The history of Marshall Motor Group

October 2021

MARSHALL ACQUISITION OF MOTORLINE

Marshall Motor Holdings Plc, has announced the strategic acquisition of the entire issued share capital of Motorline Holdings Limited (including all of its subsidiaries). Motorline operates across Kent, West Sussex, Surrey, Berkshire, Bristol, South Wales and the West Midlands representing nine brands through 48 operating franchises including Toyota, Lexus, Hyundai, Volkswagen, Audi, SKODA, Nissan, Peugeot and Maserati. In addition, it operates four Trade Parts Specialist (TPS) businesses and five used car centres.

July 2021

MARSHALL ACQUISITION OF NISSAN LEICESTER

Marshall Motor Group announce the acquisition of Nissan Leicester. The acquisition includes the purchase of a three-acre freehold site on Abbey Lane in Leicester.

May 2021

CHELTENHAM AND GLOUCESTER JAGUAR LAND ROVER ACQUISITION​

Marshall Motor Group announce the acquisition of Cheltenham and Gloucester Jaguar Land Rover from Heritage Automotive.

2021

MARSHALL FORD TRANSIT CENTRE KING'S LYNN OPENS​

Marshall Ford Transit Centre King's Lynn opens - retailing new and used Ford Vans alongside cars (following the site's extensive refurbishment and showroom expansion)

2021

​THE OPENING OF MARSHALL SEAT & CUPRA OXFORD

The opening of Marshall SEAT & CUPRA Oxford, Milton Park, Abingdon - the UK’s largest single ownership business community with 250 diverse and dynamic businesses and 9,000 people.

2020

MARSHALL WIN MOTOR TRADER "EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR" AWARD 2020

This prestigious award recognises how the business was lead through these unprecedented times and the actions Marshall took as a management team (and also at retailer level). The judges commended Marshall on their lockdown actions, colleague engagement programmes, lockdown microsite, communication and video updates and how Marshall pulled together as one team to ensure they all ‘stayed safe, stayed positive and stayed Marshall’.

2020

ADRIAN WALLINGTON, SIMON ELLIOTT, CAROLINE ILLING AND MATT WILLMOTT APPOINTED​

MMH plc appoint Adrian Wallington, as the Group’s commercial vehicle director, Simon Elliott director of commercial vehicles, Caroline Illing joined as HR employment lawyer and Matt Willmott the post of head of group legal.

2020

VOLKSWAGEN AYLESBURY ACQUISITION ​

The purchase of Volkswagen Aylesbury formed part of the original acquisition of Volkswagen businesses from Jardine in December of last year (Harlow, Letchworth, Loughton, Milton Keynes and St Albans), however, was delayed due to property aspects of the asset and the lockdown period. 38 colleagues have transferred to Marshall Motor Group effective immediately.

2020

GREAT PLACE TO WORK®

2019

JARDINE MOTOR GROUP ACQUISITION​

Wednesday 18 December 2019, Marshall Motor Holdings plc completed the acquisition of the Volkswagen businesses in Harlow, Letchworth, Loughton, Milton Keynes and St Albans from Jardine Motor Group. The purchase also included the Loughton Volkswagen Van Centre, Loughton Paint & Body Repair Centre and SKODA Milton Keynes. The acquisition was completed in consultation and with the support of Volkswagen UK.

2019

GREAT PLACE TO WORK®

Following an extensive external audit of our management, HR practices and culture Marshall Motor Holdings plc was named by Great Place to Work®​ UK as one of the UK’s Best Super Large Workplaces achieving a ranking of 11th in the Best UK Super Large Workplaces category. We were also presented with a coveted Laureate award to recognise Best Workplace status for five consecutive years.

2019

VOLVO​ DERBY ACQUISITION

Friday 20 December 2019, Marshall Motor Holdings plc completed the acquisition of the Volvo business in Derby from Vertu Motors plc. The acquisition was completed in consultation and with the support of Volvo UK.

Also effective 20 December 2019 we relocated the business too, just off Pride Parkway, Stadium View on Pride Park

2019

PROGRESS SKODA ACQUISITION

Marshall acquire Progress SKODA, a further four SKODA businesses in Bedford, Harlow, Letchworth and Northampton which brings our SKODA representation to 11 making us their largest brand partner in the UK.

2019

SKODA ACQUISITION

Marshall have strengthened and extended their brand reach by acquiring SKODA Leicester and SKODA Nottingham from Sandicliffe Limited. Taking the groups brand representation to seven makes Marshall one of their largest brand partners.

