Kwik Fit Italy hits 10-branch milestone

CDG-ONE Srl, the tyre distributor owned by Segema S.p.A. (Magri Gomme Group) has reached a milestone in the expansion of Kwik Fit in Italy.

The two companies launched a partnership to introduce Kwik Fit, the largest automotive service and repair company in the UK and Holland, into Italy in March 2016. Now, at the end of October, the 10th centre has begun operations under the Kwik Fit brand.

Having opened the first Kwik Fit centre in Buccinasco, Milano, CDG-ONE has added centres in locations across Lombardia, Emilia Romagna and Piemonte. The most recent addition to the network is Centro Gomme Amadori, an independent centre in Gatteo in the province of Forli-Cesena.

All these centres were previously operating as independents, and their owners have seen the significant commercial advantages of becoming a Kwik Fit franchise and being part of the European market’s leading brand, with over 750 Kwik Fit locations. The operators gain support from Kwik Fit in marketing, operations, training and supply chain agreements, all of which help boost the profitability of their business.

Federico Tebaldini, managing director of CDG-ONE, reveals that the team is already ahead of its own targets: “We have an ambitious long-term aim to build an Italian network of more than 200 Kwik Fit centres in 10 years. We expected to start slowly but we have received a flood of enquiries from operators interested in becoming a Kwik Fit franchisee. To meet this demand we have brought forward our plans to recruit more support staff and strengthen the management team for the network. The early results from the centres have made us very optimistic about both the immediate and long term success of the brand in Italy.”

CDG-ONE is in discussions with a number of other independent centre owners, and expects to be announcing the next wave of openings under the Kwik Fit brand in early 2018.

Kwik Fit Italy is benefitting from being able to bring together the best brands under one roof, providing customers with a wide range of options in one location. The company is grateful for the support of supplier partners including: AON, Continental, Cofidis, Dekra, Forch, GT Radial, Goodyear Dunlop, Hankook, Imasaf, Italmatic, Mak Wheels, MG Service, Michelin, Mondolfo Ferro, Pirelli, Shell, Vamag, Yokohama.

Marco Salvemini, owner of the Kwik Fit centre in Buccinasco, was one of the first to agree a franchise and has been operating under the brand since April. He says: “We’ve experienced the benefits of being part of Kwik Fit very quickly. The professionalism in areas such as marketing, operations and training has been a big step up for us, and it has been brilliant to have the promotional support of a big brand and all its partners. We would never have been able to run the sort of sell-out promotions we now have access to if we were still operating on our own.”

The first 10 Kwik-Fit Centres in Italy

• G.C. SRL – Lombardia
• Gomme Sas Di Galafassi Mirko E C. – Lombardia
• Piro Gomme SRL – Lombardia
• Centro Gomme Amadori SRL – Emilia Romagna
• Car Gom Di Nota Maurizio & C. SNC – Piemonte
• Asvego Pneumatici Di Dogliani A. E S. & C. SNC – Piemonte
• Gorreri Tyres Snc D/Ivo E Luca Gorreri E C. – Emilia Romagna
• Gorreri Tyres Snc D/Ivo E Luca Gorreri E C. 2 – Emilia Romagna
• erre p gomme di roberto parlante – Lombardia
• Bartolini Gomme Di Bartolini Romano – Emilia Romagna