HGV Auto Electrics opens new business premises in Ballyclare
A Ballyclare man who built his business from the ground up has celebrated the successful opening of new premises in Avondale Business Park.
David Scott is owner of HGV Auto Electrics, which provides an electrical installation service to commercial vehicles.
He launched the venture after struggling to find work when he returned to live in the borough six years ago.
"I moved to Ballyclare from Scotland after completion of the Aircraft Carrier Project in which I was employed, working on both Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales carriers,” said David, who was brought up in Rathcoole.
"When they went for sea trials I decided to return to Northern Ireland after 22 years away to seek employment. I found this quite difficult and decided to set up my own mobile electrical repair and installation company.
"As the client base grew and my books were full all the time, I found it time consuming and expensive to be constantly sourcing parts for jobs - so I decided to start purchasing materials in bulk.
"This led me to start up my own online store, which helped drive sales and keep the work book diary full.
"I started purchasing goods direct from manufacturers and it wasn’t long before the business started to outgrow its model, so I made the decision to find a business premises large enough to open a trade counter, store our goods, and continue with manual work and installations with a fitting bay.”
David moved into the premises at Avondale Business Park in February.
Specialising in commercial vehicle lighting and electrical equipment, the company's client base includes Mar-Train Heavy Haulage, Cullen Transport, Dennison’s, and Mitchell Brothers Transport.
HGV Auto Electrics has also built a strong online presence, with 25,000 followers across social media.
And thanks to the support of customers and the local community during the open day on March 28, David is considering making it an annual event.
"This has been a hard long graft over the past six years,” he added. “I started out with nothing - literally nothing, a bag of clothes and tools and staying with my parents, until I got on my feet and got the business going. I have done it all myself and every penny earned has been put back in to the business to continue its growth.”