Brixton Auto Repairs is a five-year-old business that faced the ultimate challenge only a few years after its launch – an enforced move of premises.
The company’s Brixton landlord wouldn’t renegotiate the lease, and the firm had to engage in a time-consuming property search.
“Finding a site with the right facilities and in a good location in London isn’t easy,” said company owner Luiz Carlos De Oliveira. “Space is at a premium in any major urban area, but even by those standards, London is pretty densely packed.”
They eventually found a location in New Lyndeburg Street, SE7 … a short distance away as the crow flies, but short distances mean a lot for London companies. And they called in Tecalemit’s London Regional Manager Bernard Gravillis to help.
“The London market is incredibly competitive, and ideally, we’d have been closer to our original Brixton location, but in business, you have to cope with the cards you’re dealt. We were up against a deadline to get out, and we had to make a decision,” said Luiz.
The upside is that the new location is right in the Ashleigh Industrial Estate, and many potential new customers are on their doorstep! The roomy new premises have comfortably accommodated an incredibly wide range of equipment – they can carry out repairs, maintenance and MoTs on everything from motorcycles to vans.
The equipment inventory includes a full Class 7 ATL bay with an emissions testing unit, plus two SF/9207 4.0t 2-post lifts. But they’ve also found room for a 5.0t SF/9025 2-post lift, which really extends their capacity.
The firm also has a GTR/3000 Wheel Alignment Unit, a TBM/2500 Wheel Balancer, and a TTC Tiro Tyre Changer.
Now that the move is complete, Luiz is beginning to believe that it was all for the good.
“We didn’t ask for the move, but when it was forced on us, it obviously made us think a lot about the business and the way forward,” he said. “Bernard and his colleagues came in and gave us great advice about setting up the workshop, and they were just an extension of our team when it came to design, installation and commissioning.
“The end result is that we can offer customers a really comprehensive package, and we’re able to do it at highly competitive prices. The Tecalemit folks understood our business model and were a huge help in getting us up and running. The equipment is top-notch, but the help that came with it was invaluable.”
