Direct Valeting, the Newcastle-under-Lyme based nationwide car valeting operation, has been bought out by its management for an undisclosed sum.

The company, which counts AM 100 listed dealer groups TC Harrison, Reg Vardy and Bristol Street Motors among its clients, turns over £8.5m a year and is looking to double the size of its business by 2008.

The three directors, Phil Taylor, managing director, Jason Carpenter, operations director and Mark Duggins, finance director, invested their own money to buy, between them, just over 50% of the business. The rest was contributed by an unnamed venture capitalist.

Company founder and chairman Chris Trotman is retiring although he will remain with the company in a consultancy role.

“Our aim is to develop and grow the company over the coming years, to be not only known as a company that delivers the highest service levels but also to give a greater number of dealerships the opportunity to benefit from professional car valeting to the highest standard possible,” says Taylor.

Direct Valeting is ISO 9200 accredited and says the key to its customer service is quality. It is looking to grow the business by increased referrals but also by targeting new business, the speciality of Taylor who started with Direct Valeting as sales director in 1990. No changes to staff or processes are planned.

The company has 60 staff at its head office and another 600 sub-contractors, who carry out valeting throughout England and Wales. There is no cover in Scotland.