|
|
Welsh group celebrates landmark with £11Million pound investment
publication date: Apr 14, 2011
|
author/source: Robin Roberts
One of the most
successful privately owned motor groups in Wales is today marking its 40th
anniversary with the opening of a new multi-million pound dealership on the
outskirts of Bristol.
Cwmbran-headquartered
Mon Motor Group officially opens its futuristic £11 Million
Bristol Audi centre at Cribbs
Causeway with a VIP event tonight for customers and is providing star
entertainment.
The impressive centre
overlooking the M5 has space to display 19 cars in the showroom and service 24
cars at any one time in its lower level workshop area where customers can watch
progress on their vehicles.
Bristol Audi is the
13th dealership in the Mon Motors Group and employs 78 people, but
together with an adjacent bodyshop where a further 18 are employed it takes the
group's headcount to 556 staff over South Wales and the West Country in its
service centres and parts distribution operations.
| Managing director
Gavin Cleverly (right) said the group's business strategy was concentrating on a few
good brands upon which to build good relationships with customers on a regional
area basis. It represents Audi, VW, Skoda and Ford.
"This gives us
economy of scale and means we can give focus to a brand over a number of
different outlets to satisfy customers over a wider base," said Mr Cleverly. |  |
The motor group
already has Audi dealerships in Cardiff and Bath and Bristol has become a
natural fit into the region, but it may not be the last move by the company.
"For now it's about getting Bristol up and running but if another opportunity
arose we would look at it," he added.
He is confident the
business at Cribbs Causeway will be a success. "There was an Audi centre in
Bristol but it was tucked away, not easy to see, and we realised the brand
needed a more prestigious location to match its products, so we spent a long
time looking for the right place and we found it at Cribbs Causeway."
The move was
obviously right as Audi owners and potential buyers have been walking into the
new centre simply because they were passing and saw the showrooms.
"Many expressed
surprise that there was an Audi dealership in Bristol and its location beside
the M5 will bring in additional enquiries from north of the M4 as well as South
East Wales and the Somerset coastal strip," said Mr Cleverly.
He is also confident
of the group doing well despite the slowdown in new car sales.
"We have been
fortunate in the brands we have being very popular, we have kept down costs and
the staff have understood and worked hard to build on customer relationships.
We are working harder and smarter to make sure we maximise every sales
opportunity and do our utmost to give a fantastic level of service to customers
whether it's a new car, a used model or a service requirement."
Mon Motors Group has
done very well on used car sales in the last 12 months and despite a slow-down
this year it is beginning to see supply of quality used models improving and
anticipates a stronger April and May. |
Download the Wheels Within Wales toolbar for your quickest way to keep in touch with everything that's happening on Welsh roads and in showrooms or use our RSS feed for the headlines you will not want to miss
|
|
|
.gif){kind=small}