For the first time, the Kwik Fit Plus centres are also being equipped with 5-tonne ramp facilities.  

This will allow Kwik Fit Fleet to tap into the valuable service and MoT market covering even the largest light commercials, such as Ford’s long wheelbase high roof Transits and Mercedes-Benz Sprinters.

The initial phase is seeing 17 such centres being set up in South-East England at an average cost of £0.25m each. 

The first eight were quietly piloted last year  – in Brentwood, Edinburgh, Exeter, Scunthorpe, Slough, South Croydon, Warrington and Wolverhampton.

Now the Slough centre is leading what is seen as the second phase of expansion.

Although Kwik Fit claims a majority share of fast-fit tyre, exhaust and battery sector among business users, fleet director Peter Lambert acknowledges that “we have only been scratching the surface in terms of penetrating the fleet and other business user servicing and repair market.”

Kenji (“Ken”) Murai, Kwik Fit Group’s chief executive, estimates Kwik Fit’s current share of fleets servicing at only two or three per cent, despite the chain having introduced some fleet servicing capability plus MoT testing under previous ownership six years ago.

Business car user turnover did increase by 10 per cent last year, but Lambert acknowledges that making the major inroads that Kwik Fit is now contemplating is going to be a tough uphill struggle.

“It means snatching share from the franchised networks as well as rival independents and they’re not about to give up anything without a fight.”

The ‘Plus’ centres are essentially divided into two operations, with separate teams; one still heavily retail oriented and covering traditional fast-fit activities such as tyre and battery replacement; the other what Kwik Fit executives describe (perhaps unfortunately) as the ‘slow-fit’ servicing activities.