Morelli Group has secured an approval to supply paint to bodyshops in Peugeot’s repair network. The distributor is now the carmaker’s preferred distribution partner.

It has developed a Peugeot paint distribution programme, headed by programme manager Paul Glover, formerly general manager of Stoke-On-Trent bodyshop M&M Vehicle Repairs.

The programme is available to all Peugeot Accident Repair Centres nationwide. However, Peugeot is not mandating its use.

Adrian Mossop, Peugeot’s manager of bodyshop development, said: “Morelli Group is a long-standing and well regarded nat- ional distributor with excellent credentials and the ability to deliver industry leading service.

“The agreement is a preferred distribution partner led arrangement that brings many benefits over our existing arrangement and we expect a large number of our approved bodyshops to transfer over to the new programme.”

Bodyshops within the manufacturer’s own Robins & Day dealer group have already changed over to the Morelli Group agreement.

An industry source said: “This is good news for the repairers.

The majority of Peugeot’s bodyshops are small shops bolted on the back of a dealership, with three or four productives. They can’t individually negotiate the discount that this deal gets them.”

Morelli can supply Spies Hecker, DuPont, PPG and Standox paint products.

It is already the preferred paint supplier for the approved bodyshop network of 24-7 accident management.