Community-driven garage management software developer Garage Hive say interest is high with just seven weeks left until its most ambitious national event yet.
The Blend 2022 promises forward-thinking independent garage owners unique networking opportunities in state-of-the-art surroundings. It will be held on 17th September at The Eastside Rooms, Birmingham’s newest conference venue.
Garage Hive has been growing fast by placing its independent garage userbase at the heart of its operations. Annual conference The Blend was first held in 2019; Garage Hive quickly saw customers gain huge benefits from hearing about new system features whilst also having opportunities to share ideas with other like-minded businesses.
The event runs over a single day, making it practical for busy owners to attend. The Blend’s format aims to maximise efficiency by offering a mix of industry speakers, panel discussions and break-out sessions running in parallel, along with updates from the Garage Hive team.
“We find garages realise the benefits of Garage Hive more quickly by coming to The Blend,” said Ray Dilsons, Managing Director. “It’s an investment of time, so we pack a lot in to make sure it’s worthwhile.”
Focus will once again fall on ways Garage Hive can be used to develop the strong working practices that have been shown to drive measurable improvements in areas like workshop efficiency, customer satisfaction and financial performance.
“It’s that mixture of not only explaining product features but also including practical ideas on how garages can best apply them within their businesses that has the real value,” said Ray. “Everyone benefits as our garage community helps guide our development path too.”
Alongside the conference sessions, a supplier exhibition area will feature market-leading brands like Castrol, Autotech Group and Pichler Tools, with an evening meal to follow. For maximum convenience attendees can also book hotel rooms from the site at Aloft Birmingham Eastside, which is connected to the venue.
All independent garages are welcome to attend. You can read more and request tickets at www.theblend.events.
28 July 2022
The Penygroes Service Centre located in South Wales was founded in 2014 by Jonathan. He has extensive 17 years of experience in the industry. However, Jon found himself doing a lot of manual labour for data management to keep a finger on the pulse of the business. Therefore, joined Garage Hive's garage management software in March 2021 and has already seen a significant improvement in his garage, an increase in gross profit and has achieved a great NPS® Score.
Tom and Kayleigh runs their garage TR Autos in Yeovil, Somerset. They joined Garage Hive last year. Tom has two decades of industry experience , both practical and technician side and now business as TR Autos was founded in 2008; since then the team has grown, practices have moved away from paper diaries to garage management software, their productivity has increased and they also have moved into bigger premises.
Exciting new features in Garage Hive! Thanks to your feedback, we've rolled out a packed set of improvements between September 2025 and March 2026, covering everything from customer communication and technician workflows to parts ordering and financial management. Here's a roundup of what's new:
Community-led garage management system, Garage Hive, has announced a new integration with Dingbro, Scotland’s largest independent motor factoring group. The integration allows users to seamlessly search Dingbro’s extensive online catalogue, add parts...
Applications to speak at The Blend 2026 are now open, ahead of the widely anticipated return of the UK’s premier conference and networking event for independent garage owners. The Blend returns to...