Entrepreneurs add ‘Prestige’ to accident repairs with new venture

Russell Preece and Simon Batham, who have more than 70 years’ experience in the trade, have invested over £125,000 in setting-up Prestige Vehicles (Brierley Hill) and have already created four new jobs.

The duo has secured several deals with insurance companies and fleet operators, as well as a growing legion of customers who prefer their personal service and attention to detail when compared with bigger rivals.

Located on Charter Street in Brierley Hill, the firm has equipped the workshop with a start-of-the-art paint shop, new compressors, and the latest welding technology, not to mention body jigs for heavy-duty repairs.

“We’ve worked in this sector for some time and wanted to try to change the way people do business here, focusing on the best possible customer service and treating each vehicle that needs repairing like our own,” commented Russell Preece, director at Prestige Vehicles.

“The company has only been operational for six months, but we have already secured several long-term partnerships and that is really promising. These include some high-profile insurers who like the outstanding way we deal with their clients and local mechanics like College Autos.”

He continued: “Four staff have been recruited and we are now on the lookout for an additional panel beater and a painter, with the possibility of taking on an apprentice we can train in our culture. This is all to do with the demand we are expecting.”

Prestige Vehicles offer major structural repairs, panel replacements, minor or major suspension work, carbon fibre replacement and cosmetic repairs for all models of car and commercial vehicles.

Investment in the latest spray paint booths means it can also take on motorhomes, campervans and classic cars, with the firm already bringing Audis, Bentleys, BMWs, Mercedes and Porsches back to their best.

Simon Batham, director and a former repair centre apprentice, picked up the story: “Our aim is to build a great team that consistently offer quality work and the highest standards of repairs, all delivered on time and with the emphasis on making the whole process really easy for our customers.

“It’s early days, but we are very confident we can hit our target of £300,000 in our first year and then it will be a case of scaling up and the potential to double our workshop with the acquisition of a second unit.”

He added: “We want the ‘Prestige’ name to become synonymous with ‘trust’ and the first name people and companies call when they want their cars, commercial vehicles and motorhomes repaired.”