Thursday, November 25, 2010
Swansway expands with Merseyside VW site
Swansway Group is filling a six year open point in Merseyside for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.
The retail group has invested almost £2m in a new van centre in Speke, creating 15 jobs.
The dealership will open in January, with a five van showroom, seven bay LCV workshop and MOT bay.
David Cowan, Liverpool Volkswagen Van Centre’s brand manager, said: “Liverpool has been without a dedicated brand franchise for too long and we are delighted to bring Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles back to the city.
“This investment demonstrates our commitment to providing businesses and van drivers on Merseyside with an official Volkswagen facility.
“The site will be one of biggest in the UK and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ only standalone site in the country with the latest corporate branding, something we’re very proud of.
The van centre is expected to generate sales of approximately 1,250 new and used vehicles in 2011, with a targeted increase in 2012.
Cowan added: “Previously, Volkswagen van customers in Liverpool had to travel to Wrexham, Preston or Manchester for brand-backed sales."
Simon Elliott, director of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles UK, said: “Liverpool is one of the UK’s thriving cities and we’re delighted Swansway has invested in a Volkswagen franchise for the city.
“This site will be a flagship Volkswagen van centre and we’re looking forward to watching the business grow.”
DATED: 25.11.10
FEED: AM
Vertu launches graduate recruitment programme
Vertu Motors, number eight in the Motor Trader Top 200, will launch a graduate recruitment programme in 2011.
The dealer group said it aims to recruit four graduates and place them on a programme combining an MSc in Automotive Retail at Loughborough University and a development programme within its business.
Places will be available at its dealerships in Bromley, Dunfermline, Birmingham and Derby. Vertu said by the end of the third year the graduate will have experience of both sales and aftersales and then specialise in one area of the business. The first six months will place the graduates in sales executive and service adviser roles within the sponsoring dealership. One graduate has already been recruited and three more are to be recruited over the next two months.
“As a growing group, determined to be a success over the long term, it is vital we develop talented, driven and mobile managers, who can take the Group to the next level,” said Robert Forrester (pictured), chief executive.
“This is a major investment, but we are convinced this is a necessary step. If our industry is to be successful and innovative, we need to ensure that we have a variety of backgrounds for our managers and a graduate programme must play a part in this.”
Professor Jim Saker of Loughborough University said: “The Masters degree is a challenging programme that attracts high quality, successful individuals from a wide spectrum of the Motor industry. The programme provides an ideal development structure for graduates and experienced managers working within the sector. We are looking forward to joining with Vertu Motors to increase the professionalism within the organisation and the industry.”
DATED: 25.11.10
FEED: MT
SsangYong acquired by Mahindra for $463m
Mahindra & Mahindra, the Indian carmaker, has acquired a 70 per cent stake in SsangYong for and has announced plans to build a global SUV company.
The deal, valued at $463m, is expected to bring to an end a period of uncertainty for the Korean 4X4 manufacturer, which had been placed into administration by a Korea court earlier this year. The purchase is expected to be completed in March 2011.
“This is great news for our customers, dealers and staff here in the UK. It secures a firm footing from which to move forwards,” said Paul Williams (pictured), UK managing director of importer Koelliker.
“We can look forward to a successful new era for the SsangYong brand.”
UK sales for the brand have slumped by 68 per cent to just 230 units, although it has high hopes for its forthcoming all-new Korrando C sector crossover.
“The Korando was extremely well received when presented to international motoring journalists in September. The first shipment is due here in the New Year, and will be competitively priced to compete against cars such as the Hyundai ix35, Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai.
“The new car is also attracting much interest in the motor trade. We are on the point of appointing five new dealers, and interest in the franchise has never been stronger.”
“The coming together of Mahindra and SsangYong will result in a competitive global SUV player. Together with its financial capability, Mahindra offers competence in sourcing and marketing strategy while SsangYong has strong capabilities in technology. We are committed to leverage the combined synergies by investing in a new SsangYong product portfolio to gain momentum in global markets,” said Dr Pawan Goenka, president, automotive & farm equipment sectors, M&M.
DATED: 25.11.10
FEED: MT
SMMT president rounds on banks
The outgoing president of the SMMT, Joe Greenwell, has rounded on banks for continuing to provide insufficient credit for automotive companies.
“We remain frustrated with the struggles we face in accessing affordable credit, particularly by those companies in the supply chain who have such a vital role to play in our growing low carbon industry,” he said at the society’s annual dinner in London last night (23 November).
“We are still wrestling with a banking sector that has come to regard automotive as high risk. This is an outdated view and the banks must think carefully about government statements concerning advanced manufacturing and the strength of the automotive industry going forward. There has been a profound change and the banks should recognise this.”
Greenwell said the economic crisis had allowed the sector to demonstrate its strength and resilience.
“We have sustained our industrial capability and can now take advantage of a recovering global automotive market.”
Greenwell also confirmed that the society will move out of its Forbes House headquarters in London’s Belgravia next summer and will move its operations to Westminster.
“With this move, we have secured the society’s finances for years to come which has been an objective of all presidents in recent years,” he said.
Greenwell’s successor as president will be Nigel Stein, chief executive of GKN’s global automotive business, who takes over the position in January 2011.
DATED: 25.11.10
FEED: MT
IM Group’s Bob Edmiston joins the Lords
Bob Edmiston, the founder and chairman of the IM Group, has become a peer.
Edmiston’s Coleshill-based company imports Subaru and Isuzu and will bring Great Wall, the Chinese brand, to the UK in 2011. He also heads up IM Properties.
Described as a “businessman and charity campaigner” in the roll call of new Lords, Edmiston was nominated by the Conservative Party.
DATED: 25.11.10
FEED: MT
Dealers face dilemma on used car stocking
Dealers are facing a dilemma of whether to buy in used car stock now or wait until January, according to Glass’s Guide.
“Many dealers will still be addressing the agonizing decision to either buy now, or take a chance of buying in January when competition and prices are expected to be higher.
“Of course, this is an issue not helped by the increase in VAT from the 4th January,” said Glass Guide managing editor Adrian Rushmore.
“Everything now points to fairly orderly trading patterns between now and the end of the year.
“It would also appear that the opportunities to source the preferred used car stock will reduce from the auctions, wholesalers and manufacturers.
“However, this does not mean that the auctions will be short of cars in December, it is just that they are likely to be short of prime retail stock,” said Rushmore.
One areas of “slight concern” is the number of cars coming on the market with higher mileage.
“Vendors had to be very realistic about what could be achieved with cars at, or beyond, the 100,000 mark,” he added.
DATED: 25.11.10
FEED: MT
