About Us
The Wheel Specialist grew out of an auto services business called Lap-Tab, which was founded in 1955 and was always owned and developed as a family-run business. There’s a heritage of succession in our brand, and the same is true for many of our franchisees.
The Wheel Specialist's focus is on outstanding service, top quality, superb value for money and a fast turnaround time. Those ingredients have been the cornerstone of our brand for more than 60 years, and they’re the foundations on which all our successful franchisees build.
The Wheel Specialist: Our History
1955: Our story begins
The Wheel Specialist origins begin with the car-focused business Lap-Tab Limited, established by John Francis Murphy with a focus on service, quality and fast turnaround times.
1978: A family business
Neill Murphy begins work at Lap-Tab, aged 17. Little did he know he’d later own the company and begin the trend of family heritage that still lives strong over 40 years on.
1991: Wheels become the focus
Neill is appointed as a director and begins to focus more on wheels – at this time it’s mainly steel and wire wheels, along with the occasional footballer who had alloys.
1992: Future foundations
Neill marries Ginny Murphy, who begins to help expand the Lap-Tab business; the partnership is to have a decisive impact on the company’s direction.
2006: First steps into franchising
After many years servicing Birmingham (and the rest – wheels would arrive from all over the place), The Wheel Specialist brand is created and the decision to franchise is taken.
2007: A milestone signature
Ginny's franchise vision to grow nationwide begins as The Wheel Specialist Manchester opens its doors; franchisee Andy Thompson will later become our technical director.
2014: £5m+ network turnover
Expansion picks up serious speed: with more than 15 franchisees in operation, the brand is now nationwide and breaks a milestone sales figure.
2016: The third generation
Neill and Ginny’s son, Jack, furthers his own journey. After various roles at head office from 2012 to 2016 and a year in Manchester as a technician, learning the business inside out.
2018: A fond farewell
After 40 years in the business, with a journey from newcomer to co-owner, Neill retires. Ginny, by now well-known throughout franchising, takes sole responsibility.
2020: Pandemic Bounce back
Jack becomes MD, Ginny moves to CEO and the family culture is set for the next generation. Franchisees bounce back despite being amidst a pandemic, beating the network’s best-ever month, more than 10% up on the last record.
2021: One million wheels
The Wheel Specialist celebrates refurbishing its millionth wheel since the brand began – stacked up, that’s enough to reach well into space! Adding to this incredible achievement, multiple franchisees also smashed their sales records.
2023: Updated Model & Strategic Plan
In response to economic challenges, we formulated a multi-year strategy that included changing key parts of the model, leading to increased profitability and scalability potential.
“We’re proud to be a family business and to have that culture throughout the network, with a supportive group of franchisees and a passionate head office team who really care about their success.”
Jack Murphy - Managing Director