2018

GREAT PLACE TO WORK®

Following an extensive external audit of our management, HR practices and culture Marshall Motor Holdings plc was named by Great Place to Work®​ UK as one of the UK’s Best Large Workplaces achieving a ranking of 21st in the Best UK Large Workplaces category.

2017

GREAT PLACE TO WORK®​

Following an extensive external audit of our management, HR practices and culture Marshall Motor Holdings plc was named by Great Place to Work®​ UK as one of the UK’s Best Large Workplaces achieving a ranking of 22nd in the Best UK Large Workplaces category.

2017

STRATEGIC DISPOSAL OF MARSHALL LEASING

MMH strengthens its financial position further allowing management to focus on driving the core retail operations and take advance of opportunities in a changing and consolidating retail landscape

2017

VOLVO LEEDS ACQUISITION

Marshall cements its position as Volvo’s largest franchise partner with the acquisition of Volvo Leeds from Harratts Group. This takes the Group to 104 franchise locations across 26 counties.

2016

GREAT PLACE TO WORK®

Following an extensive external audit of our management, HR practices and culture Marshall Motor Holdings plc was named by Great Place to Work®​ UK as one of the UK’s Best Large Workplaces achieving a ranking of 19th in the Best UK Large Workplaces category.

2016

RIDGEWAY ACQUISITION

Marshall acquires Ridgeway for £106.9m taking the Group to 103 franchise locations, 25 counties and in excess of £2 Billion in turnover.

Ridgeway brand partners are Audi, BMW, Volkswagen, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Maserati, MINI, SKODA and smart. The acquisition extends Marshall’s footprint into new and attractive geographic territories across Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, West Sussex, Dorset, and Wiltshire.

2015

GREAT PLACE TO WORK​®

Following an extensive audit of our management and HR practices Marshall Motor Holdings PLC were named by the Great Place to Work®​ Institute as one of the UK’s Best Large Workplaces. Achieving a ranking of 26th in the Best Large UK Companies category.

2015

S G SMITH ACQUISITION​

Marshall Motor Group acquire S G Smith for £24.4 Million taking the group to 76 franchise locations, 19 counties and in excess of £1.2 Billion in turnover.

SGS brand partners are Audi in the Wimbledon, Coulsdon, Bexley and Beckenham market areas; Skoda in Croydon; and Mercedes Benz commercial (after sales only) in Croydon. The acquisition extends Marshall’s footprint into new and attractive geographic territories, being the Kent, Surrey and London markets.

2014

PETER JOHNSON JOINS AS NON EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN

Peter has over 40 years’ experience in the automotive sector, spending 30 years in senior roles in retail and distribution with the Rover group, Inchcape and Marshall. After previously leading the Marshall retail business between 1990 and 1995, he joined Inchcape, heading up its retail operation. He was then appointed to run Inchcape Motors International and in 1999 was made the Chief Executive of Inchcape plc. During the period between 1999 and 2005, working alongside Alan Ferguson, Daksh Gupta and Mark Raban, Peter oversaw the group’s growth in market capitalisation from around £250 million to over £1.5 billion.

Peter has served on the Bunzl Public Limited Company board from 2006 to 2015 as its senior independent director and chairman of its remuneration committee. He also chaired Rank Plc. from 2007 to 2012 and served on the Wates Group Limited board from 2003 to 2013. Peter was appointed chairman of the Retail Motor Industry Federation during 2015 and remains in that position.

2014

4TH GERMAN BRAND BMW

2014 saw the start of the second phase of the Group’s strategy to implement the "Vision". (See section on Vision). The acquisition of Crystal Motor Group was core to increasing the Marshall Motor Group’s exposure to the premium motor retailing sector with the acquisition of BMW and Mini, with sites located at Scunthorpe and Grimsby.

2014

THE GROUPS FIRST PRESTIGE BRAND

The Groups first prestige brand, Maserati was opened in Peterborough mid 2014.

2014

STRATEGIC CHANGE COMPLETED

By the end of 2014, Marshall had exited 25 non-core or loss making operations and a number of other businesses that were no longer key to its strategy. During this time, it made 13 acquisitions as well as building six start-ups, together adding 51 franchises.

2014

STRATEGIC CHANGE PHASE 2 (VISION)

After completing Strategic Change Phase 1, Marshall continued its strategic development with its Vision and five core pillars: Class Leading Returns, Customer First, Retailing Excellence, People Centric, Strategic Growth.

