Following the earlier news that Unipart Automotive has announced its intention to file an ‘intent of administration’ notice, Mark Dixon, Unipart Automotive chief executive, has told Sky News: “In response to current press speculation I can confirm that Unipart Automotive Limited are currently in detailed discussions with three parties in respect of the sale of the business.
“We are very hopeful of concluding this transaction in the next 36 hours. A notice of intention to appoint administrators has been filed, but merely with the intention of protecting Unipart Automotive while we complete this sale process.”
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What is going on in the aftermarket, Unipart going into administration, Page back into the Parts Alliance, all the time prices and quality being driven down. It all smacks of the mid 90’s, when Partco and Finelist fought hammer and tongue, destroyed the market and independents were left to pick up the pieces. Problem now is, Euro, Page and the like have driven the indies away, if a big player like Unipart cannot compete profitably, how can independents. Options exist, like buying groups etc, but when the market is price driven even the quality of products go out of the window. Independents want to supply oe quality at value for money prices, I cannot believe a garage customer, when booking his car in asks the mechanic to fit the cheapest parts possible to his pride and joy, time to educate the motor trade again before choice is not an option.
Bravo to the CEO (John) and the majority investor (H2) for screwing this family branded business into the ground. Without doubt Mr Singh’s business acumen could not be matched even with the might of Unipart’s market share and the recruitment of graduate programmes that accelerated the death of this brand being lead by over sighted egotistical process driven fanatics. The only value this brand now has is the few contracts like AA / Kwikfit which are already saturated that the likes of ECP are going for. Strip it and all the poor folk will be signing on and driving the parts persons wages into the ground !
Saw it coming years ago, being told how to run a branch by people who had never set foot it one, or a garage. Over complicating stock control systems and endless branch “oracle” meetings. All the while this was going on, other companies upped their game.