A Black Country accident repair firm is set to open a new £250,000 state-of-the-art repair centre in Kingswinford which will also bring up to 12 new jobs.
Next month specialist repair company BodyKraft will unveil its new business ‘Fastrack’ in a 6,202 sq ft facility within the Pensnett Estate’s Progress Point development – its second repair centre on the business park which is owned and managed by London & Cambridge Properties (LCP).
The new service will focus on minor body repairs and through latest technology, will accelerate the spraying and drying of customers’ vehicles to just five minutes – helped by a £78,000 moveable spray booth and UV infrared drying system – the only technology of its type in the region.
The opening is the latest in a line of good news for parent company BodyKraft which was founded in 1998 by owners Mike Pugh and Lorna Freeman.
It has now grown to employ a team of 90 across four sites including Dudley, Wolverhampton and Merry Hill with the new Fastrack facility, which will handle up to 12 vehicles per day, set to bring 12 new roles including mechanics, panel beaters, paint technicians and office staff.
Mike Pugh, managing director of BodyKraft, said: “As we mark our 17th anniversary we have invested into providing one of the most high-tech vehicle repair and spraying facilities in the country.
“Many of our customers are local people and businesses who rely on their vehicles and need them back on the road as quickly as possible, so our new rapid service means owners can have their cars and vans repaired on the same day.”
Mr Pugh added that the family-focussed company wanted to make sure there were new job opportunities for local people. “We’re delighted that this new facility will mean more jobs for people in the Black Country. It’s the engine room of Britain and we need the best local people to be part of our team and what is the most ambitious initiative in our history.”
BodyKraft has also ensured fellow Black Country businesses benefitted from their growth by using local firms for the construction and fitting out of the new premises, this included M Foster Construction, who are also based on the estate.
Paula James, industrial lettings manager at LCP added: “BodyKraft is a long-standing tenant of ours so we were only too pleased to help the company find suitable premises for its new Fastrack repair service.
“It’s great to see such a successful family-run firm that is continuing to grow in the West Midlands.”
Much of BodyKraft’s work involves accident and business insurance repairs together with paint and dent removals. Over the years they have become trusted repair specialists for global car manufacturers including Vauxhall, Chevrolet, Kia and Citroen. BodyKraft is also an accredited repairer for West Midlands Police.
LCP’s £1.5m Progress Point development opened in 2014 and is a 21,000 sq ft of high-specification industrial and warehouse units, comprising premises from 1,500 sq ft to 9,000 sq ft. BodyKraft’s Fastrack unit is within Block A in Bays 1 and 2.
