make the money go as far as you possibly can.”

There are plenty of customising options, too: Beta produces red units for Ducati dealers and blue ones for Yamaha stores. It can also supply branded workshop mats, seats and bike stands.

How does Beta work with new clients interested in a new setup? “There’s a team of five sales-people that cover the UK and Ireland, working alongside our distribution partners.”
For more info: [email protected].