Halliwell Jones completes investment drive

NORTH West motor dealership Halliwell Jones Group has completed a major expansion project with the opening of a £5.5m service centre in Chester.

The independent group, which has five car sites in the North West of England and Wales, funded the investment in the Chester body shop and service centre through a £7.6m loan from the The Co-operative Bank in Manchester.

The Chester upgrade features 26 service and two MOT bays, boosting capacity by over 250%. A 45 foot video wall to keep passengers updated on new products is also included along with a three lane internal drive-through reception area.

Halliwell Jones finance director Glyn Howes, said: “This is an exciting time for the group, in particular with the expansion at Chester. Success can bring certain challenges and the new development at Chester allows us to deliver the excellent quality of customer service that we aim for.

“We are now operating more efficiently, but also creating more jobs. We now employ over 350 staff, with turnover expected to break the £240m barrier in 2013.

“We are always looking to grow the number of dealerships we have, but our recent investments clearly demonstrate that we are focused on improving our existing business too.”

The Warrington-based group, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in December 2012, opened a new Mini dealership in Southport in April 2012 which was followed in August 2012 by the doubling in size of the Mini dealership at the Warrington site.

Steve Lomax, senior corporate manager at the Manchester corporate banking centre of The Co-operative Bank, said: “The successful expansion of Halliwell Jones Group, finishing with the impressive modern new centre in Chester, is a reflection of the high quality of standards and service that the group is known for across the North West and Wales.

“We pride ourselves at The Co-operative Bank on building successful
long-term relationships with our customers and are proud to have supported the group over the last nine years to achieve their ambitions and create new local jobs.”