Independent garages join forces with launch of new cooperative 12 January 2015

More than 120 garages have joined forces to launch the Independent Garage Cooperative (IGC), a new network promising high quality service to fleet and retail customers, as well as delivering for the garage owners who are all shareholders of the scheme.

The IGC's co-ownership approach is endorsed by the Institute of the Motor Industry, which says: "The IGC standard incorporates current competence to ensure its partners employ individuals with the necessary knowledge and skills to maintain and repair vehicles to the required standard."

An 11-strong team of business development partners are all garage owners and will each represent a region of the UK.

IGC expects a further 80 independent garages to join the network by this summer.

The Cooperative's president Geoffey Bray – founder of ARI, formerly Fleet Support Group – says IGC stands apart from other independent networks with its shared ownership format and therefore lack of third party 'middlemen'.

"In reality many [garages] are being exploited," he claims. "The offer to garages of high volume fleet business is always accompanied by the demand for very low labour rates and major discounts on parts… Invariably the winner is the middleman, not customers or independent garages."

IGC members have to meet a quality standard, focused on ethics and competence, as well as a code of conduct.

The organisation has established ServiceLink, a maintenance programme with national rates for labour, parts and oil, as well as free vehicle collection and delivery, wash and vacuum, and free winter and safety checks.

IGC's management team (pictured, left to right) is: national network manager Phil Todd; operations director Dave Poole, of Letchworth-based Autolube; and chief executive Steve Wadlow, owner of Shenstone-based AME.

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Author
Laura Cork

Related Websites
http://www.igcltd.co.uk

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