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Page 21
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Foreign dealers' market shore up
THE CONTINUED penetra• tion of foreign commercial vehicles on the British market is reflected in an ICC Business Ratio Report on foreign vehicle distributors' performance.
It analysed the results of 30 leading distributors — car and commercial vehicle — and finds that sales of foreign vehicles have risen by 79.3 per cent over the past three years.
The major part of this was a 40.4 per cent rise last year, whereas sales in the second year were 27.7 per cent up.
Profit margins have risen from 1.8 per cent to 3.2 per cent on average, while the number of loss-making firms has declined from nine in 1974/75 to only four last year.
The average return on capital nearly doubled from 13.6 per cent to 25.2 per cent.
Imports of commercial vehicles over the period have risen to 20 per cent of the market, and they are still rising.
The report, price £44, is available from ICC Business Ratios at 81 City Road, London, EClY 1BD.