Geoffrey Atkinson OBE, who was chief executive of automotive industry charity Ben from 1978 to 2004, has died after a short illness. Alongside his time leading the charity, Atkinson, who’d briefly been an actor on stage and screen, was also known in the motor industry for being a co-founder of the Petrol Retailers Association, to challenge… Continue reading Long-served chief executive of motor charity Ben dies
Author: Automotive Manager Online News
JLR announces 500 job cuts at Halewood plant
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) will make 500 job cuts at its Evoque and Discovery Sport SUV-producing Halewood manufacturing plant on Merseyside. In what Unite the union described as “a further blow to the UK car industry” the premium carmaker will cut jobs as part of a move from a a three-shift system to a two-plus… Continue reading JLR announces 500 job cuts at Halewood plant
Vertu Motors acquires four Sytner Group Volkswagen dealerships
Vertu Motors has added to the recent flurry of acquisitions and disposals within the Volkswagen retail network with the £8.8 million acquisition of four dealerships from Sytner Group. AM highlighted in this month’s magazine that a total of 10 VW dealerships changed hands during the last two months of 2019, with Sytner cutting its Volkswagen… Continue reading Vertu Motors acquires four Sytner Group Volkswagen dealerships
Car dealer set for second consecutive year of losses, says ASE
Car dealers suffered a loss of £11,000 in November to all-but ensure the sector’s average business incurred losses for the whole of 2019, ASE has reported. ASE chairman Mike Jones reported in his monthly profitability report on the sector that the average car retail business would record full year losses for a second consecutive year… Continue reading Car dealer set for second consecutive year of losses, says ASE
WMS Group acquisition completed by Opteven
Opteven’s acquisition of WMS Group has been formally completed after gaining approval from The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Europe’s second-largest Mechanical Breakdown Insurer (MBI), based in Lyon, France, completed its move to acquire the business-to-business car warranties provider on January 8. John Colinswood will remain as WMS Group as managing director and Martin Quail will… Continue reading WMS Group acquisition completed by Opteven
Fix Auto UK appoints new head of operations following acquisitions
Fix Auto UK has promoted Brett Wootton to the role of head of operations for its acquired sites as part of a push to grow the footprint of body shops its owns and operates. Last month the car retail sector supplier said that it was nearing its goal of owning, or part owning, up to… Continue reading Fix Auto UK appoints new head of operations following acquisitions
Marshall buys Volvo Derby from Vertu Motors
Marshall Motor Holdings has today completed the takeover of the Derby Volvo franchise from Vertu Motors. It has relocated the business from Sir Frank Whittle Road to Stadium View at Derby’s Pride Park, in a side previously occupied by a Land Rover business before it was relocated by Inchcape. In a statement for customers, Marshall said: “Don’t worry –… Continue reading Marshall buys Volvo Derby from Vertu Motors
Marshall confirms Jardine Volkswagen Group dealership acquisitions
Marshall Motor Holdings has completed the £22.3 million acquisition of eight Volkswagen Group franchised car dealerships from Jardine Motors. As exclusively reported by AM last week, the AM100 retail group has completed a deal to acquire six Volkswagen passenger car franchises in Aylesbury, Harlow, Letchworth, Loughton, Milton Keynes and St Albans together with a Volkswagen… Continue reading Marshall confirms Jardine Volkswagen Group dealership acquisitions
Mercedes-Benz Retail Group appoints new chief executive
Mercedes-Benz UK’s network operations director Angela Shepherd has been appointed chief executive of its manufacturer-owned dealer business, Mercedes-Benz Retail Group. Shepherd, who has long experience with the Mercedes-Benz brand, has spent the last five years in her current post, responsible for ensuring the UK dealer network could handle Mercedes’ rising sales volumes and remain profitable.… Continue reading Mercedes-Benz Retail Group appoints new chief executive
Fix Auto buys sites in Yorkshire and Sussex
Fix Auto UK has bought two more sites in Yorkshire and Sussex from franchisees as it creates a company-owned bodyshop group. It has taken over Fix Auto Barnsley and has bought Fix Auto Crawley from the Crawley Down Group, taking it closer to its goal of owning outright or in part six accident repair centres… Continue reading Fix Auto buys sites in Yorkshire and Sussex