Vehicle repairer, Revive! Auto Innovations, is welcoming the 100th trainee to its industry-leading training centre, adding to its growing network of mobile repair technicians.

Macclesfield resident, Craig Hodson, became the 100^th technician to be trained at the rapidly growing centre run by Revive!, one of the UK’s leading mobile paint repair businesses specialising in small and medium area repair technique (SMART).

Remarkably, the firm has achieved the 100-technician milestone in less than two years, having only bought the empty industrial space in 2020. Revive! has since created a state-of-the-art training facility, accredited by the IMI (Institute for the Motor Industry), boasting two spray booths, a paint mixing booth and an alloy wheel sand blasting machine.

The vehicle repairers offer a wide variety of training courses to fast-track novices, with no prior experience, to become fully qualified SMART repair specialists. Trainees are taught all aspects of SMART repair, including damage assessment, vehicle preparation, alloy wheel repairs and car bodywork repairs.

As the 100^th trainee, Craig is thrilled to be a part of the training programme and will join Revive!’s highly successful Manchester team as a technician, run by husband-and-wife team, David and Celia Baxendale.

Craig said: “Before enrolling on the training course, I worked as a postman and a ceramic sprayer – so I had no prior experience of SMART repair or working in a bodyshop. However, I knew I had a keen interest in cars and plenty of transferable skills, so I thought I could have what it takes to make the most of this amazing opportunity.

“I’d like to thank Celia and David, and Revive!, for giving me this really exciting opportunity, and I can’t wait to get started.”

UK operations director at Revive!, Andy Hupfield, added: “Training 100 technicians is a very proud moment for Revive!, and we hope this growth continues. Our goal is to double the size of our network in the next five years, and our training centre is a central part to our ambitious growth plans. To be able to train our own staff from scratch is a distinct advantage, and I’m sure Craig, and our other trainees, will go on to have long and happy careers with us.”