With six branches covering around 22,000 square feet, 31 vans in the
delivering more than £1 5 million of stock, Spartan Motor Factors has quickly established itself as the motor factor of choice for garages and i
Bristol area
A commitment to employing only the very best staff and then investing h
dividends; Spartan Motor Factors was named Car and Accessory Trader ( CAT
The chain is now the fastest growing motor factor in Wales in addition to being one of Wales’ Top Ten fastest growing compan ies regardless of sector
Spartan Motor Factors originated in 2012 when the three directors realised that their combined experience left them uniquely placed to exploit a void in the motor factor business in South Wales. They realised the old model wasn’t working for the motor trade anymore and felt that garages were not benefiting from the technological developments that had transformed the automoti ve and motor industry in the 21st century.
One of the directors, Jason Farrugia, came to Spartan from the RAF, while the other two, Lee Gratton & Daniel Webb, had a strong background in the motor factor trade in the area. The three friends pooled their skills to open the first branch in Newport in January 2012.
Named Car and Accessory Trader (CAT) magazine’s Small Motor Factor of the Year in 2013, 2014 and 2015, the three men attribute their success to their motto: Go The Extra Mile. “We’ll do whatever it takes to get the right part at the right price to the customer at the right time,” says Jason Farrugia. “We want our customers coming back to us for years to come, and they’ll only do that if they have complete faith in us and our ability to support them.”
Being named one of the ten fastest growing companies in Wales in 2014 was further validation that Jason and his team were on the right track, and Spartan is now Wales’ fastest growing vehicle parts supplier
“WE’LL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET THE RIGHT PART AT THE RIGHT PRICE TO THE CUSTOMER AT THE RIGHT TIME,” SAYS JASON FARRUGIA
Their faith was instantly repaid, and Spartan Motor Factors has since grown from strength to str ength, averaging a new branch opening every year. It now has six branches throughout south Wales and the west of England and a growing, loyal customer base.
June 2017 saw the group open its Bridgend branch, the newest in the chain, further consolidating its position as the supplier of choice for the independent garage in the south Wales and Bristol area.
THE HISTORY OF SPARTAN MOTORS
THE HISTORY OF SPARTAN MOTOR FACTORS
GOING THE EXTRA MILE...
JOINING THE IFA
Joining the Independent Motor Factors Association Ltd (IFA) was a pivotal m o m e n t i n t h e co m p a n y ’
range of parts and spares that was previously only available at inflated prices “We didn’t realise what a bad deal we ’d been getting until we saw how much we ’d save by buying through the IFA,’ said Jason with a rueful smile “I t’s the best move we ever made,” he goes on to explain “We’re getting the very best prices possible and we can pass those savings on to the customer.” M o st i m p o r ta n t ly , m e m b
i
f t h
I
s
i d e
S p a r ta n M o to r Fa c to rs w i t h a cce ss to s eve ra l key O E s u p p l i e rs s u c h a s K Y B , Fe d e ra l Mogul and Schaeffler Also, being able to pick the brains of other motor fa c to rs w i t h i n t h e I FA h a s a l lo w e d S p a r ta n to b e n e f i t f ro m t h e g ro u p ’ s va st ra n g e o f ex p e r i e n ce ; n
U n i te d K i n g d o m h a s g i ve n J a s o n a n d h i s te a m t h e c h a n ce to h o n e t h e i r i d e a s a n d st re a m l i n e t h e i r b u s i n e ss , f u r t h e r b
’ s growing customer base
AVONMOUTH BRANCH
SPARTAN MOTOR FACTORS PRODUCT RANGE
equipment manufacturers, followed by long and painstaking negotiations to get the very best deal it could on price and delivery The negotiations might have been painstaking, but they paid off and Spartan can now boast o f
customers the very best products from respected b rands including Bosch, Lucas, Banner, Yuasa, Ferodo, Champion, Intermotor, FAI, and Blueprint w
and fluids.
Working with companies of this calibre means that Spartan’s customers fit only O/E quality products, enabling them to take advantage of the EU’s r u l i n g o n M o to r Ve h i c le B lo c
garages to service entire vehicle fleets regardless of age. This provides their customers with the reassurance that the manufacturer must uphold the vehicle’s warranty even when it has been serviced outside of the main dealer network. T
more flexibility in where and when they have their fleet serv iced, allowing t h e m to
servicing and repair requirements
SPARTAN MOTOR FACTORS
STOCK LEVELS
Every single one of the six Spartan Motor Factors branches carries the s a m e £ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 - wo r t
generalist garage ’ s everyday service and repair needs can be met quickly and cost-effectively
Each branch is then topped-up with at least £100,000-worth of products, which have been tailored to meet both local demand and to ensur e a more s p e c i a l i st ra n g e o f p a r t s i s h e l d a c ro ss t h e w h o le o f t h e a re a . T h e advantage of splitting stockholding across the company in this way allows Spartan to keep its prices as low as possible while still maintaining the car parc coverage the trade demands
Spartan Motor Factors then uses its own staff and vans to get the part to their customers when they need it “If the customer needs it, then we ’ll p u l l o u t a l l t h e sto p s to g e t i t to t h e m , ” s a i d J a s o n . “ We d i d n ’ t le t t h e weather or logistical problems stop us in the RAF and we ’ ve tried to bring that mind-set to this business ”
One example of this single-minded pursuit of customer service excellence is the delivery fleet, which includes a number of four-wheel-drive pickups This means the Spartan delivery team can continue to distribute parts and supplies no matter what the weather throws at them and their customers
SPARTAN MOTOR FACTORS
CARDIFF BRANCH
SPARTAN MOTOR FACTORS
Spartan aims to supply the right part the first time because it knows how frustrating getting it wrong can be in terms of wasted time, ramp space, customer frustration and lost repeat business.
