Coachwork Renovations – Gold Winner in the Citroen Bodyshop of the Year Award, 2015
We are absolutely delighted to have won the Gold Award for the Citroen Bodyshop of the Year, 2015
Coachwork Renovations Ltd Approved Accident Repair Centre is celebrating after being named as Citroen’s Independent Accident Repair Centre of the Year 2015, for their continued levels of service and customer care.
The company, which has been trading for over 40 years now and employs 48 people, beat off stiff competition from many Citroen Independent Approved Accident Repair Centres across the UK and was presented with the coveted award and a £500 prize to be used on a team event.
I’m extremely grateful to receive this award. It’s great that our work at Coachwork Renovations has been
Commenting on the award Andy Hall Director Business Development – Parts & Service for Citroen said: “
The accident repair sector is a key part of our industry and I’m pleased that Coachwork Renovations Ltd Approved Accident Repair Centre has been recognised as being one of the very best Independent Approved Accident Repair Centres in the UK. This clearly demonstrates their commitment to delivering a first class service to Citroen’s customers.
The Coachwork Renovations team celebrates the Bodyshop Gold Award win!
About Coachwork Renovations
We are a family run, vehicle accident repair centre based on Imperial Business Park, Gravesend Kent. We are passionate about vehicle repair, focussed on a Quality, service delivery and customer satisfaction.
We provide a repair service to leading insurers, manufacturers, fleet management companies, non-fault accident schemes, businesses and private clients.We are always keen to demonstrate our commitment to high standards and safety; therefore since 2008 we have been proud to hold the prestigious BSI accreditation for Vehicle Damage Repair.
We have the facilities to repair all makes and models of cars, vans and light commercial vehicles. We specialise in vehicle accident repair, but we can also provide services including vehicle body modifications, restoration and colour changes for sports/hobby vehicles.
We have many customers that have been bringing their generations of family vehicles to us for years; and over the years we have repaired all sorts of vehicles from a Mini up to a 7.5 tonne box lorry! Working also for local businesses we have repaired Taxis, Kent Police vehicles, Ambulances, Limousines, Mobile Homes, Hearses, Vintage Vehicles and Racing Cars.
The business started in 1976, when Fred Smith, followed on from his vehicle repair apprenticeship and experience in London and Kent working in the motor trade, and took his initiative to start his own business and repair cars from his parents’ home, in a small garage in Northfleet, Kent.
Fred’s business gradually grew and he was able to afford to rent a workshop and porter cabin office in Vale Road, Northfleet, where he employed a few staff and built a firm reputation amongst small businesses in the area, with lots of hard work the business continued to thrive for about 16 years.
During the time at Vale Road, Peter Hartup joined the team starting as an apprentice at the age of 16 in 1978, he started by making tea and sweeping up, eventually moving on to learn panel beating, and paint spraying techniques and becoming an expert in vehicle repair. In the later years at Vale Road, Fred and Peter (now both managing directors) started to receive work from some insurance companies and started the plan to expand the business to the next level.
In 1994 Fred & Peter, and a loyal team of employees moved the business to its present location at Imperial Business Park, Gravesend. Technology also advancing meant that to keep up, the introduction of a computerised bodyshop management system, a computerised estimating system and also computerised accounts/payroll was seen.
During the last 20 years at Imperial Business Park, Fred’s daughter Charlotte and son Ben have joined the business, taking valuable lessons in business from Fred & Peter and learning the ropes. More space has been acquired as the business has been steadily expanded.
Ben Smith and Mark Pool (both senior Vehicle Damage Assessor’s) now run the bodyshop and day to day responsibilities of the business supported by Charlotte Burnige (company secretary), bringing fresh drive and ambition, into the general management – with Fred and Peter still actively working on site, managing specific departments and offering an open door policy to the team, working together to maintain a successful business.
