Bristol commercial vehicle conversion company TGS Automotive is planning a major expansion which will more than double its workforce and enable it to handle large-scale public and private sector projects.
Production will be trebled at the firm’s Fishponds base, where it converts a wide range of vans and trucks for use such as highway maintenance, refuse cleaning and specialist deliveries, as well as consolidating its admin offices. 
TGS, which employs 45 skilled workshop engineers, also plans to set up a vehicle handover and conference centre to enhance customer experience.
The move comes on the back of a recently completed contract to convert 500 Renault Master vans for the Department of Health & Social Care.
The vehicles are being leased to the department from LeasePlan as mobile Covid-19 testing units.
The contract was completed in just three months in response to the national pandemic emergency.
TGS was founded in 1973, evolving from a road haulage business, and has occupied its current premises in Fishponds for about 15 years.
It works with organisations ranging from Bristol City Council and South Gloucestershire councils to outsourcing groups Mitie and Mears and vehicle manufacturer Vauxhall.
Director Glenn Smith said the business had cemented its position firmly among the top 10 UK van and truck conversion companies.
“We completed the contract for health service vehicles in an unprecedented three months, demonstrating our capacity to fulfil large-scale public and private sector contracts with government, local authorities, fleet operators and leasing corporations on time and to the customer’s entire satisfaction,” he said.
“LeasePlan selected us and our design concept for the vehicles was fine-tuned with the Department of Health & Social Care.”
TGS is also fully equipped to handle conversion requirements for electric vehicles in the future.
