Fix Auto heads Down Under

Fix Auto is ready to move into the Australian crash repair market after selecting the bodyshops it wants to make up Fix Auto Australia.

The company held a series of clinics in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney earlier this year to identify which businesses would be the founding members of Fix Auto Australia.

It’s understood 10 bodyshops have been chosen, although further details haven’t been confirmed.

David Lingham, global strategic development for Fix Auto World, said, ‘Adding Fix Auto Australia to the Fix Auto network promises to strengthen our franchise family and cement our position as the leading global collision repair franchise brand.

‘With upcoming strategic hires, a search for key members of our local team to support operations, as well as ongoing discussions with global and local supply partners, we are setting up Fix Auto Australia with all the resources to become Australia’s premier collision repair solution.

‘We look forward to sharing more news as we prepare for a formal launch into the Australian market.’

With the addition of the Australian network, Fix Auto will operate in six countries – UK, USA, Turkey, Canada, France and Australia.

Fix Auto World President Steve Leal said, ‘Fix Auto’s objective over recent months was to evaluate the Australian collision repair market and assess the interest it carries in a partnership-based model like Fix Auto’s. The response has been very positive and we are thrilled to move forward with these very first Fix Auto Australia members.’

The Australian market has been in flux for more than a year now, driven partly by the adoption of insurer approved repairer networks and partly by the aggressive consolidation strategy of one of the networks already operating in that country, the AMA Group, which merged with the largest national repair chain, Gemini, in September 2015.

Steve continued, ‘We are looking for shops that are ready to embrace change and look toward the future of collision repair. I am confident in the quality of the shops that have and will continue to join our network, and know that our new Fix Auto Australia members possess the entrepreneurial spirit and innovative mind for which we are known.’