Synergy Accident Repair Group, a national independent network of PAS125 bodyshops, has exceeded 50 Thatcham BSI Kitemarked members, making it the largest crash repair group in the country to have achieved the exacting standard.

Synergy, which has a total turnover in excess of
£200 million, now has more than 100 bodyshops committed to achieving the Thatcham BSI Kitemark standard; they will all be successfully accredited by December 2009.  

Synergy’s strategy is two-fold – to bring together a national network of Kitemark bodyshops to offer a total vehicle accident claims solution, and to offer members a cost advantage by pooling the group’s considerable buying power.

Synergy founder member Tony Parish, managing director of Alton Cars, said:  “We offer a real independent national solution to work providers.  Our commitment to the PAS125 bodyshop standard offers a guarantee of safe repairs, backed by the trusted Thatcham BSI Kitemark badge. We’ve just signed up our first work provider which shows there’s a real appetite in the market for our concept.”

Parish added: “As well as providing a national claims solution to help clients remove cost, our buying power is also strong which brings huge efficiencies. 

“We’ve had a great response from leading industry suppliers who support our best practice ethos, and we can pass any benefits to our members.”  

He said that the three founding businesses – Alton Cars, Karl Vella and KC Autos Group – alone anticipate annual savings across their combined 12 sites in excess of £500,000, which will be reinvested in their businesses. 

“We’re in the process of rolling out all these benefits to our members, covering areas such as parts, consum-ables, courtesy cars, health and safety, training, insurance and waste removal, and we’re working really hard to secure long-term national deals that will in turn secure the future of our members,” he said.