Support from Business Wales has helped Wrexham-based Maverick Diagnostics grow its international business by developing a specialist Automotive Training Academy that is now attracting technicians from around the world.
The Academy provides hands-on training in advanced vehicle diagnostics for major brands including Jaguar Land Rover, BMW and Tesla. Since opening in 2022, it has created high-skilled jobs locally and drawn vehicle technicians seeking training to Wrexham from across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and USA.
Maverick Diagnostic’s sales and services business was initially founded in 2017 to support independent garages and workshops with genuine dealer-level diagnostic tools and expert advice.
Today, the company is the first in Europe to offer full aftermarket support for all major dealer diagnostic systems, enabling independent garages to compete with main dealers. The development of the training centre was made possible through the support of experts from Business Wales, the Welsh Government’s business advisory service.
Business Wales Adviser, Svetlana Ross, worked closely with Maverick Diagnostics to create a detailed business plan and secure £100,000 in funding from the Development Bank of Wales. This funding enabled the company to invest in building the facility, hiring staff, and developing specialised training courses.
Business Wales continues to support the company’s growth, most recently helping Maverick Diagnostics achieve top-level cyber security accreditation, which is crucial when dealing with sensitive vehicle data and delivering global remote support. Maverick has also reinforced its commitment to sustainability and inclusion by signing Business Wales’ Equity and Green Growth Pledges.
Laura Halls, Managing Director, at Maverick Diagnostics, said: “We work in a very niche field of the aftermarket automotive market, but the demand for our experts’ knowledge and support is being called on by technicians globally.
“Business Wales’ experts took the time to understand what we do and recognised the opportunities of creating a dedicated training sector here in Wales. The Academy was an ambitious concept, but with Svetlana’s expertise, we were able to build solid plan that helped investors understand the potential we had to build the business and create jobs.”
Maverick Diagnostic’s experts work with aftermarket technicians worldwide who increasingly need remote diagnostic support to correct issues with modern vehicles that depend on complex electronics.
With vehicle technology electric vehicles (EV) evolving rapidly, Maverick Diagnostics identified a growing need for up-to-date training. The Academy was created to meet that demand with a range of courses tailored to different manufacturers.
Maverick Diagnostics’ research and development included purchasing and reverse engineering a Tesla to fully understand its systems and build specialist EV training courses, which are now among the most in-demand.
Commenting on Maverick Diagnostic’s international growth and the launch of the Automotive Training Academy, Business Wales Business Adviser, Svetlana Ross, said: “Today’s connected world presents many opportunities for specialist Welsh companies to grow their customer-bases internationally, while still creating new jobs here in Wales. Maverick Diagnostic’s had already created an impressive global network of customers and identified that developing a training centre offered excellent growth potential.
“However, even successful and ambitious companies can benefit from guidance when building a business case that will allow investors to recognise the growth potential that exists. The success of the Academy and the sustainable growth and jobs it is delivering proves that, with the right support, businesses across Wales can be world leaders.”
