Updated: Rivus Fleet Solutions owner Aurelius buys AutoRestore

The owner of Rivus Fleet Solutions, Aurelius, has bought AutoRestore from Belron International for an undisclosed sum.

Aurelius says that the mobile body repair services company, which traded as Autoglass BodyRepair under Belron, will complement its existing portfolio of business.

This latest acquisition follows a deal to buy Pullman Fleet Services from Wincanton for an undisclosed amount last November and GKN Wheels & Structures from GKN the month before that. 

Headquartered in Rushden, Northamptonshire, AutoRestore operates a fleet of more than 130 mobile repair vans, providing over 30,000 repairs a year to B2B customers, including insurance and fleet management companies, as well as a growing B2C offering.

Currently providing same-day mobile accident body repair services through a virtual garage network, Aurelius says that AutoRestore will benefit from operating alongside Rivus, which has 55 locations, supported by 800 employees and mobile technicians servicing commercial fleets with a focus on LCVs.

In addition, AutoRestore’s customers are expected to benefit from accessing Pullman’s suite of services for HGV and LCV fleet management outsourcing, repair and maintenance from 25 service centres with more than 70 mobile service vehicles and more than 430 employees.

David Myers, CEO of Rivus Fleet Solutions and Pullman Fleet Services, told Fleet News he was “excited” about the deal.

“We obviously do a lot of repairs of vehicles, but this allows us to meet the needs of our customers in a very different way by being more nimble,” he said.

“There are many different scenarios now where we can deploy and that gives our customers better choice.”

Myers added that the deal, which will see AutoRestore ‘carved’ out of the Belron business and work alongside Rivus in the same way Pullman does, will also widen its reach to its existing corporate customers.

He explained: “It (the deal) provides us with a much more rounded solution for customers for any aspect of the vehicle from what we do today with fleet management all the way through to minor repairs.”

The three businesses will be run in a cross functional way of working, like a group structure. Repair work destined for a Rivus garage, for example, may be better served by referring the job to AutoRestore.

Myers says that there is also no reason why they can’t provide a hardstanding area at their garages to enable AutoRestore repairers to conduct work on-site.

Tristan Nagler, managing director of Aurelius in the UK, says that the acquisition of AutoRestore is another demonstration of Aurelius’ "buy-and-build" approach.

“The partnership between AutoRestore, Rivus and Pullman presents strong growth potential for the businesses," he said.

“Our operational experts will ensure a smooth transition of ownership for AutoRestore and drive partnership with our existing platform, bolstering an already compelling offering we have established in the sector.”

Aurelius acquired BT Fleet Solutions 18 months ago, rebranding the business as Rivus Fleet Solutions.

The company says it is now ready to go toe-to-toe with its biggest rivals as it plots to become “the strongest player in the market”.