As part of its drive to achieve this, Spartan has invested heavily in its IT infrastructure, which means that every branch can access the majority of the main dealer network parts listings, helping it pinpoint exactly what it is the customer needs with a high degree of accuracy.
Spartan also handpicks every member of its sales team for the skills and attitude they can bring to the business; they employ team players that can bring their knowledge and experience to make the company even stronger across its entire network rather than just an individual branch.
One of the benefits of taking this approach is that it has dedicated marque ex p e r t s lo ca te d a c
branches to its German vehicle expert for example, will help Spartan staff identify exactly which part the customer needs to get the vehicle back on the road as quickly as possible
SPARTAN MOTOR FACTORS COVERAGE
Spartan Motor Factors covers the whole of south Wales and the Bristol and Weston-super-Mare area Its 31-van fleet even includes several fourwheel-drive pickups to maintain its delivery capability no matter what the weather conditions underfoot.
Newport
The first Spartan branch was Malpas Road in Newport Chosen for its location in the north of the city, it opened in January 2012 and is still flourishing today
Cardiff
January 2013 saw Spartan open its second branch, this time in Keen Road, Cardiff The Cardiff branch also functions as Spartan HQ, housing a large tele-sales team and two of the di rectors
A recent mezzanine floor doubled the warehouse space, allowing an increased inventory to better serve Spartan’s customers
Barry
The Barry branch opened in April 2015, extending Spartan s reach and giving valuable exposure in this crucial area
Weston-Super-Mare
With an accelerating new branch opening programme, Spartan’s Weston-Super-Mare outlet opened in January 2016, extending its reach into Engla nd for the first time
Avonmouth
Opening just a month after the Weston-SuperMare branch, this, the fifth factor, opened on St Andrew s Trading Estate in Avonmouth It serves Bristol and the surrounding area
Bridgend
Having opened in June 2017, Bridgend is the most recent branch in the chain The store, located in the old Unipart unit, has benefitted from an enormous investment in time, money and IT infra structure, bringing all of Spartan’s six years ’ experience to this, its newest and most exciting opening
BRIDGEND BRANCH
BARRY BRANCH
SPARTAN MOTOR FACTORS
KEY SUPPLIERS
STAFF TRAINING
Spartan’s commitment to recruiting and training the very best staff it can is unrivalled It refuses to employ any but the very best in the business, w
vetting process, during which many fall by the wayside.
The ongoing training that staff receive is unrivalled. Spartan works closely with its suppliers to ensure that every customer-faci ng employee can talk k
when it sells a product; it needs to ensure that the customer knows how a product should be fitted, and why
As an example, modern stop/start systems take a heavy toll on a vehicle’s electrical system and battery failures after 3-4 years are common Yet, a modern stop/start battery cannot be replaced in the same way as those on older cars - and doing so incorrectly can cause a number of problems to arise Spartan’s staff can help advise its customers on how to go about doing the job in the right way, minimising problems and ensuring that the whole process runs smoothly from beginning to end This means that the c u sto m e rs ’ ve h i c le
intended, further driving loyal ty and repeat business.
GOING THE
SPARTAN DEVELOPMENTS
SPARTAN TOOLS & GARAGE EQUIPMENT
Spartan Motor Factors have two garage equipment and tools specialists who can visit you at short notice and discuss your requirements
We stock a wide range of Sealey, Draper, Laser, Toolhub & Sykes-Pickavant products and can order any specialist tools on an overnight basis
Our specialists can advise on all types of lifting, testing and wheel servicing equipment from suppliers such as Hofman, Tecalemit a nd Bradbury
We can also arrange demonstrations on Launch & Autel diagnostics equipment Please look out for our bi-monthly Smart Choice magazine which will contain special offers and advice on new product releases
AUTOMOTIVE & INDUSTRIAL PAINTS AND ANCILLARIES
Spartan Motor Factors are now able to produce a full range of Automotive and Industrial paints from our Newport, Cardiff & Weston-super-Mare branches We aim to make and deliver your paint in the same time frame as we deliver automotive parts, therefore offering a rapid service using the highest quality products
All branches also stock a full range of thinners, primers, hardeners, aerosols and body fi llers
GOING THE EXTRA MILE
Body & Trim | Braking | Car Body | Car Care & Cleaning | Clutch Friction | Consumables | Cooling | Electrical | Engine Components | Engine Maintenance | Engine Management | Exhaust System | Filtration | Ignition | Specialist | Steering & Suspension | Tools | Towing & Lighting | Transmission
Weston-super Mare Branch
Units 54 + 55, Gazelle Rd, Weston Industrial Est, Weston-super-Mare, BS24 9DJ
