Tag: Unipart
The Parts Alliance South West nominated for national award
The Parts Alliance’s South West region has been nominated for a national CAT magazine award. There will be a total of six CAT 2017 awards to celebrate leading achievements within the UK aftermarket. The Parts Alliance (South West) has been recognised in a shortlist of only four businesses in contention to be named ‘Factor Chain of the Year’. The Parts Alliance states the nomination comes in recognition of “a real turnaround in fortunes” for a group of eight branches once part of the Unipart network.
Andrew Page rebrands as Autoparts People
Parts and workshop equipment distributor Andrew Page has rebranded its entire national network, including many former Unipart Automotive centres. Covering the original Andrew Page and Camberley Auto Factors branches, as well as the 21 Unipart Automotive centres purchased in July, branches have now received new signage and team uniforms to reposition the group as Andrew Page, the Autoparts People.
Unipart Group enhances Unipart Car Care Centre proposition
In the wake of Unipart Automotive’s demise, Unipart Group sought to differentiate itself from the business that had been sold to H2 Equity Partners in 2011. The Unipart Group has now confirmed its commitment to another automotive business carrying the Unipart name. Unipart will develop the Unipart Car Care Centre proposition in order to make it more robust and compelling for both garages and motorists.
Second ex-Unipart Automotive director appointed regional Parts Alliance MD
A second former Unipart Automotive director has been recruited by The Parts Alliance. Joining south west regional director Paul Dineen, James Geldart will be responsible for the Eastern Alliance’s 21 branches, serving independent garages in London and the South East of England. Geldart was previously a divisional director with Unipart Automotive (UA), and was appointed with effect from Monday, 1 September.
Parts Alliance acquires 3 more Unipart Automotive sites, appoints ex-Car Care head
The Parts Alliance has acquired three more former Unipart Automotive (UA) branches. Located in the south west of England, the Chard, Frome and Plymouth sites are expected to re-open around the end of September, according to The Parts Alliance. They bring the number of former Unipart Automotive branches acquired by the HgCapital-owned business group to 15 including the 12 acquired in July after UA went into administration. 24 more jobs have been saved as a result, while Paul Dineen, formerly regional director with UA and head of the Unipart Car Care Centres (UCCC) programme, has been recruited to oversee the eight ex-UA sites in Barnstaple, Penryn, Taunton, Tiverton and Exeter.
Euro Car Parts to create 1500 jobs over the next 18 months
Following the collapse of Unipart Automotive last week, competitor and former front-runner in potential rescue talks, Euro Car Parts, has announced that it plans to create 1500 jobs over the next 18 months. The fact that this figure is roughly equivalent to the entire size of the former Unipart Automotive workforce should not be overlooked. Neither should the obvious question – how? With this and the Unipart collapse in mind, what looks clear is that, compare with the first half of this year, the automotive aftermarket will be a significantly different place.
Unipart Automotive administrator to support staff redundancy procedures
Administrator KPMG will support 1,244 Unipart Automotive staff through the redundancy process. The firm said its team of employment specialists will also put staff in touch with job seeker services. Further information on Unipart Automotive for all interested parties will also be posted on KPMG’s Insolvency Portal.
Unipart Automotive branches’ fate – full list
33 Unipart Automotive sites were transferred to Andrew Page and The Parts Alliance in a deal that saved 361 jobs. The full list of sites taken on by Andrew Page and the Parts Alliance is published below, while the remaining 147 sites that are currently inactive follow.
Unipart Group ‘saddened’, restates distance from Unipart Automotive
The Unipart Group has released a statement on Unipart Automotive’s descent into administration and the partial rescue by a joint deal between Andrew Page and The Parts Alliance. While expressing sympathy for the company’s plight, the Unipart Group sought to delineate the boundary between the Unipart business units of which it remains in control and the stricken parts distributor.
Andrew Page, The Parts Alliance buy 33 Unipart Automotive branches
Automotive parts business Andrew Page has rescued around 350 jobs, spearheading a deal with The Parts Alliance to takeover 33 branches of Unipart Automotive, which entered administration today. Andrew Page has taken 21 branches and The Parts Alliance a total of 12, with the terms of the deal as yet undisclosed. Andrew Page rejoined major UK and Ireland buying and distribution group The Parts Alliance following a six year absence on 8 July, coinciding with Unipart Automotive’s announcement that it had put the administrators on standby, a clear signal that some kind of move was on the cards. Tyrepress estimated Andrew Page possessed a growing share of the automotive parts market of around seven per cent at the time; the company will expect today’s news will help to grow that share quickly, having increased its existing network of 93 branches by 23 per cent.
Unipart Automotive enters administration, Andrew Page/Parts Alliance JV saves 33 branches
After two weeks of intensive rescue talks, Unipart Automotive has failed to find a buyer and called in administrators KPMG. Immediately afterwards administrators sold part of the business in a joint deal to car parts/workshop equipment distributors Andrew Page and The Parts Alliance. The deal will see Andrew Page acquire 21 branches and The Parts Alliance a total of 12. A total of 361 staff employed across these sites have transferred to Andrew Page and The Parts Alliance with immediate effect. Andrew Page announced it had rejoined The Parts Alliance on 8 July, the same day the news broke that Unipart Automotive had put the administrators on alert and was seeking out a rescue plan.
Unipart Group addresses Unipart Automotive confusion
Unipart Group wishes to make clear that it is a separate entity to Unipart Automotive. The company has published the following statement on its website: “Recent press coverage has confused Unipart Automotive with Unipart Group. It is important to note that Unipart Group and Unipart Automotive are different companies.
Unipart Automotive has another week to negotiate rescue deal
At the end of last week Unipart Automotive renewed its intention to appoint administrators, which several sources have named as being KPMG. This is significant because, as was the case when news of the rescue talks broke on 8 July, such an announcement not only raises the possibility of the company entering administration but it can also provide a moratorium which acts as protection for a limited time.
New bidders enter into Unipart Automotive rescue talks
While there hasn't yet been a clear outcome of the Unipart Automotive rescue talks, new bidders have entered into takeover discussions. Sources close to the talks have confirmed to Tyres & Accessories that buyout firm R Capital, which is known for an earlier rescue of the Little Chef chain in 2007 (the café business was sold to Kuwaiti investors last year) has now entered the Unipart Automotive rescue talks.
Are Unipart Automotive rescue bids in?
Sources are reporting that the Unipart Automotive rescue bids have been received and we are likely to hear the outcome in the next 24 hours, but these claims could not be officially verified. Earlier in the week separate sources close to the negotiations told Tyres & Accessories they were expecting talks to conclude towards the end of the week, which would seem to fit into the same timeframe. With managers saying they were hopeful talks could be wrapped up in 36 hours at the beginning of the process on 8 July, the fact that almost 10 days have now passed suggests things are becoming increasingly urgent. It is also putting pressure on its loyal workforce. However, the official line from shareholders Unipart Group and H2 Equity as well as one of the three bidders Euro Car Parts has been a unified “no comment”.