News24+8’s Post

Germany: Dello Group; update on our report from last week •As of March 1st, 2024, Autohaus C. Vick GmbH will become part of the Hamburger Dello Group. According to a company announcement, all employees of the Opel dealership in Reinfeld will be retained and continue their work at the location. "We aim to grow together and make the future even more successful by leveraging the strengths of both companies," stated Björn Böttcher, Managing Director of Ernst Dello GmbH. Established in 1934, Autohaus Vick is currently led by Claus-Christoph Vick in its third generation. Vick will remain responsible for the location at Stubbendorfer Ring 2 even under the Dello Group. Both companies share a long tradition of family ownership, explained Vick. He sees the benefits for customers primarily in "having access to a larger vehicle pool and better conditions through integration into the Dello Group, resulting in quicker availability of vehicles." He reassured that there would be no changes on-site, and all familiar contacts would remain available. Opel also welcomes the merger of the two successful partner companies and the preservation of the brand in the region. Following the recent closure of the Dello location in Bad Oldesloe due to the termination of a lease agreement, customers in the Stormarn district will still have representation, noted District Manager Thoralf Dutschke. The Dello Group (comprising Dello, Dürkop, and Autohaus Hansa Nord) traces its origins back to 1898 and is one of the oldest and largest Opel dealerships worldwide. With 55 locations across Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, Bremen, and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the group now distributes 22 automotive brands and employs approximately 1,800 people. According to the IfA / DAT Dealer Group Monitor 2023, the Northern German group recently sold over 31,000 new and used cars, with an annual turnover of 834 million euros. #dellogroup #opel #merging #strategy #dealership #acquisition https://lnkd.in/eJCBx_pr

Switzerland, Germany Kestenholz Group: Triple expansion The Kestenholz Group continues to grow: The Swiss took over three car dealership companies in Germany in 2023, including the seven locations of the Falter Group. 13.01.2024  Von Yvonne Simon, Kfz-Betrieb The Kestenholz Group grew strongly again in Germany in 2023. After the Swiss took over the Lyhs & Gondert car dealership in Koblenz in 2022, three more companies were added this year. The year 2023 began directly with the integration of Auto Weber in Freiburg. The car dealership, which is located on a 5,500 square meter site in an industrial area in Freiburg-Nord, is the second Kestenholz business in the city. The group had already had a branch at Haid in Freiburg-Süd. Takeover of the Falter Group We continued with the seven companies in February of the Falter Group: Kestenholz took over all 380 employees at the Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Bad Dürkheim, Grünstadt, Worms and Schwetzingen locations (Autohaus Rohr), Hockenheim (Autohaus Hahn am Ring) and Wiesloch (Autohaus Lehr). The former Falter managing director Holger Krimmel is also there COO remained in the company. With the takeover, Kestenholz is securing potential for considerable ches volume growth: The Falter Group recently marketed 1,210 new and 2,228 used cars per year. In July, Kestenholz finally expanded into the Eifel, Mosel and Hunsrück regions with the AHG-Newel Mercedes car dealerships. The companies are located in the municipalities of Simmern, Cochem and Enkirch. Newel employed 125 people in sales, service and administration at its three locations. Managing director Christian Coutelle and the previous team are still on board. Kestenholz has been working with the company since 1996 Takeover of a company in Lörrach on the German market. Kestenholz took the next, larger step across the border in 2015: At that time, Mercedes-Benz gave the company the branch operations in the South Baden market area (Freiburg/Breisgau and Bad Säckingen). Managing director Thomas Kestenholz now has to travel long distances when he wants to visit his companies. The travel time between the company headquarters in Pratteln near Basel and Koblenz is four hours. The group has now divided its market area into four economic areas with their own responsibilities: Rhineland, Palatinate, South Baden and Basel. https://lnkd.in/ewFGrkXM #autohaus #automobil #mercedes-benz #kestenholz #kfz #automotive #retail #automobile

■VW Retail Expands German Presence■ ■Volkswagen Group Retail Deutschland Expands Presence in Munich's Suburbs March 1, 2024 Source: autohaus, ARI_lg The Volkswagen Group Retail Deutschland (VGRD) is making significant strides in the outskirts of Munich and following approval from the Federal Cartel Office, Auto Rapp GmbH transitions to VGRD subsidiary Mahag Automobilhandel und Service GmbH. According to a company statement released on Friday, all 118 employees, including 24 apprentices, from the two Rapp car dealerships in Dachau and Karlsfeld will be retained. With this acquisition, the company aims to strengthen its presence in Bavaria, stated Jörg Kamenz, Managing Director of VGRD GmbH Region South and Mahag. "Both tradition and innovation characterize the success story of Auto Rapp GmbH, and we are very proud to welcome their employees as new colleagues under the Mahag umbrella within the Volkswagen Group Retail Deutschland." From Kamenz's perspective, the location of the two establishments (dealing with VW, VW Commercial Vehicles, Skoda and Audi) in the northwest of the Bavarian capital provides "optimal conditions to enhance the existing customer network and complement our sales network in the region ideally – together, we will embark on a successful path." He expressed gratitude to the previous owners for their constructive and fruitful discussions in recent months. Andreas Fehervary, Managing Director of Mahag, added, "Hans Rapp developed the company he founded, Auto Rapp, with great entrepreneurial skill and over 60 years of hard work into an excellent enterprise in the Munich area. He always kept an eye on the developments of his locations and placed great importance on employee development. Thus, the two locations fit perfectly into the Mahag corporate group (...)." Mahag represents brands such as Volkswagen, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Skoda, Seat, Cupra, Audi, Lamborghini and Porsche. Approximately 1,550 employees are employed at 19 locations in and around Munich. The company sells over 25,000 new and around 17,000 used cars annually. VGRD is the car dealership group of the VW Group and operates over 180 brand representations at more than 120 locations, primarily in German metropolitan regions. Approximately 10,000 employees annually sell more than 180,000 new and used cars. #dealership #acquisition #MahagAutomobilhandel #automotive https://lnkd.in/eYuPryzu

January 17, 2024 SWISS GARAGE DAY 2024: THE CAR TICKS FASTER THAN THE CLOCK Switzerland is one of the most successful innovation drivers in the international automotive industry. Federal Councilor Albert Rösti was also impressed by this in front of a record crowd on the 18th “Day of the Swiss Garages” organized by the Swiss Auto Trade Association (AGVS). Mathias Gabler, Managing Director of Amag, Marcel Guerry, CEO of Emil Frey Switzerland, and Markus Aegerter, AGVS management area of industry representation, where new earnings potential lies in the aftermarket and aftersales. Gabriel Galliker, CEO of the Galliker Group, offered an exciting insight into his own corporate philosophy. “Create your own and credible corporate culture and don’t follow every short-term trend,” is Galliker’s advice. The increasing electrification of the vehicle fleet is also changing the workshop business, as Rupert Hoellbacher, Chairman of the Mobility Aftermarket Division at Robert Bosch GmbH, explained: “The use of vehicle data for preventative maintenance will become increasingly important – also for workshop planning.” That's why the workshop professional's recommendation of what is needed for successful garage operations is clear: "Investment in training to keep up with the latest technologies, as well as openness and willingness to innovate." #automobil #garage #automotive #retail https://lnkd.in/dM82vekd