Auto Windscreens
Parent Auto Windscreens Services Limited | | |
Website | autowindscreens |
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Auto Windscreens is a
It is one of the largest windscreen replacement operations in the United Kingdom, with hundreds of employees working across its sites and at its Chesterfield based customer service
Auto Windscreens (1971–2011)
RAC plc (2001–2008) Arques Industries AG (2008–2009) Moguntia Invest (2008–2011) Deloitte (administrator) (2011) | |
Website | autowindscreens |
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History
The company was founded by an entrepreneur (Brian Holmes) in 1971.[1] It was incorporated on 20 May as Auto Windscreens (Chesterfield) Ltd, as company number 01011907.[2] was part of national windscreens.[clarification needed] In 1982, it opened its own manufacturing facility in Chesterfield.[3]
In 1986, it was purchased by the holding company, Heywood Williams, whose businesses portfolio at the time included the largest glass distribution company in the United Kingdom.[1]
In 1988, the company was renamed to just Auto Windscreens Ltd, and in 1989 to Heywood Williams Automotive Ltd.[2] Having sold the glass distribution business in 1990 to Pilkington, Heywood Williams sold the Auto Windscreens company to HSBC Private Equity in August 1998, for £77.2m, reverting to the name Auto Windscreens Ltd.[1][2][4]
HSBC left the existing management structure in place, with the intention of a trade sale or flotation at a later date.[4]
A trade sale by HSBC followed in March 2001, with the company being sold to the group Lex Service plc for £112m.
The takeover positioned the company as the contracted supplier to other Lex Group insurance companies, and expanded the visibility of the RAC brand through the Auto Windscreen's vehicle fleet.
The RAC Auto Windscreens business was included as part of the deal to buy RAC plc by the global insurance group Aviva in March 2005.[6]
In December 2008, as their first acquisition in the United Kingdom, the business was purchased from Aviva by the German private equity company Arques Industries AG, a business restructuring and development specialist, for a "symbolic purchase price".[6][7]
After the purchase, the company reverted to the name Auto Windscreens Ltd, and was re established as an independent brand, with a redesigned logo.[2][3][6] In December 2009, the company was sold to Moguntia Invest, a German investment fund controlled by Christian Daumann.[8] Daumann was the Arques executive responsible for their original purchase of the company a year before.[6]
Administration
On 14 February 2011, the company entered
Cash flow problems had arisen after their former owner Aviva, still a major client, terminated their supply contract, and after IT related delays affected the implementation of a restructuring programme. As the appointed administrators, Deloitte sought to find a source of short term trading capital, pending a sale of the business.[8][9]
Both before and after the suspension of trading, several other companies took over Auto Windscreen's share of the market, with Autoglass gaining the Aviva contract, as well as National Windscreens, Nationwide Windscreen Services and AA AutoWindshields, being chosen as alternative suppliers by both fleet and private customers.[9]
Liquidation
On 7 February 2011, Trifords Ltd was formed as a business by the parent company Markerstudy Group Insurance, the details of the purpose of this business are still a little vague but by the dates we can see, it was ready for the purchase of AW before the liquidators were called.
After failing to find a buyer for the business as a going concern, Deloitte announced on 25 February 2011 that it had been closed and would be liquidated, with 1,042 staff being made redundant.[10]
On 3 March 2011, it was announced that Trifords Ltd that they had purchased some parts of the former Auto Windscreens business, including the rights to use the Auto Windscreens
If no buyer was found for the site as a whole, then the machinery, stock and materials was to be auctioned off separately, over 28–30 March 2011.[12]
Operations
At the time of administration, the company had 1,000 staff, and operated a fleet of 550 fitting vehicles and 68 fitting centres. Based in
As the only replacement windscreen specialist in the United Kingdom with its own manufacturing facility, it could produce and stock its own small batches of standard replacement windows and windscreens to the same specifications as the original equipment manufacturers, as well as serve as an original manufacturer itself in specialist niche markets such as limousines, hearses and the police, as well as producing value added versions of standard products.
