Smart Repairs reports turnover growth of 10% in 2024
Smart Repairs has reported turnover growth of 10% in the last year, with the Leeds-based company also creating 120 new jobs.
Turnover increased to £11m last year and the largest independent cosmetic vehicle repairer in the UK is predicting turnover to rise again this year to £12m.
Managing director of Smart Repairs Darryl Short said: “For the past six years we have achieved sustained growth across the UK, disrupting the fragmented cosmetic vehicle repair sector, creating over 120 new jobs and working closely and rewarding our mobile technicians all over the country.
“We expect to employ 140 people by the end of this year, with turnover rocketing to £12m. This increase is totally sustainable as we steadily grow our share of the cosmetic vehicle repair market year on year. Currently we carry out an average of 1,000 vehicle repairs a day.”
Expansion
Meanwhile, the strong performance has enabled Smart Repairs to expand into the Republic of Ireland.
Short said: “Our expansion into the Republic of Ireland has been underpinned by a raft of new deals both with dealerships and insurance companies over there. We already have a strong presence in Scotland and Wales, so we have a tremendous geographical spread.”
To support growth, Smart Repairs has recently invested £1m in vans and equipment, while it has also followed a strategy of diversification, increasing its customer portfolio to fleet management companies and doing more work on commercial and heavy goods vehicles.
Founder and co-chairman Dan Besau said: “It has given me tremendous pleasure to see how the company I founded in 1995 has developed. We have gone from strength to strength in recent years. The mobile business has proved popular and successful and, when I spotted a gap in the market for high-end alloy wheel repairs, I had the confidence to go for that, too.”
Business plan
Co-chairman Phil Newstead said: “We have a simple, but effective, business plan. We pride ourselves, not just on the way we treat our customers, namely car dealerships, insurance firms and company fleets, but also our staff. We work quickly and effectively and ensure that all our work is exemplary.
“Our expansion plans are very carefully targeted at geographical areas which are not especially well served by cosmetic vehicle repair companies. These plans have been massively backed up by the talented and hard-working team leaders and technicians we have been able to hire.”
“We can see that our future lies in providing a quality repair offering across all of the UK, to warranty companies, insurers, dealer groups and vehicle remarketing companies. Our key aim is to be the largest smart repairer in the UK.”
