Autochair expands with £200,000 investment

Vehicle adaptation manufacturers Autochair has invested £200,000 in upgrading its fleet of installers’ vans to ensure that they can fit its products anywhere in the country.

The Alfreton-based firm, whose products include its market-leading Olympian scooter hoist and Milford Person Lift, has installed purpose-built, fully equipped workshops into its five-strong fleet, complete with glass-fronted storage drawers, work benches and power generators.

Autochair’s technicians travel across the country to fit customers’ products into their cars, either at their homes or at their local dealership.

Not only will the workshops enable them to operate more efficiently, the generators will give them an independent power source for their equipment, such as drills and welding equipment, saving them the inconvenience of having to find a separate source of electricity.

Autochair was set up in 1983 by David Walker.

David’s son, Nick, service delivery and customer services manager at Autochair, said: “This upgrade means that our technicians can be more flexible and self-sufficient, while the vans look extremely professional.

“Power has been an issue for a long time. Our installers have had to ask customers if they can plug in an extension lead and this has led to complications when we are working in the yard at a car dealership or garage, well away from a power socket.

“Now they have power from a leisure battery via an inverter to convert a 12V supply into a 230V output. It gives our team all the power they need and will save time trying to find a power supply.”