Fix Auto UK has bought two more sites in Yorkshire and Sussex from franchisees as it creates a company-owned bodyshop group.

It has taken over Fix Auto Barnsley and has bought Fix Auto Crawley from the Crawley Down Group, taking it closer to its goal of owning outright or in part six accident repair centres by the end of the year - it now has five, securing representation in key areas for its clients.

Bodyshop firm Fix Auto UK’s previous acquisitions were taking a majority share in Fix Auto Goole and buying Daventry Panel Craft, which has now been transformed into Fix Auto Daventry, and in July, it also bought Ian Hughes Motor Body Repair Centre which now operates as Fix Auto Colwyn Bay.

The Fix Auto UK network currently stands at 107 fully branded repair centres, the majority operated as franchises.

Managing director Ian Pugh said: “When I first joined Fix Auto UK in 2011, I said I wanted to take our own path in this industry and not follow what others have done. Our ownership model is a perfect example of this.

"As a business we continue to execute our development strategy using these acquisitions to underpin our growth. It’s now working to the benefit of those franchisees who want to step away from their businesses and ensures we have consistency, as well as quality in key geographical areas for our partners.”

“Fix Auto Crawley has been a significant franchisee since joining the network five years ago. The business of repairing vehicles on its site has been running for more than 100 years and I’m delighted to have secured it."

Nick Caunter, Crawley Down Group managing director, added: “In Fix Auto UK we have an operation with the same values of honesty and trust, these core values are aligned perfectly with our own.

"Our staff have served us so well so, for us it has always been paramount that we secure their future. With Fix Auto UK we have found the perfect home for our repair centre. We can bow out of the business knowing it is in the very best of hands.”