Material repair business mobile and green

The business comes complete with a sign-written van, a start-up kit, training, invoice books, business cards and uniform. Photo / Supplied

The South Auckland franchise of a van-based Fibrenew business is being offered for sale through Dave Peryman of Affiliated Business Consultants for $186,000.

"This is a mobile business operated from a vehicle that can work within a specified franchised area from Mangere Bridge to just south of the Bombay Hills," Peryman says.

"It comes complete with a sign-written Toyota van, a comprehensive start up kit, full training in the business operations, invoice books, business cards and uniform - in fact everything needed for a new owner to hit the ground running."

Fibrenew is a niche service business that specialises in the repair and restoration of leather, plastic, vinyl and fabric materials. A patented technology allows franchisees to seamlessly and invisibly repair, re-colour or re-dye worn or damaged coverings which can represent a significant saving of time and money on either re-upholstery or replacement.

Fibrenew was founded in 1985 in Canada and began selling franchises in 1987.

It has subsequently grown into an international success story with operations throughout the Americas, the Pacific and Europe specialising in the restoration of leather and plastics, servicing five major markets: aviation, automotive, commercial, marine and residential.

"It is a low cost, very successful, home-based mobile service franchise," Peryman says. "The diversity of the product is so large that in every economic downturn, the company's franchise system has thrived.

"Refurbishing or fixing faded or worn leather vehicle seats or a damaged leather steering wheel not only enhances the appearance and comfort of the vehicles but boosts their overall value as well," he says.

"Over time, cracks and fading in door panels and consoles will happen in most vehicles and Fibrenew can fix this - offering an alternative to replacing an entire damaged component that's both economically and environmentally sound. Fibrenew's professional technicians can also restore damaged vinyl and plastic to factory condition for a fraction of the cost of replacement."

The same goes for damaged leather furniture. "Whether it is torn, worn, faded or chewed by the dog and covered in cat scratches, it can be restored by the Fibrenew service. Furniture that has blemishes like burns, stains and cuts can also be restored to the original condition. The 'before' and 'after' results are amazing."

Peryman says common stains that are fixed by Fibrenew include those caused by spilt food and splashed wine, and by ink and crayons. The service appeals to commercial operators who need a quality value-add service at a reasonable price and homeowners who keen to prolong the life of their expensive fabrics. It is also well positioned to target customers who are increasingly mindful of the environment and who prefer to recycle rather than replace valuable leather, plastic, vinyl or fabric assets.

"Fibrenew is a global leader in the environmental movement," he says. Peryman says the owners are the accredited trainers for Fibrenew systems in New Zealand.

He says the business is reasonably priced, well established and presents an exciting opportunity for someone to earn a substantial income from their own diligence and hard work.

"This franchise area has been running for three years and shows strong profits. However, there is still plenty of room to grow the business through all residential and commercial areas. The huge exclusive South Auckland territory also has the scope to be split in two, creating another separate franchise area, which would of course add much more value to this business."

Peryman says the business could be managed using the current contract staff if a new owner preferred not to be hands on.

"The current owners have too many business commitments so have reluctantly decided to put the South Auckland franchise on the market," he says.

The new owners, being part of the global Fibrenew franchise, will receive full training and the benefit of the franchisor's business systems.

"There are also overseas conferences that can be attended every two years, which are paid for by the business and where franchisees can meet fellow international franchise owners and where they learn new techniques and systems developed especially for the Fibrenew international franchises."

Peryman says the products that used in restoration work have been developed, tested and are regularly updated by Fibrenew's own scientists.

"Most of the products that we use are water-based and are tested for Civil Aviation Authority fire rating which they exceed."