AUTOGLASS is launching a massive review of its glass replacement network to provide 90% of its services through its mobile fleet in response to customer demand. As part of the review, the Bedford-based company is to reorganise its 180-strong branch network and 900-vehicle fleet.

Mobile fitters will be transferred to larger regional customer service centres, with larger stocks of windscreens, while the fleet will be expanded. The firm admitted that this could lead to job losses as smaller branches were closed, but would not reveal the total number of redundancies, or the effect on branch numbers and fleet size.

However, Fleet NewsNet understands the firm is stripping away a level of management - the network manager - and introducing a team of 12 regional managers. Autoglass will continue to collect vehicles from customers' premises for repair or replacement work to be carried out if that is the best option, but insists that the majority of work can be carried out on site. Karen Tovey, consumer marketing manager for Autoglass, said: 'This is not about fleet size or branches, but the service we are providing to customers.

'Already 70% of the one million annual jobs we attend are carried out by the mobile fleet and we intend to increase this to 90%. The move is a logical extension of our long-term aim of making life easier for motorists as well as fleet and insurance customers.'