Aurelius buys AutoRestore

Aurelius has acquired AutoRestore from Belron. No financial terms were disclosed. UK-based AutoRestore is a provider of mobile accident repair services.

PRESS RELEASE

Munich/London, April 1, 2021 – AURELIUS Equity Opportunities SE & Co. KGaA (ISIN: DE000A0JK2A8) (“AURELIUS”) today announces the acquisition of AutoRestore Limited (“AutoRestore”) from Belron International Limited (“Belron”). AutoRestore, the UK’s leading provider of mobile accident repair services, will complement AURELIUS portfolio companies Rivus Fleet Solutions (“Rivus”) and Pullman Fleet Services (“Pullman”) which have offerings for commercial fleets focussing on light commercial vehicles (“LCV”) and heavy goods vehicles (“HGV”), respectively.

Headquartered in Rushden, Northamptonshire, AutoRestore which traded as Autoglass® BodyRepair under Belron®, is the UK’s leading provider of mobile body repair services nationwide. Established as a division of Belron in 2010, AutoRestore currently operates a fleet of over 130 mobile repair vans, providing over 30,000 repairs a year to B2B customers, including insurance and fleet management companies, as well as growing its B2C offering.

Currently providing same-day mobile accident body repair services through a virtual garage network, AutoRestore will benefit from operating alongside Rivus, which boasts 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 full suite of services for HGV and LCV fleet management outsourcing, repair and maintenance from 25 service centres with over 70 mobile service vehicles and more than 430 employees.

Rivus, Pullman and AutoRestore together solidify market leadership in fleet management and accident repair developed by AURELUS since its first acquisition in the sector in a complex corporate carve-out from BT Group in 2019. Across the UK, blue chip customers in retail, logistics, industrial and service sectors, and B2C customers depend on AURELIUS portfolio companies for cost-effective support services to keep driving their businesses and the economy forward.

AURELIUS plans the deployment of in-house operational expertise to execute the corporate carve-out and support its portfolio companies’ integration in order to maximise the commercial potential of the combined entity and expanding service offer.

Commenting on today’s announcement Matthias Täubl, CEO of AURELIUS Equity Opportunities SE & Co. KGaA, said: “The acquisition of AutoRestore is the latest in a series of corporate carve-outs AURELIUS have executed in recent months, following HÜPPE GmbH and the co-investment in Panasonic’s European Consumer Battery Business Units as well as Bring Frigo. It demonstrates our continued ability to identify new growth potential in businesses which complement our existing portfolio, in this case significantly expanding and enhancing the full suite of fleet management services AURELIUS provides in the UK.”

Tristan Nagler, Managing Director of AURELIUS in the UK, said: “The acquisition of AutoRestore will further strengthen AURELIUS’ fleet management offering in the UK and is another demonstration of AURELIUS’ buy-and-build approach. The partnership between AutoRestore, Rivus and Pullman presents strong growth potential for the businesses. 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.”

ABOUT BELRON
Belron® is the world’s largest dedicated vehicle glass repair and replacement company. Belron® is home to 26,300 employees, all working together to bring the Belron® story to life. The Belron® operations span over 30 countries and five continents.

ABOUT AUTORESTORE
AutoRestore Ltd delivers exceptional workmanship through a convenient mobile service. With over 150 mobile rigs located across the UK, our technicians bring the bodyshop to drivers – at home, at work or wherever they are located. Repairs are carried out at the driver’s convenience, saving them hassle and eliminating the travel time to and from a traditional bodyshop.