www.aftermarketonline.net FEBRUARY 2025 Garage visit 52 I don’t think there’s another industry that requires so many skill sets to service Ramping up business with a new generation More than 30 years after Leominster’s Oldfields Garage Services opened its doors, MD Tim Benson says the business continues to drive forward by investing in the workshop and workforce Oldfields has continued to power ahead since Tim’s mother and father opened for business in 1991 and the garage is embracing new opportunities in 2025 and beyond. Today, Tim’s parents are retired but remain directors of the garage, which now has a team of 10 working on servicing, repairs and diagnostics on cars and light vans, along with servicing and repairs of EVs. The garage also has a class 4 MOT bay plus four ramps in the workshop, but Tim and his team are determined to keep up the pace. “We’re in an exciting time for our business and I think that garages that embrace change, development and improvement will be continue to be successful,” Tim told Aftermarket. The garage is currently expanding into a building next door which adds 2,000 ft2 to its workshop and will give Oldfields a dedicated EV/diagnostics bay. This will enhance the garage’s commercial and motorhome capability with ramps geared towards those vehicles. “We’re hoping that in the next 18 months other space will become available and we’ll be positioned to be ready to invest in it.” Meanwhile, Tim said he is keen to work with quality OEM suppliers that add value to his customer offering. That has already seen the garage build strong relationships with Schaeffler, Castrol, PAGID and VARTA. “It really helps our business to ensure we stay at the forefront of development, changes and technology,” Tim said. “As an industry we’ve not helped ourselves with the skills shortage, we’ve not been taking on apprentices to give us our next trench of skilled technicians. “We’ve also not valued our teams enough, which has been driven by us not presenting ourselves correctly to ensure that our customers value what we do, meaning we’ve not been charging correctly. “Technicians now need to work with water, electric, mechanical, software, IT and it’s constantly changing. I don’t think there is another industry that
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