4:21 pm, March 2, 2008
FORAY Motor Group has acquired its seventh Ford dealership. The landmark seventh, in Poole, Dorset, comes seven years after the company launched with a management buyout of Edwards Ford in Salisbury.
Foray, which operates Ford dealerships in Salisbury, Andover, Bridgwater, Dorchester, Taunton, and Yeovil as well as a service centre in Chard, has bought the Poole business off Pendragon, from which it acquired Dorchester Ford at the end of January. Foray also has a Fiat dealership in Bridgwater and sells Mazda in Yeovil.
The Poole outlet will return to its historic name of English Ford, which it carried before being rebranded Evans Halshaw only a few months ago. Last year, Foray’s turnover was £70m, comparing well with the £15m being achieved at the buyout.
Managing director Chris Yoxon, pictured right, says the new business in Poole will start by contributing £30m in turnover and there is ample scope to grow.
He said: ‘Initially, it will mean a doubling of the volume of cars we sell. Foray’s combined total across its other outlets was around 2,000 new cars a year plus a further 2,000 used cars. The Poole business can match that.
‘Currently Foray is very strong in commercial vehicle sales, with 2,500 units a year, and parts and these are areas where the new English Ford will be able to develop.
‘This move, which lifts Foray into the top 10 Ford dealerships in the UK, brings tremendous opportunities in Bournemouth and Poole, the area served by English Ford.’
