7:54 am, September 3, 2012
ONE of Scotland’s best-known car and commercial vehicle dealerships has been sold to Arnold Clark Automobiles for an undisclosed sum.
The John R. Weir Group has been purchased by Arnold Clark and the sale includes the group’s Mercedes-Benz car dealerships in Grangemouth, Perth, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness; the group’s Kia and Chrysler Jeep dealerships in Perth; Smart dealerships in Aberdeen, Inverness and Perth; and Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle dealership in Aberdeen.
Arnold Clark said they will continue to operate the dealerships under the John R. Weir name, and the acquisition represents the establishment of Arnold Clark’s first Mercedes-Benz dealerships.
All 321 current John R. Weir staff will continue to be employed by the group following the transaction.
John Weir, managing director and principal shareholder at John R. Weir Group, said: ‘The Board of John R. Weir Group reviewed a range of options for the group going forward and determined that the sale of the company was best for the business, its customers and its staff.
‘I am personally delighted that we have been able to attract a buyer of the calibre and size of Arnold Clark, who I am confident will grow the business further as it enters this new chapter in its development.’
Eddie Hawthorne, Arnold Clark managing director, said: ‘The John R. Weir Group is synonymous with high standards of quality and customer service and we are proud to be welcoming the whole John R. Weir Group team into the Arnold Clark family. We are also proud to be adding Mercedes-Benz to the portfolio of manufacturers we represent and we are confident that together we will make a great success of this new acquisition.’
