Fix Auto network expands Midlands footprint

Fix Auto UK has appointed Midlands business Bowles Vehicle Repair to its network.

The business, which will now operate as Fix Auto Leicester, is on the outskirts of the village of Whetstone and a short distance from its head office.

While the appointment is now public, it has been several months in the making as the owners, spearheaded by managing director Kevin Shaw who is assisted by bodyshop manager Daniel Line, have been busy transforming what was a former smallholding into a state-of-the-art repair centre to coincide with joining the network.

The main investment has seen three near derelict farm buildings replaced with two interconnecting units totalling more than 11,000 sqft. One has been laid out specifically with 13 work-bays for all panel and strip and fit work and the second is a dedicated paint shop complete with three booths, one for LCVs.

Shaw said: “Since rebranding the business four years ago, we have been working tirelessly towards this moment where we can now say we’re part of an organisation, something far bigger and far more established than we could ever be as a stand-alone business. We have huge ambitions, but we recognised early on that our previous site restricted us which is why we relocated to the farm and have invested heavily in transforming the site into a state-of-the-art repair centre.

“Meticulous planning has gone into ensuring the centre provides the perfect platform where we can operate and repair vehicles as efficiently as possible but that is only part of the plan. We recognised long ago that if we were to fulfil our own aspirations, we needed to be part of a larger organisation, one that provides experience and business support we crave which is why we turned to Fix Auto UK.”

Ian Pugh, managing director of Fix Auto UK, said: “We are in an enviable position where we are now attracting businesses to the network that are more than willing to match any ambitions they have with significant investment from the outset. Kevin and the shareholders behind Fix Auto Leicester approached us with their plans and were open and honest about the mind of support and guidance they believed they needed to enable their new site to meet its full potential. I am delighted to say this is yet another exciting new Franchise Partner on board who I know will only add further strength to our incredible network.”