A vehicle repair business in Gloucestershire has doubled the size of its operations after agreeing to join a national car garage group.
First Choice Bodyshop has acquired a 5,000 sq ft unit next to its current facility at the Orchard Industrial Estate in Toddington, near Cheltenham. The business, founded by local entrepreneur Kevin Dunlop in 2015, said the deal came a day after it became part of the Fix Auto UK franchise, a network of more than 100 sites across the country. The newly expanded business will operate under the banner of Fix Auto Tewkesbury.
Mr Dunlop said his landlord has informed him the unit next door was available on the same day he had signed a contract to join Fix Auto. He added that the purchase, financial details of which were not disclosed, would “totally transform” the business. He added: “Having that extra space and the ability to develop a seamless workflow will enable me to reach our goal of doubling our repair capacity, which is currently at around 50 vehicles per month.”
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Ian Pugh, managing director of Fix Auto UK, said: “Ambition, drive and commitment. They’re three of the key elements we look for when recruiting a new franchise partner and Kevin has those in abundance. While we never stipulate the size and capacity a site should be, he’s taken it upon himself to take on another unit and double his working footprint which shows his immediate aspirations are aligned with our own.”
Mr Dunlop described himself as “hugely ambitious” and said he admired the “rapid development” of the Fix Auto Cheltenham business since it joined the network in 2018. “If truth be told, I’ve realised I’ve taken my business possibly as far as I can without any support or guidance”, the businessman said, adding: “I am convinced Fix Auto UK will provide me with all the help, management support and leadership I need to fulfil those ambitions.
“I’m extremely proud of what’s been achieved in little under eight years. I started out with a spray gun and a small unit and a couple of jobs to get me going and here I am, following two moves, I’ve a firmly established, BSI approved business with eight people on board. Every year I’ve re-invested in the business as best I can with equipment and the most efficient spraybooth possible. But I want far, far more which is why I’ve joined Fix Auto UK.”
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