Rising Talent in the Aftermarket 18 www.aftermarketonline.net FEBRUARY 2026 Local installation experts sourced with support from the Garage Equipment Association A young garage systems entrepreneur is steadily making a name for his new company in the UK automotive market and generating a whirlwind of business At barely 20 years of age, Will Brunt is rapidly becoming a driving force in the automotive sector. While he does not run a garage of his own, his Hertfordshire-based business, Vortex Garage Systems, is increasingly becoming the go-to centre for garage and automotive business owners around the UK. Vortex is a solutions provider for UK garages, offering a range of vehicle lifts and garage equipment combined with tailored advice and logistics from trusted domestic and international brand leaders including Supalift, EAE and Ravaglioli. Vortex has already supplied around 30 customers nationwide in its first year of business, including commercial garages. This staggering performance is more remarkable when you understand Will left school just four years ago. After leaving the classroom behind, Will gained business knowhow and benefited from his father’s work ethic. He initially handled manual roles like sign installation and plastering. He worked alongside his brothers in their father’s digital signage and outdoor advertising business. Will quickly gained hands-on experience in the family business, including in logistics and all stages of operations. Taking his cue from dad, Will’s entrepreneurial spirit soon saw him start experimenting with online business models of his own including, while still a teenager, launching early e-commerce projects across a range of sectors. He initially learned about drop shipping — selling products online and outsourcing fulfilment to a third party — and e-commerce platforms like Shopify. He turned his hand to several online businesses including importing ‘smart hairbrushes’ imported from China and a successful portable coffee machine business. Next came his foray into the world of online advertising, using Facebook/ Meta ads to generate sales. However, Will quickly realised the challenges of business model sustainability, noting that sales of most drop shipping products soon reach a plateau as a result of market saturation. That gave him the impetus to consider high-volume, low-margin e-commerce solutions to grow a more sustainable, high-value product-based business. This led to the evolution of Vortex and experience in purchasing a £2,000 light meter at his father’s business inspired Will’s move toward a career in businessto-business industrial equipment. After conducting detailed market research into a range of industrial products, such as pumps and tyre changers, Will settled on setting up a future in garage equipment —especially Entrepreneur Will gives garages a lift
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