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ABOUT US
AJ Garage Services - a Family-Run Local BusinessEstablished in Caerleon for over 35 Years
Who We Are
AJ Garage Services is a family-run automotive business which has been trading in Caerleon for over 35 years. Our business was founded by Mike Joenn in the early 1980s and originally traded under the name Miall Motors . In these early days the business was principally focused on HGV work (Mike having served his time at the "Heavy Goods" end of the motor trade). Diversification towards lighter motor vehicles and ultimately to the domestic cars started in the 1990s. It was also around this time (1996) that A ndrew J oenn joined dad in the business after having served his time elsewhere in the industry. (Mike was keen for his son to make his own way and not rely on a cushy number in dad's business).
By the early 2008/9, Miall Motors had reached a tipping point where the majority of the servicing and repair work was now coming from a growing portfolio of car owners in and around Caerleon & Newport.
2011 saw the start of a period of considerable investment in the business - in terms of technology and tooling. Most significantly, the construction of the drive-through MOT Inspection bay got under way.
In 2012, Mike & Andrew resisted the temptation to rename the business "Joenn & Sons" and instead, AJ Garage Services was formed to take the business to its next stage of growth.
AJ Garage Services Now
The last 7-8 years has seen steady growth - mainly in the Domestic car servicing & repair arena. LGV, motorcycle and bus serving and repair still represent a significant portion of our business with on-going contracts with local and national commercial fleets.
AJ Garage Services now boasts a portfolio of over 3,500* registered customers and a 5 star rating on social media.
AJ Garage Services is committed to continuous improvement and training features heavily in our current and future plans together with the introduction of a battery of new tools and technologies to meet modern service needs.
By way of example, 2017-2019 saw over £45,000 worth of investment in new tools & equipment at the Star Trading Estate site. This investment programme has continued since and by 2022, the figure stood at over £150,000.
Plans are under way for further investment & expansion in 2023... Watch this space.
* We surpassed this figure at the end of 2023
Meet Our Team
Back Row: Darrell, Chris, Oakley, Jay, Callum, Nathan J, Jason, Kelvin, Steve, Nathan P, Simon & Dave. Simon & Nathan J
Front Row: Morgan, Rebecca, Andrew, Mike & Dan
Mike Joenn Founding Director of AJ Garage Services
Mike served his time as an HGV Mechanic with John Evans Transport in the 1970s before setting up his first independent garage service company in the early 1980s, trading under the name Miall Motors.
Although Miall Motors still exists to service specialist needs of long established customers, the main business started to trade under the name AJ Garage Services in 2012 after son, Andrew joined the firm.
Andrew Joenn Managing Director of AJ Garage Services
Andrew joined Mike at Miall Motors in the mid 1990s having served his time as a commercial vehicle mechanic and vehicle technician in and around the Newport area.
With over 20 years in the motor trade as a vehicle mechanic, there are few problems that Andrew has not already encountered and resolved on behalf of his customers. Andrew was appointed managing director of AJ Garage Services in 2012.
The MOT Testers, Technicians & Vehicle Engineers...
Jay S - MOT Tester & Vehicle Technician Jay started at AJ Garage Services at the end of September 2022 and joins Andrew, Steve & Darrell to become our 4th Fully qualified MOT Tester and bringing our total full-time staff complement to 15.
Hailing from Trevethin in Pontypool, Jay has been in the motor trade most of his working life and spent many years with Gwent-based Auto Centres.
Nathan P - Vehicle Technician. Nathan comes to AJ Garage Services after a 4 year stint with Fast Parts as in-house vehicle parts specialist. This followed ten years as a vehicle technician with a well- known Newport Auto Services company. (No... We're not saying which. You'll have to ask him!) In the end, he just needed to get back into the work-shop and do his stuff. Nathan recently completed a course on VAG gearboxes and together with Morgan (below), forms our Gearbox Specialist Team
Morgan B - Vehicle Technician. Morgan completed his apprenticeship in 2020, and it must be said... with flying colours! He immediately became yet another key member of AJ staff (Not that he wasn't important before - Morgan has been contributing to the business for over two years). Morgan did much of his apprenticeship working on veteran & vintage cars and has accrued a wealth of knowledge on older vehicles over the years. He recently completed a course on VAG gearboxes and together with Nathan P, (above) forms our Gearbox Specialist Team
Kelvin H - Vehicle Technician: Kelvin joined us in July 2022 as a Qualified Vehicle Technician
Kelvin has been in the motor trade virtually all of his working life - originally starting his career in his dad's garage. As a fully qualified vehicle technicain (with E.V. Certification) he has more recently worked with the AA as a mobile repair & patrol man and it is from this highly respected motoring organisation that he joined AJ Garage Services.
The Support Staff....
Chris L - Workshop Administrator Chris, together with his colleague Simon, (below) is responsible for a wide range of technical admin duties in support of our vehicle technicians, management and of course our customers. This admin support team provide a pivotal role in the buisiness, ensuring that parts are ordered and ready when needed, customers are kept informed and paperwork is kept in order.
Simon - Service Administrator Simon works hand-in-hand with Chris (above) providing a range of technical admin duties in support of our vehicle technicians, management and our cuistomers. Chris & Simon act as a team in a pivotal role in the business, ensuring that parts are ordered and ready when needed, customers are kept informed and paperwork is kept in order.
David W - Vehicle & Service Administrator. We were pleased to welcome David aboard as the 3rd member of our Customer Support Team. Dave joined us on 19th April 2023 from MotorCare Motor Factors where he was responsible for Parts Sales. Dave can also boast a solid technical background with around 13+ years in the Motor Trade and seven of those years as a vehicle technician, having learned his trade as an apprentice at Cwmbran Tuning.
Nathan J - Garage Service Assistant + Rescue & Recovery. Nathan J is the man who fills the gaps between the customer and the technicians. He can be the hero out in a Recovery truck collecting a vehicle or rescuing you following a breakdown. He is also the man tasked with preparing vehicles for return to the customer after a service or repair.... and much more!
Alan Shellam - Garage Service Assistant ('Tommy 'to his pals & work colleagues) joined the company in July 2023 and takes on a role similar to that of Nathen J. (above) delivering a range of auto-motive support services and 'odd-jobs' - which it must be said are absolutely vital to AJ Garage Services in maintaining our high standard of service quality and customer care - freeing up the Vehicle Technicians to concentrate on servicing and repairing vehicles
Rebecca - Accounts
Administrator
Rebecca is not seen around the workshop too much. However, she is normally found in the upstairs office in front of a computer screen with a telephone glued to her ear.
Rebecca is the person who will raise your invoice and acts as the ‘AJ Message Centre’ and administrative assistant to the directors.
The Trainee Apprentices...
Callum & Oakley. - AJ Vehicle Apprentices With an eye to the future, we are pleased and proud to introduce our Vehicle Technician Apprentices... Callum & Oakley joined the company in July 2022. .Callum (left) at 16 and a half years old joins us straight from school and takes the first steps in his career as a Vehicle Technician, following in dad's and grandpa's footsteps. Callum has big shoes to fill and has already been told that... "There's no special treatment here".
Oakley (right) joined us just before his 18th birthday and has already completed his first year at college studying for his Level 1 Vehicle Maintenance Certificate at Coleg Gwent.
These lads have shown a real passion for their work and an eagerness to learn in their first months at the garage. They represent a long term investment in the future of the business and illustrate AJ Garage Services' commitment to continuous learning.
