Inchcape buys Great Lake
Inchcape has acquired the distribution, retail and vehicle-leasing operations of Great Lake Motor Distributors Group.
By expanding its existing distribution footprint in New Zealand, Inchcape has secured LDV and SsangYong as brand partners.
It now enters retail operations in this country with five owned dealerships in Auckland, Taupo, Wellington and Christchurch.
The addition of LDV and SsangYong strengthens Inchcape’s product portfolio across several key segments including electric vehicles (EVs), light commercials and SUVs, “ensuring Inchcape is poised to offer mobility solutions to meet customer requirements”.
Ruslan Kinebas, chief executive of Inchcape Asia-Pacific, says: “I’m excited for our partnership with LDV and SsangYong, and Inchcape’s expanded presence in the New Zealand market.
“We look forward to combining our local expertise with our leading digital and data capabilities to grow the business further.
“This announcement is another example of Inchcape’s Accelerate strategy in action, delivering on the group’s ambition to expand our global footprint and be the undisputed number-one distributor of choice.”
Colin Christie, managing director of Inchcape Australasia, adds: “We are pleased to be growing our operations in New Zealand, and look forward to building on the success and strong partnerships achieved with LDV and SsangYong by Great Lake Motor Distributors.
“With the strong product portfolio across our operations, I’m confident we will be able to accelerate our growth and respond to diverse customer demands for mobility options, including an increasing demand for EVs.”
Rick Cooper, director Great Lake Motor Distributors, says: “It’s been a fantastic ride over the past decade with thousands of LDV and SsangYong vehicles on the road in New Zealand.
“The success of the brands has been on the back of the dedication of a fantastic group of staff who have lived and breathed the business beside us. The opportunity to pass the baton to global leader in the industry was one that couldn’t be passed up.
“We will look on with interest as they build the brands to the next level as we see the business we’ve created transferred to the best hands we could have hoped for. We wish Inchcape and our loyal staff all the best for the group’s ongoing success.”
As Inchcape expands its presence on these shores, Wallis Dumper has been appointed managing director of Inchcape NZ to lead the local operations.
Since 2010, Dumper has been managing director of Subaru of NZ having previously been the business leader from 1996 to 2006.
Inchcape has been the exclusive New Zealand importer and distributor of vehicles manufactured by the Subaru Corporation since 1992.
It provides a platform for the world’s leading mobility companies to accelerate their ambitions. In Asia-Pacific, it operates across four market clusters. In Australasia, it boasts a diverse portfolio spanning distribution.
The group has its headquarters in London and about 19,000 employees globally. Inchcape Australasia employs more than 1,300 team members in Australia and New Zealand.
Pictured above are Colin Christie, centre, managing director of Inchcape Australasia, with Rick Cooper, right, director of Great Lake Motor Distributors, and Deon Cooper, left, managing director of Great Lake Motor Distributors.
