The perfect fit

For 25 years now, Down Garage Equipment Services has been providing everything one could possibly need to get a garage workshop up and running from scratch. Irish Trucker visited the company premises on Moneyreagh Road, just outside Belfast, to investigate the comprehensive range of products and services on offer.

When it comes to providing and installing the latest and best workshop materials, Down Garage Equipment Services Ltd. are experts in their field. Down Garage Equipment Services offer customers a complete package of services – from drawing up plans and sourcing equipment to installation and back-up. Located just outside Belfast, the company provides a nationwide service and possesses the wherewithal to enhance and upgrade existing garages as well as planning and fitting out an entire new workshop from scratch.

“We can supply everything you need to build a garage from an empty shell,” confirms director Alan Davison. “We have a wide knowledge of all the latest equipment from vehicle ramps to wireless lifts and exhaust extractor systems etc. Anything that a garage might need, we have. We can also provide advice on how best to lay the workshop out and which equipment is best suited to various applications.”

Specialising in the provision and installation of new garage equipment for either cars or commercial vehicles, Down Garage Equipment Services supplies a range of vehicles lifts (three tonne – 50 tonne) and mobile columns which are used for trucks, lorries and buses. A fully-trained installation team is on hand to install all equipment with minimal fuss and maximum care.
The product list is vast and exhaustive, literally covering everything that one might encounter in a workshop. Some of the most popular items include compressed air and oil line systems; computerised oil monitoring systems (which enable the user to see how much oil is being used on a daily basis); and exhaust extractor systems (which are installed under the ceiling and eliminate the hazard of breathing in exhaust fumes inside the workshop area).

“We cater for everybody – from the lad working on his own in a small garage to a 40-bay workshop,” Alan notes.
Customers include eminent members of the haulage industry as well as prominent companies from the vehicle repair sector and, as stated above, the service is very much a nationwide, though geographic location deems a large concentration of work north of the border, as Alan relates:
“We are nationwide, but it would be fair to say that most of our work is in the north. We have done a lot of work in the south and we’re hoping to break more into that market. We’ve recently completed a substantial installation in Cork and have another one in Dublin, so we certainly welcome enquiries from anyone in the south who wants to find out more about the services we provide.”

Most of the equipment is sourced through a strong network of industry contacts on the continent, mainly in Holland and Italy. “We import, install, service and repair equipment. We have four engineers out on the road full-time and we provide a nationwide back-up service.”
Down Garage Equipment Services Ltd. are also agents for a number of leading names in the industry, including Stertil Koni, Werther, Permex and Abac. With a thorough knowledge of the pros and cons of all the equipment available for different procedures, they are ideally placed to offer expert advice and guidance to prospective clients.

John Davison established Down Garage Equipment Services in 1981. Through providing exceptional products and unrivalled service, the company has gone from strength to strength for a quarter of a century. Today, a total staff of ten ensures that commitment to complete customer satisfaction is as thorough as it ever was. The founder is still very much involved in the day-to-day running of the business, in conjunction with two partners – (his son) Alan Davison and Paul Andrews.
As in all lines of work, providing a personal touch is important and the directors don’t shy away from this responsibility: “All three of us are on hand around the clock to take calls and deal with queries. We have a fleet of five vans on the road as well, going out and meeting customers and making sure everybody is happy with the service.

“Things are going well. We own our own premises here and are secure. We have been going strong for 25 years and are moving with the market, constantly seeking out new equipment and adding new agencies. For example, we’ve just added a new agency called Premier Diagnostics, who manufacture a range of diagnostic equipment specialising in smoke and gas emission testers. We’ve also started to bring in Reatec tyre balances and changers from China, which we get manufactured in our own colours.
“We benefit from a lot of repeat business. People come back to us because they know we’ve been in this business for a long time and they recognise the fact that we know what we’re doing.”

If anyone is considering putting together a garage workshop, how should they go about it? At what stage does Down Garage Equipment Services enter the equation? “We can help from the very start of the process. All they have to do is give us an idea of what they want and we can then recommend a package. We can draw up plans including recommendations of what equipment should be used and where it should be placed. We will then import and install the equipment and will also remain available to service and repair it.”

Contact Down Garage Equipment Services on 048 90448184 / 0044 7711 126788 / 0044 7843 350071 or email downgarage@hotmail.com