It also produced one-off products for the vintage and replica markets.[3] The parent company of Trifords, Markerstudy Group, knew this was running at a loss and had to wait for the company to go into liquidation to remove all the debt before selecting which parts of the company it wanted to keep under the newly formed umbrella of Trifords Ltd.[citation needed]
Football Sponsorship
The company was involved in
The company had replaced their main competitor
Auto Windscreens (2011 onwards)
History
On 3 March 2011, it was announced that Trifords Ltd had purchased some parts of the former Auto Windscreens business including the rights to the
Trifords is part of the Markerstudy Group, a privately owned composite financial services organisation established in 2001 and based in Sundridge, Kent.[17] The former sales and marketing director Nigel Davies was appointed managing director of the new company.[18]
The trade press speculated the purchase had possibly happened as early as 25 February, based on the resurrection of the old Auto Windscreens website, but with updated company information.[19]
Operations
The new company planned to initially create 250 jobs and grow the business under the already established and recognised brand,
While the freehold to the old company's Chesterfield HQ was bought by Trifords, the new company was registered to an office in Crawley, West Sussex.[16]
Auto Windscreens, still headquartered in Chesterfield, employs hundreds of people and has gradually rebuilt its customer base, with companies including
When the new company was established, Metrix service management software (now IFS Field Service Management) was implemented with the aim of improving efficiency and the customer journey.[20] Personal digital devices (PDAs) for technicians and a mobile insurance application were also introduced to aid operations.[21]
In August 2011, Auto Windscreens' technical training facility in Chesterfield re affirmed its GQA accreditation and two of its technicians took gold and silver at the UK Master Fitter in November 2012.[22] On 17 May 2017, it was announced that Auto Windscreens would become the new shirt sponsor of AFC Rushden & Diamonds for the season of 2017/18.[23]
Further reading
- "To All Known Creditors of Auto Windscreens Limited - In Administration" (PDF). Deloitte. 14 February 2011.
References
- ^ a b c "UK: Heywood Williams' Sideways Shuffle". Management Today. 1 July 1995. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ a b c d e "Basic company details for Auto Windscreens Limited". Jordans Business Information Services. n.d. Archived from the original on 9 August 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ a b c "Auto Windscreens, At the cutting edge" (May 2010). The Manufacturer. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
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(help) - ^ a b "HSBC beats field for Auto Windscreens in £77.2m buy". Financial News. 10 August 1998. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ a b "RAC beats AA in £112m race for Auto Windscreens". The Independent. 31 March 2001. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ a b c d "Auto Windscreens sold". Fleet News. Bauer Automotive. 18 December 2009. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ "German firm to buy Auto Windscreens". Derbyshire Times. Johnston Press. 28 November 2008. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ a b c d "Auto Windscreens in administration". Financial Times. 14 February 2011. Archived from the original on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ a b "Auto Windscreens name lives on, but failure blamed on unpaid bills and cancelled contract". Fleet News. Bauer Automotive. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ "Auto Windscreens to cut more than 1,000 staff jobs". BBC. 25 February 2011. Archived from the original on 27 February 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ a b c "New jobs hope for Auto Windscreens workers". BBC. 3 March 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ "Auto Windscreens' plant for sale after 40 years production". Works Management. Findlay Media. 15 March 2011. Archived from the original on 19 March 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ "Timeline". The Football League. n.d. Archived from the original on 10 October 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ "Auto Windscreens Sponsorship". Chesterfield F.C. 18 September 2008. Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ "Auto Windscreens renew sponsorship". Chesterfield F.C. 28 September 2010. Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ a b c "Who we are". autowindscreens.co.uk > Compliance. Trifords Limited. n.d. Archived from the original on 21 March 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
Trifords Limited T/A Auto Windscreens, Tel: 01246 223000. Registered Office: Innovis House, 108 High Street, Crawley West Sussex, RH10 1AS - Registered in England No. 07518924.
- ^ "A bright future for Auto Windscreens" (Press release). Markerstudy Group. 2 March 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
Trifords Limited T/A Auto Windscreens
- ^ a b "Davies to Lead Revived Auto Windscreens; New Brand Owner to Create 250 New Jobs". glassbytes.com. Key Communications / AGRR Magazine. 1 March 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ "United Kingdom-Based Insurance Group Purchases "Certain Auto Windscreens Assets"". glassbytes.com. Key Communications / AGRR Magazine. 28 February 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ "Auto Windscreens Simplifies Service Management With Customizeable Solution". Field Technologies. 19 February 2013. Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
- ^ "Auto Windscreens launches new fleet management app". Business car. 12 September 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
- ^ "Steve Abrahams crowned UK Master Fitter champion 2012". IWA. 21 November 2012. Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
- ^ "Auto Windscreens revealed as main sponsor". afcdiamonds.com. Retrieved 23 April 2018.