Mega-Dealers for Iveco Ford
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by Brian Weatherley
• Iveco Ford has dropped its plans to set up two national used truck retail centres in favour of 10 "Mega-Dealers", but the company warns that further changes could mean the end for several other dealerships around the UK.
The switch in strategy was revealed by Iveco Ford managing director Roger Phillips last week -almost a year to the day after he declared that Iveco Ford Truck was planning to establish two national retail centres in 1997.
Phillips stresses the decision was an amicable one with the IFT dealer network. Under the scheme, between eight and 10 Iveco Ford truck and van dealers with the greatest interest in, and highest throughput of, used vehicles will be nominated to the Mega-Dealer network. They will be required to retail 250-300 vans and trucks in a year, pro
viding vehicle preparation to an agreed level and strict retail pricing. They will also offer finance packages on used vehicles which could include operating leases.
However, as the number of trucks returning to all UK manufacturers under guaranteed buy-back deals increases, Phillips says the potential volume for the IFT used-vehicle operation could be much higher than 3,000 units per annum.
IFT is not restricting those satellite sites linked to the Mega-Dealers to its existing dealers—independent used dealers could also participate.
Iveco Ford's boss has also warned that the number of dealers in Iveco's UK network is likely to be reduced. "We will probably see a significant number of Iveco dealers in Europe, including some in the UK who will not be with us in the future," says Phillips.