10:43 am, March 28, 2024
Car dealer Motus Group UK has consolidated its LCV dealer network in a bid to simplify its business.
Pentagon Motor Group, a subsidiary of the Car Dealer Top 100 outfit, has now absorbed Motus Commercials into its own operations.
Both arms of the Motus Group were already running LCV dealerships and the move to bring them together aims to avoid confusion.
Motus Commericals is the biggest UK retail partner of DAF trucks and also has franchise agreements with the likes of Fiat, Ford, Izuzu, VW and Maxus.
They will all now be brought under the Pentagon banner to allow customers to ‘focus on a single dealership brand’.
Bosses at Pentagon say the deal ‘consolidates its presence as a major LCV fleet and retail operation in the North and Midlands regions’.
Explaining the decision, David Peel, managing director of Pentagon, said: ‘Pentagon has always had a very strong LCV retail presence across its retail sites.
‘This is coupled with a highly successful corporate fleet operation that dealt with some 12,000 sales last year, making it one of the biggest operations of its kind in the UK.
‘As the world’s largest DAF Trucks dealer group, our sister company, Motus Commercials, also had an LCV business stream that had developed as a natural extension of dealing with hundreds of the UK’s top transport operations.
‘Like us though, in addition to those retail sales, it was also dealing with contract hire, leasing and rental company fleet sales, so there was a growing potential for cross-over in dealings.
‘As our separate LCV businesses grew this could have become an unnecessary confusion for our customers and manufacturer partners.
‘Neither business wanted that. As its focus on DAF trucks was very much the core part of Motus Commercials’ operations, and ours was already the larger LCV operation, it was agreed Pentagon would incorporate their LCV business into its own.
‘It leverages the economies of scale, makes for more streamlined operational efficiency and eases the way for customers to focus on a single dealership brand – Pentagon.’
Despite the changes, bosses say it remains ‘business as usual’ for the newly enlarged Pentagon Motor Group.
Gareth Kaye, fleet & LCV director for Pentagon, added: ‘It has started very well, because for both Pentagon and Motus Commercials customers this is very much business as usual.
‘We are using the same sites, and, more important, the same people, so there will be personal and business continuity. The only thing that changes is that Pentagon will now be their dealership brand focus.
‘Naturally, we spoke to all the manufacturers involved before making the move, and the universal response was one of understanding and encouragement. The future looks very positive.’
Main image: David Peel, MD of Pentagon Motor Group
