Change brings light relief to commercial garage

Loughman�s Garage Ltd was initially involved in the repair of heavy commercials. Now they have switched to the repair and testing of light commercials. Managing Director Paul Loughman spoke to Cian O Raghallaigh.

If you are driving a light commercial vehicle for a living and want to keep it well-maintained then Loughman’s Garage Ltd may be able to help you. In its many operations since its establishment, the company has proved to be a reputable garage.
Based on the Kilkenny road, Athy, Co. Kildare, the company was established in the early 1950s. A family-run business, they have been radically restructured in the last few years. In the beginning, repairing and testing heavy vehicles was their main brief. Since then, the focus of the company has changed. Its main concern now is to provide a complete solution to your transport maintenance and testing needs, using their propriety software to help the customer, either fleet or individual to keep their vehicles properly maintained, giving the customer adequate notice of services and tests due and providing a van rental service to keep him or her on the road while repairs and/or DOE tests are carried out.

In adapting to change, the company has found its own niche. Paul Loughman is currently the managing director of the company. He has headed the company over the last five years or so. Since getting involved in the firm, he has presided over the main changes which have taken place in the company.
He explained the early establishment of the business.
“My grandfather Michael Loughman set up the company in the early 1950s. At that stage it was all repair work which the company did. It began slowly but by the 1980s there were around 40 people working here,” he says.
Having been the main Peugot dealer for the last 20 years or so, an EU directive proved a turning point in the company. It was at this time that Loughman’s Garage Ltd began to change its focus but, as Paul explains, it was a step in the right direction.
“The EU introduced a block exemption which was basically a deregulation of car sales. The directive said that the car manufacturers would not be allowed have such a monopoly on the business. It was made out that they (the manufacturers) had too much control over things.

“In response the manufacturers drove up their own standards and demanded new premises be built etc. That made things very hard for us when it came to making sales as our location didn’t justify that kind of expenditure.
“The Department of Transport then decided to raise the bar for us in another area. It meant that our test centre was too small to continue as a HGV test facility.
“So from January 1st this year we’ve been in the process of building a new test centre. The whole thing was a catch 22 situation. We had been in heavy commercials for twenty years and had been the main Peugeot dealer during that period. However moving away from all that and concentrating on a core business has really been the best thing we’ve ever done. Sometimes you can be too diversified.”

He says that the change from heavy commercials to light commercials has been “a pretty easy changeover”. Loughmans Garage Ltd have seven people working for them at the moments. These include testers and repairs people. Alongside the DOE testing and repairs, the company also operates a breakdown service and offer a car and van-renting service. If parts are needed, the company will source them for the customers whether from main dealers, motor factor or second hand.
As DOE testing has become a growing area, Loughman’s Garage Ltd appear to have made the switch at just the right time. At their own base, customers can use the waiting room facility to view the test being conducted on the test lane.
Having seen many DOE tests conducted over the years, Paul is probably in an ideal position to judge the reasons why some people manage to fail their tests the first time. Rather than single out any reason, he believes putting servicing off can have a negative impact on things.

“I don’t think there is any particular reason but I don’t think people service their vehicles as much as they used to,” he says.
“People aren’t inclined to spend money on them and that wouldn’t help when it comes to the test. Everything is put on the long finger really. For us it’s a strange business to be in as we only really see people when something goes wrong.”
Overall, he has been delighted at the opportunity afforded to him through repairing light commercials. Although the firm had to invest a lot of money in installing software and equipment for the company, they have been very happy with the end result. He is satisfied with the progression that the company has made and sees a bright future.
He is hoping to go further. Although there have been many changes in the firm over the last few years, he is always looking to the future.
What then are his plans to develop the company?
“The plan is to eventually develop a motormall. I am redeveloping the showrooms at the moment so I am kept busy with all that as well,” he says.

Many in the transport industry take time to establish themselves and when that is done are able to enjoy what they have. The experience of Loughmans Garage Ltd has clearly been different. Rather than remain in the same line of work all the time, diversifying into different areas has been the makings of the company. They continually look to innovate themselves. Focusing on their customers’ needs, and building the product and service around these needs is their mission. Although they were already successful, a change in direction has been just the tonic for this prosperous firm.