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The management team running Road Range Commercials, the Mercedes-Benz truck and van dealer for Merseyside and North Wales, have acquired a majority stake in the business.
The new owners are former Dealer Principal Brian Kempson, who takes on the role of Managing Director, and Financial Director Mike Jones.
With the ink still drying on paperwork finalising the deal, their first task was to confirm their commitment to the completion of a £1.5-million project to construct a purpose-built dealership in Deeside.
Road Range has long operated a site in Zone 3 of the Deeside Industrial Park, but the premises are cramped and offer no room for the expansion needed to cope with growing business and increasing demands for the company’s products and services.
"The new site is in Zone 2 and will be a massive improvement," enthused Brian. "It’s more conveniently located closer to the A55 and will allow us to show off our award-winning Mercedes-Benz trucks and vans, and Fuso Canter light trucks, to both fleet and retail customers. It will also give us more workshop space in which to service our customers’ vehicles, and allow us to provide an attractive, welcoming showroom and reception area."
Road Range is confident the development, which is scheduled to open in June, will help it to attract more retail van customers. The cutting-edge service centre, meanwhile, will have 10 full-length bays and a dedicated VOSA Authorised Test Facility lane, with full Petroleum Regulation Standard, allowing the dealer to offer improved service levels in a highly competitive area.
"Delivering the highest levels of customer service is the top priority across all of our locations," confirmed Brian. "Mike and I now own the business as well as running it, which means that 100 per cent of our time is focused on making sure we offer truck and van operators not only the finest commercial vehicles on the market, but also the best possible service, parts, warranty and breakdown cover."
He continued: "Both of us have long held ambitions to own a successful business and we are very excited to have bought into a company which we have helped to grow; Road Range has an excellent track record and the new facility will allow us to develop this even further."
The new directors have purchased their controlling share of the capital of Road Range Commercials from previous owner the Robert Smith Group – RSG Chairman Talbot Smith, who provided financial support for the buyout, and Financial Director Chris Hodgkins, who has been instrumental in planning the new development at Deeside, will continue to serve on the new board to ensure a smooth transition.
Brian said: "Road Range Commercials operates in a thriving geographic area and has excellent staff across all areas of the business, as well as a strong customer base and top-quality network of suppliers.
"We would like to thank Mercedes-Benz UK, which gave us full support throughout this process, and the Robert Smith Group for their faith and the financial support to build a centre for truck and van excellence. Now the acquisition has gone through the hard work starts – we look forward to building on an already-strong reputation for customer service and further enhancing the quality of our offering to local operators."
Road Range Commercials sells and supports the entire Mercedes-Benz truck and van range, from the 2.7-tonne Vito to the mighty Actros tractor unit, as well as the Fuso Canter family of light trucks, from two sites in Liverpool, the Deeside dealership, and a fourth centre at Llandudno Junction.
