Set up in Fife in 2004, and now with five garages across Edinburgh & Lothians, including two in Edinburgh, D&G Autocare, Scotland’s independent garage group, has now grown to seventeen outlets all over Scotland.
The imminent launch of a new garage in Rutherglen, on 1 April , coincides with the anniversary of the business, which opened its doors in Dunfermline, Fife, on 1 April 2004.
Notable for claiming an industry first a few years ago, when it launched an innovative vehicle management app to market, D&G, headquartered in Kirkcaldy, Fife, employs a total of 150 people, with a £10 million turnover.
Commenting on the launch of the new Rutherglen garage, Director of Operations, Peter Wood said: “It’s an extremely happy coincidence that the opening of garage number seventeen is coinciding with our seventeenth anniversary. Looks like it’s a lucky number for us at this time,” added Mr Wood, who oversees Operations for D&G’s fleet of garages stretching from Fife, Tayside, and Edinburgh, to Stirling, West Lothian and the West of Scotland.
“It was always our intention at launch to try to open a new garage every year, if we saw the correct opportunities in the right locations,” he said. “It hasn’t worked out exactly like that, but we’re really pleased to have got to this total, especially given the pandemic, which is affecting every part of the economy. Each garage we open represents an overall investment in equipment and staff of over £150,000, which is a considerable amount of money.”
Mr Wood went on to say that the business operated a very successful apprenticeship scheme for both mechanics and administration staff. He said: “Three young people will be qualifying later this year across our group as a result of our Apprentice Scheme,” he said. “It’s really important to us to keep this going, and even before the pandemic came along, we saw real value in this approach, providing us with young mechanics trained to our own standards, and administration staff that understand the business inside out. We would hope to take on an apprentice in the future at the Rutherglen garage.”
He also explained that D&G was a wholly owned Scottish company, employing local people at each of its locations: “This is important to stress, as many customers want to keep their business local, another legacy the pandemic has left us. We’re always keen to get involved in the grass roots communities around our garages and have in the past sponsored many local clubs and associations. It works well for us in spreading awareness of our branding and services, and we intend to keep going with this.”
D&G Autocare garages cover all servicing requirements from MOTS, tyres, exhausts and brakes, to suspension & clutches. All car parts, including tyres and wheels, can be replaced. DVSA Authorised Testing Facilities (up to Class 7 Light Commercial Vehicles) are available in all branches, for company cars, fleet and lease.
The company was voted AA Garage of the Year Scotland 2018-19, and “Best Scottish Group” in 2016-17 by customers of www.whocanfixmycar.com, one of the country’s leading autocare search websites.
Customers can download D&G’s app for free from the company’s website at www.dandgautocare.co.uk, or through Google play and iTunes. The app provides automatic reminders a week before tax, MOT or car insurance is due to expire.
D&G garages can be found at Stevenson Road and South Gyle, Edinburgh, together with Musselburgh, Livingston, and Whitburn.
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