10:26 am, March 13, 2013
INCHCAPE has reported pre-tax profits of £252 million in 2012 – up from £203 million the year before.
Sales at the firm’s dealerships, located in 26 different countries, saw 4.4 per cent of growth – reaching £6.1 billion in 2012.
UK sales are said to be one of the markets pushing the expansion in profits – with sales in Great Britain reaching £2.13 billion alone, a 3.6 per cent rise on 2011.
It’s thought that increases in sales of premium marques – an area of the market Inchcape is well positioned in – have helped bring an increase in sales.
Inchcape have a wide range of premium dealerships under their wing in the UK alone – Cooper BMW and Mini, H.A Fox Jaguar, Hunters Land Rover and Inchcape Audi, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz – with many more worldwide.
‘2012 was another strong year for Inchcape with market share gains in many regions and further progress on customer service,’ said André Lacroix, Group CEO of Inchcape plc.
‘We have recently announced the acquisition of Trivett Automotive Group, the leading luxury and premium automotive group in Australia. This transaction represents an important step in the further development of our Asia Pacific presence expanding our existing brand footprint in Australia with high quality operations in the luxury and premium segments.
‘The Group is extremely well positioned to take advantage of the exciting growth prospects in Asia Pacific and Emerging Markets which are underpinned by population growth, wealth creation, increasing car penetration and industry premiumisation.’
The future looks even brighter for the firm, Lacroix suggests – undoubtedly helped by the launch of new premium models such as the Jaguar F-Type and Mini Paceman through the firm’s outlets.
‘We expect the Group will deliver a robust performance in 2013, notwithstanding the increased competitive pressure on vehicle margins,’ he said.
