Inchape, the international automotive services group, has a new operating and branding structure for its UK business.

Over the past two years, the group has been shedding the unprofitable operations to concentrate on those with the potential to grow. One of those to be sold was Inchcape's 49% stock in Toyota (GB) last year.

The group says this process has nearly been completed and, with the recent acquisition of a 49% interest in Eurofleet, one of the leading UK providers of automotive logistics, expansion has begun.

A key element of this will be the integration of Inchcape's UK automotive distribution, retailing, financial services, logistics and e-commerce operations into a new company, Inchcape UK and the phased integration of the Inchcape brand to replace most of the existing ones.

The following five trading names will be progressively introduced to the market:

  • Inchcape Retail, encompassing the activities of Inchcape Motors Retail, focussing on building a “robust and profitable” group of retail dealerships representing both specialist and volume brands.
  • Inchcape Vehicle Contracts, encompassing Mann Egerton Vehicle Contracts, to develop the vehicle contracts as a stand-alone profit centre as well as seeking new business-to-business vehicle financing solutions.
  • Inchcape Fleet Solutions will encompass the activities of Kenning Leaseline.
  • Inchcape Vehicle Sourcing will include the three newly-identified profit centres of procurement and wholesaling activities.

    Chris Franklin, chief executive of Inchcape UK, said: “With our industry undergoing major change, it is essential that Inchcape responds to the demands that such change brings. We have a skills base that is unique in its breadth, with a very strong retail presence, a successful leasing business with excellent financial products, the framework to develop a substantial sourcing and logistics business and – though Autobytel UK (an Inchcape subsidiary) – a leading position in the development of e-commerce solutions.”