Success drive of family garage business

Keith Guthrie and his team, including his daughters and deputies, Rebecca Guthrie and Victoria Knaggs, are now in what they say might be the biggest independent garage in the country. The new headquarters of German Autocare, on Richardshaw Drive, just off the Leeds ring road at Pudsey, has lifts for 22 cars. Just behind it, on Richardshaw Road, the old garage is being rebuilt as a van centre with another 10 lifts.

When he started the founding business, Merc-Care, in 1994, Mr Guthrie and his former partner, Peter Thorp, had just two hoists and their own hands, in a lock-up behind Marks & Spencer at Owlcotes. They set out to be a cheaper alternative to the authorised dealer network.

To start with, it meant importing specialist tools and manuals from the USA, where competition rules forced the motor companies to allow free access to them. The business has expanded to cover BMW and Audi/VW. Repairs are its core business.

When the current £2.3m expansion is complete, the business will be employing 35 people, including five apprentices.

In addition, a new satellite, in Wakefield, will take on a few more. Turnover of the family-owned businesses, including the Vancare subsidiary, rose from £1.77m over 2005-06 to just under £2.25m in 2010-11.

“When it is all up and running, I doubt there will be a bigger independent garage in the country,” says Mr Guthrie, 61.