2013

3RD GERMAN BRAND AUDI​

With the acquisition of Silver Street the Group increased its exposure to VW, adding a further 5 VW dealerships and also introducing a new premium German brand, with 4 Audi dealerships. The acquisition provided Marshall Motor Group with an extension to its geographical reach, with sites based in the South West of England: Plymouth, Barnstaple, Exeter and Taunton.

2012

2ND GERMAN BRAND VOLKSWAGEN​

The acquisition of F-Cross and Son enabled Marshall Motor Group to add the additional franchise brand of VW in Scunthorpe Passenger cars (PC) and Commercial Vehicles, Grimsby VW (PC) and Scunthorpe Kia.

2011

NEW BUSINESSES​

The acquisition of a number of dealerships from Pilling Motor Group, increased the group’s exposure to Volvo, Renault, Dacia and Mazda. The Group also added to its Honda business with the acquisition of Harrogate Honda.

2010

1ST GERMAN BRAND MERCEDES-BENZ​

Mercedes Benz Area 5 was awarded to Marshall Motor Group, giving the Group its first premium German franchise brand. The acquisition broadened Marshall Motor Group’s geographical presence away from East Anglia to the North West of England, with Mercedes Benz dealerships at Blackburn, Blackpool, Bolton, Preston and South Lakes.

2009

FIRST ACQUISITIONS

Marshall Motor Group acquired two businesses in 2009, 3 Honda dealerships from De Vries: Hull Honda, Scarborough Honda and York Honda and acquired one Jaguar dealerships in Ipswich. A number of new start-ups were added to the retail portfolio, which included Ipswich Kia and Cambridge Hyundai.

2008

STRATEGIC CHANGE PLATFORM FOR GROWTH

In 2008 Marshall Motor Group started its growth strategy, which included the restructuring of the Group’s portfolio of automotive brands. A target was set that the business would be profitable, reach a turnover of £1bn by end 2013, be a high ranking great place to work and focus on a number of preferred automotive manufacturing brands that would lead the way in shaping the global automotive market.

2008

DAKSH GUPTA JOINS MARSHALL MOTOR GROUP​

Daksh Gupta joins Marshall Motor Group - he has over 20 years’ experience in the automotive retail sector and joined the Company in 2008 as its Chief Executive Officer.

1995

MARSHALL CAR CENTRE​

Marshall Motor Group was one of the first to develop a purpose-built multi-franchise operations with the opening of the Marshall Car Centre on Newmarket Road in Cambridge, utilising land already owned by the company. Parts Warehouse with a large dedicated used car operation, a 60,000ft2 parts warehouse and 8 franchise specific showrooms and workshops, this innovative new concept led the industry.

1990

PETER JOHNSON JOINED MARSHALL MOTOR GROUP

Peter Johnson joined Marshall Motor Group in 1990 and left in 1995​

1970

BROADENING THE FRANCHISE BASE​

The nationalisation and subsequent privatisation of the British motor manufacturing industry during the 60s/70s/80s saw Marshall’s franchise base broaden to include most of the well-known British marques: Austin, Morris, Rover, Jaguar, Triumph, Land Rover, Leyland, Rolls Royce Bentley and Aston Martin.

1945

AIRPORT GARAGE​

The opening of the Company’s second airfield presented Marshall with an opportunity to open a second garage, known as Airport Garage. Having been closed down as part of the war effort during the Second World War, both garages re-opened in 1945, with Jesus Lane concentrating on Austin Cars and Airport Garage focusing on Austin Trucks.

1937

NEW CAMBRIDGE AIRPORT​

The company purchased the necessary farmland and in 1937 the new Cambridge Airport was officially opened by the then Secretary of State for Air, Sir Kingsley Wood. This was very opportune for re-armament was becoming an urgent national priority, along with the need for even more facilities for military aircrew training.​

1920

SIR HERBERT AUSTIN​

A chance meeting with Sir Herbert (later Lord) Austin during the Great War when David Marshall’s reserved occupation was as a catering manager, resulted in Marshall being awarded the Distributorship for Austin in Cambridgeshire immediately after the war, although the formal contracts were not signed until 1920.

1914 - 1918

FIRST WORLD WAR​

During the 1914-1918 War, the company’s premises, which had relocated to Jesus Lane in 1912 when the trade expanded to include selling cars, were used for servicing and repairing of vehicles required for the war effort.

1909

​THE BUSINESS IS FOUNDED

Marshall of Cambridge was established in 1909 by David Gregory Marshall, in a small lock-up garage in Brunswick Gardens, Cambridge as a chauffeur drive company, which was an immediate success and prompted the move to larger premises in Kings Street in 1910.