New owner for Wolverhampton BMW dealers
A Wolverhampton city centre motor dealership has changed hands and is now owned by a family group with Black country links.
Rybrook Holdings has increased its BMW and MINI chain of dealerships with the purchase of Benham in Lever Street.
The purchase also adds BMW Motorrad motorcycles to the Rybrook portfolio.
Managing director Henry Whale said that the deal underpins the group’s strategic aim to expand its retailer network and be the leading privately owned automotive group specialising in premium brands.
Benham has been rebranded as Rybrook Wolverhampton and adds to its existing BMW and MINI locations in Shrewsbury, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick and Worcester.
The acquisition comes as the Whale family, who operate Warwick-based Rybrook Holdings and whose roots are in the Black Country, celebrate their 80th year in the automotive industry.
Ryland Motors was founded in 1937 and was initially involved in truck sales and coach building. By the 1950s Ryland’s focus changed to passenger cars.
“Acquiring Benham is a great addition to the group and we look forward to working alongside the team to further strengthen their business.
“As a business we are keen to invest in the BMW and MINI brand and its associated values of customer satisfaction and drive to innovate.
"Alongside our other BMW and MINI businesses, the purchase of Benham is a perfect strategic fit as it adds to our contiguous BMW and MINI representation around the Midlands and I am certain that this will not only be beneficial to the Wolverhampton site but also to our existing BMW Group businesses,"said Mr Whale.
"I’m also delighted that during my family’s 80th year in the automotive industry we will be returning to Wolverhampton. ”
The dealer group's other franchises including Bentley, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lamborghini, McLaren, Porsche, Rolls-Royce and Volvo.
Rybrook Holdings has bought Paymill Motor Holdings, which operated Benham and had turnover of £56.7 million in the year to December 2015.
Steve Mills, owner of Paymill, said: “I am very proud to have spent the past eight years building a successful business working with great brands in BMW, MINI and Motorrad.
“I would like to thank the team at Benham for all their support and hard work and I have total confidence that this team, with the support of Rybrook, will continue to grow and prosper.”
Benham, which employed more than 100, invested £500,000 in its MINI dealership in 2015.
The £7 million showroom and servicing centre opened in 2009 after moving from nearby Raby Street – where it had been situated since 1993.
