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Vauxhall switches van emphasis to small businesses
Date: 30 April 2007
Vauxhall is focussing its commercial vehicle operation on increasing its sales in the small business market in a bid to hit record sales this year.
Speaking exclusively to BusinessCar at the CV Show last week, Vauxhall MD Bill Parfitt outlined his plans.
"The market is quite strong at the moment. In Western Europe the market is static, but in Eastern Europe it is going great. The UK is quite strong at the moment and we're anticipating a record year with between 53,000 and 54,000 vans."
Last year Vauxhall's van sales finished the year at about 48,000 with corporate sales down 11% accounting for 77% of this total.
Parfitt put the decrease in business last year down to a move away from low profit business.
"Last year sales were down because we walked away from a couple of big accounts. We did tender for the deals but it was a deliberate policy to walk away from the low margin, high discount business.
"There were also a few glitches last year with Astravan production, but we're at full supply this year," he added.
Parfitt was speaking at the CV Show where Vauxhall launched the Astravan and Corsavan in Sportive trim level.
"We're getting into the small business market - particularly with the sporty van market. Small business is where we're looking at for growth," commented Parfitt.
