The UK’s biggest automotive service company Kwik Fit has announced its acquisition of the innovative bicycle repair company Fettle.
With a 100% transfer of ownership from Fettle to Kwik Fit, this acquisition aims to place Fettle’s cycle servicing within the larger realm of the automotive sector.
“It’s with pride, emotion and lingering disbelief that I can finally announce that Fettle has been acquired by Kwik Fit!,” said Fettle’s CEO Jeyda Hesleton.
Fettle launched in London just over four years ago on a mission to reinvent repair. Starting out as ‘Handlebars’ with just a couple of mechanics and a grand vision of transforming JustPark spaces into bike workshops, it was hit by Covid only four months in. From there, it re-launched a popular collecting and return service, rebranded to ‘Fettle’, released a booking app and opened in several unique locations.
One such location was Bristol in April 2023 which saw Fettle’s servicing and repair workshops and cycle specialists located within the first Kwik Fit centre.
“Being acquired by Kwik Fit gives Fettle access to a national network of centres, many of which are ideally located to serve cycling customers – both businesses and individuals,” said Hesleton.
“Locating within an existing network and under common ownership will allow us to expand the Fettle brand much more quickly than we could have done independently.”
With more than 600 Kwik Fit centres nationwide, Fettle is still determining the specific number of workshops and places that will see its presence from the acquisition.
“We are focusing on where we can provide the most value to the sector as quickly as possible.
“As a young and growing company, the support from a well-established, market leading business brings huge advantages as we look to serve manufacturers, fleets and consumers.”
The acquisition is also of key significance to the rapidly increasing number of businesses using fleets of e-bikes and e-cargo bikes for last mile delivery and service solutions. Fettle and Kwik Fit are ideally positioned to support these businesses and their growing fleets, helping accelerate their rollout plans with a reliable, nationwide service network.
Jeyda said in a statement on LinkedIn: “So this marks the end of the 1st chapter of Fettle, but the beginning of a new phase. I’ll still be at the helm, with all of the team and we’ll be scaling out this year.”
