Dealers face 'glittering future'
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• British truck dealers face a "glittering future" now that the age of closures and mergers is over, according to MAN Volkswagen director Richard Ide.
At the Institute of the Motor Industry Western Counties Regional Prestige Seminar in Bristol last week, Ide said: "The climate for the profitable management of a truck dealership today is better than I can ever remember."
Most manufactureres agree that the market, though buoyant, has improved remarkably over the past twelve months — but this does not mean that market conditions are ideal, says the chairman of Leyland Daf Dealer Association, Bill Beadnell: "While we have these conditions of buoyancy and the demand for trucks is there, it is not reflected in the retail margins, says Beadnell. "Certainly trucks are a business opportunity, but selling vehicles is very competitive and not very profitable. "Glittering future" is the kind of thing a politician would say. Perhaps Richard Ide has a crystal ball."
Iveco Ford Truck marketing director David Gill said that dealers had invested over £10 million of their own money to improve their businesses and were expected to do the same this year. A glittering future was a long way off yet, according to Iveco Ford.
Mercedes-Benz was even more cautious and was not prepared to comment.