Kwik Fit

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Kwik-Fit (GB) Ltd.
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryTyre retailing and vehicle servicing
Founded1971; 51 years ago (1971) in (Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom)
HeadquartersLetchworth, England, UK
Key people
Paul Boulton
(Company Director)
Mark Lynott
(Company Director)
Mark Slade
(Company Director)
Parent Itochu Corporation
Websitewww.kwik-fit.com
Kwik Fit, Kirklees (2010)
Kwik Fit, Bermondsey (2010)

Kwik Fit is a car servicing and repair company in the United Kingdom, specialising in tyres, brakes, exhausts, MOT testing, car servicing, air conditioning recharge, oil changes. As of February 2022, there are over six hundred centres of Kwik Fit within the United Kingdom.[1]

History[]

Sir Tom Farmer opened the first Kwik Fit centre in McDonald Road, Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1971. In May 1995, Kwik Fit Insurance, part of Kwik Fit Financial Services, was formed, and has since grown to become one of the leading car insurance distributors in the United Kingdom.[2]

In October 1999, Kwik Fit had grown to over two thousand centres throughout Europe, and Farmer sold the company to the Ford Motor Company for US$1.6bn.[3] A decision by Ford to concentrate on its core business, led to the sale of Kwik Fit in August 2002, to CVC Capital Partners. In June 2005, Kwik Fit was sold for £800m, to PAI Partners, a leading French based private equity firm.

The Kwik Fit Financial Services arm of the business, was sold by PAI to Fortis Insurance UK, now Ageas (UK) Limited, for a figure of £215m in July 2010.[4] The tyre retailing and service centre business was bought by ITOCHU Corporation in March 2011.[5][6]

Advertising[]

First shown in 1984, the adverts “You Can't Get Better Than a Kwik Fit Fitter” were broadcast on the main television channels, in the United Kingdom. The “Kwik Fit Fitter” returned to television in August 2008, with the campaign "You'll Be Amazed at What We Do".[7]

Training[]

Kwik Fit received its first national training award in 1990. In January 2009, Kwik Fit was awarded Beacon status from the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) for its further educations training programmes. This was given following a successful inspection by Ofsted, in which programmes were graded 'outstanding'.[8]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "MoT Testing && Servicing". kwik-fit.com.
  2. ^ "Kwik-Fit sees motor insurance as new base". heraldscotland.com. 3 May 1995. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  3. ^ "Remaking Ford", Business Week, 11 October 1999
  4. ^ "Fortis completes Kwik Fit acquisition". Retrieved 16 September 2012.
  5. ^ "ITOCHU reaches agreement to acquire Kwik-Fit Group, UK No.1 tyre retailer". itochu.co.jp. Archived from the original on 1 April 2012.
  6. ^ "PAI - 404 Page not found" (PDF). paipartners.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 August 2011. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  7. ^ "The Kwik Fit fitter returns - Marketing Week". www.marketingweek.com. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  8. ^ "Customer Satisfaction". Kwik Fit. Retrieved 13 March 2018.

Coordinates: 55°56′3″N 3°27′12″W / 55.93417°N 3.45333°W / 55.93417; -3.45333

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