THE KITEMARK® MAJOR FACTOR IN NORTH WEST’S KARL VILLA BODYSHOP GROUP SAVING BODYSHOP AND JOBS

Kitemark certified Karl Vella Group, the North West’s accident repair group, has just added its fifth site with the acquisition of County Coachbuilders Automotive Ltd in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria-safeguarding all 27 jobs. County Coachbuilders is a 24,000 square foot bodyshop with an annual turnover of £1.75m, which takes the Group’s annual turnover to almost £12m. The site has the capability to repair over 50 vehicles per week, giving the Group an extended repair capacity of over 300 vehicles per week. Not all bodyshops are the same: To earn the Kitemark, vehicle body repair shops must prove that they conform to tough new standards set down in PAS 125. These include strict requirements that focus on skills, repair methods, equipment and materials. In addition, workshops must demonstrate that they have repair process management controls in place to monitor activities. All these elements are then assessed by independent BSI inspectors and must meet stringent benchmarks to be awarded the valuable Kitemark by BSI. Therefore a motorist should always look for the Kitemark symbol when choosing a bodyshop. Most drivers don’t realise they can choose where their vehicle is repaired should they be involved in an accident. Commenting on the acquisition, David Vella, Operations Director of Karl Vella Group said: “As well as being BSI Kitemark certified, the bodyshop holds a number of manufacturer approvals including Renault and Jaguar in addition to a range of highly regarded volume insurance approvals. “Without the Kitemark we would not have purchased County Coachbuilders as there would not have been the procedures, processes and trained staff to carry out the high standard of work that the Karl Vella Group do. In addition the Kitemark has been the driver for the work that the bodyshop received. “We are really pleased with the purchase of County Coachbuilders, which significantly strengthens our proposition as a North West accident repair network. This is the first in a number of exciting developments within the Karl Vella Group that we will be announcing during 2011.” David continued: “We’re very much looking forward to working with County Coachbuilders’ longstanding clients to deliver enhanced service levels coupled with the cost savings that come from our innovative repair processes.” County Coachbuilders’ coverage extends across Cumbria into Carlisle in the North and Lancaster in the South, joining up with the areas serviced by Karl Vella Group’s existing bodyshop sites in Preston, Skelmersdale, Blackburn and Southport. Claire Lynam, Head of Communications & Alliances EMEA at BSI commented: “We are pleased that the Kitemark was one of the key decisions for acquisitionand that it has helped save local jobs. EDITOR’S NOTES: For details on BSI Kitemark visit www.kitemark.com. For more details on Karl Vella visit www.karlvella.co.uk. For media enquiries relating to this press release, please contact Tracey Treanor at Chicane on 07789 078710 or e-mail tracey@chicanemarketing.co.uk About BSI Group BSI Group is a global independent business services organization which enables businesses, governments and other organizations to increase profits and market access, and to enhance reputation with its standards-based solutions and assurance services. From its origins as the world’s first National Standards Body, BSI Group draws upon over 100 years’ experience to partner with 66,000 organizations in 147 countries from its 50 offices. Today, through its independence, innovation and integrity, BSI continues to improve the lives of millions by raising standards worldwide. To learn more about BSI Group, please visit www.bsigroup.com Contact: Claire Lynam, Head of Communications & Alliances, BSI. Tel: 08450 765600, claire.lynam@bsigroup.com www.Kitemark.com Family owned bodyshop Autohaus, based in Acton, recently gained the Kitemark - setting the high standards that consumers' and fleet managers expect when having their cars repaired. Established over 30 years ago by Arjan Hirani it’s now run by his son Bharat Hirani. Autohaus now has 13 staff that are a team of highly trained individuals with many years of practical experience in the automotive body repair field, and enjoys long established relationships with a wide range of customers. Bharat Hirani, director at Autohaus commented: “We decided to go for the Kitemark as the industry has been in need of a credible quality standard for years. With the Kitemark we recognised that this was to be the benchmark for body repairs. We therefore adapted our repair process and training to meet the Kitemark requirements, continually refining them until such time that we felt we were ready to be audited. “Investment in the best equipment and staff training is vital for a successful bodyshop who wants to stay ahead of the game. We reinvest our profits into our staff and locations, ensuring we continue to lead the way in accident repair. Customer service is crucial to our company, and though our team is large we ensure each and every one of our employees is aware of their individual role in maintaining client relationships.” Autohaus intends to build upon this success to expand and take their business ethos to new areas. For more details on Autohaus, visit www.autohausgroup.net or contact 0208 992 8895 For details on BSI Kitemark visit www.kitemark.com. For media enquiries relating to this press release, please contact Tracey Treanor at Chicane on 07789 078710 or e-mail tracey@chicanemarketing.co.uk About BSI Group BSI Group is a global independent business services organization which enables businesses, governments and other organizations to increase profits and market access, and to enhance reputation with its standards-based solutions and assurance services. From its origins as the world’s first National Standards Body, BSI Group draws upon over 100 years’ experience to partner with 66,000 organizations in 147 countries from its 50 offices. Today, through its independence, innovation and integrity, BSI continues to improve the lives of millions by raising standards worldwide. To learn more about BSI Group, please visit www.bsigroup.com Contact: Claire Lynam, Head of Communications & Alliances, BSI. Tel: 08450 765600, claire.lynam@bsigroup.com www.Kitemark.com

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