Three months after revealing plans to expand and develop a secondary site, bodyshop owner Louise Woolacott and her daughters Erika and Alena have opened the doors to Fix Auto Newton Abbot.
The 6,000sq ft state-of-the-art repair centre has been designed and developed to complement their existing site and further cement the network’s position in the South West. When volumes allow, the new venue will have the capacity to repair more than 25 vehicles a week.
In order to maximise the workspace and ensure enough area for 18 work bays, they have installed two external ‘pods’ to house the main spraybooth and a bespoke-designed ADAS booth. Access to those units will be gained from inside as the building’s layout lends itself to a fluid and efficient workflow. The new site will also be ready to accommodate electric vehicle charging and repairs.
“It’s truly an exciting and pivotal moment for the business,” said Louise, “We have been talking about a secondary repair centre for more than five years and here we are, after so much hard work, with Fix Auto Newton Abbot finally open for business.”
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She added: “Unfortunately, things haven’t gone according to plan with our timetable as we’ve incurred many unforeseen issues largely caused by the Coronavirus pandemic and Brexit. But, I am delighted to say, all that is behind us and we can finally start a new chapter for the family and our loyal and hard-working team led by our manager Dominic Lamb who, as I’ve said previously, has been instrumental in making it all possible.”
Fix Auto UK Managing Director Ian Pugh, said: “For as long as I can remember Louise, Alena and Erika have been seriously looking to expand with a secondary site and now the day is finally here where they’ve officially joined the ranks of the multi-site owner. It is an incredible achievement under the current situation and a huge step for their business.
“To see one of our franchise partners invest significantly for the greater good of their business and the network is truly inspiring and I wish them, and all who have made this possible, all the very best.”
The latest development is the second major investment the Woolacott family have made in recent years. In 2013, they completed a year-long £450,000 refurbishment that totally transformed two outdated separate units totalling 15,000 sq ft into one single 8,500sq ft centre complete with two bespoke designed spraybooths and offices.
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