Responding to the news that RMI and VBRA are to join together in what seems to be best describes as a 'strategic alliance.' MVRA Managing Director Mike Monaghan said he was unsurprised at this development.

Mike Monaghan expands on this, commenting, "The VBRA has been in a weakening position for several years, and for them to continue to operate independently was becoming less and less viable. In many ways a merger was perhaps an inevitable, if a less than ideal, end to an organisation with a long and distinguished history. VBRA preceded all other body repair organisations – its very existence prompted me to form MVRA and, presumably, the RMI to launch its bodyshop division.

"The most interesting thing about the merger will be the reaction of the trade. It is being trumpeted as 'one voice for the body repairers' and this amuses me. Neither the RMI nor the VBRA were able to give the body industry what they wanted when they were acting separately, and I struggle to see how the merger of the two will provide anything new and positive to the repairers they both claim to represent.

"It is of course, business as usual for us at MVRA. We will continue to do what we do well.”