11:37 am, October 21, 2019
AUTOSMART is celebrating its 40th anniversary.
The manufacturer and distributor of professional vehicle cleaning products for trade customers was established on July 25, 1979 with its idea of selling valeting products to car dealerships from a mobile showroom.
This meant that rather than buying from a brochure with a three-to-five-day delivery time plus delivery charge, the valeter could have a demonstration and take what products they needed there and then with no extra charges.
Autosmart’s celebratory artwork for its 40th anniversary
It proved to be a hit business model, with sales in that first year reaching £30,000 and growing since to £30m. Autosmart now plans to increase sales by 70 per cent by 2022.
Chief executive Sophie Atkinson said: ‘Being in business for 40 years has given us the experience to know who we are and where we are going. We have laid down extremely solid foundations that will serve us well for the next 40 years.’
Today Autosmart – which has been highly commended in the Cleaning Product of the Year category at Car Dealer Power every year since 2016 – has 150 showrooms across the UK and Ireland with further franchisees and distributors in France, Sweden, Germany, Austria, Australia and the USA.
Atkinson added: ‘The celebration artwork that has been created has all of the names of our people, our franchisees and our business connections across the globe within the 40 image. It recognises the success of everyone who is in the business today and who continue to make Autosmart the market-leading brand for the trade.’
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