The agreement between Kverneland Bil and Bilservice Holding says that Kverneland Bil will take over all of Bay Auto AS's shares. Bay Auto is a full-service Ford store in Kristiansand, Mandal, and Lyngdal. It is the fifth-largest Ford dealer in Norway.
Hans Petter Bgh Hafs from Bay Auto says that it is sad to leave the company to a new owner but that consolidation is needed in the car industry and that Kverneland Bil fits well with the way Bay Auto works and its culture. He says they like the synergies that are a natural part of the acquisition's goals.
Kverneland Bil represents Ford in Stavanger/Sandnes, Bryne, Haugesund, and Bergen. Even before the acquisition, Kverneland Bil was a significant player for Ford.The company is the oldest Ford dealer in Europe that is owned and run by the same family. It has a strong foundation for long-term operations and happy customers in southern Norway.
Helge Ellingsen, the managing director of Kverneland Bil, looks forward to Ford's growing representation. Ellingsen says, "We see that the way the industry is changing with new forms of distribution, more digitalization, and consolidation requires cooperation and operational optimization in a growing number of areas." Ford's growing product line, which includes many new Ford electric cars and commercial vehicles, gives us a lot of opportunities in a larger area. He says the purchase fits well with our Ford business and makes it easier for us to work even better and closer with the importer.
Chairman and owner Dne Kverneland says that the purchase strengthens the company's relationship with Ford, which dates back 100 years, and fits well with the company's plan to grow.
"We're excited to meet new good customers and employees in the south, and we're sure that these businesses will be good for everyone involved," he says.
Gunnar Berg, the CEO of Ford Motor Norway, sees the purchase as a natural way to combine businesses in this part of the country. The purchase will strengthen Kverneland and Ford, with a uniform distribution from Bergen to Kristiansand, passing through Haugesund, Stavanger, Sandnes, Bryne, Kvinesdal, Lyngdal, Mandal, and Kristiansand.
"We see this as a good common foundation for implementing future distribution, with connected cars, seamless online and offline customer experiences, and a big growth plan for Ford in Norway," he says.
Bay Auto is a Ford dealer with stores in Kristiansand, Mandal, and Lyngdal. In 2021, the company made $480 million in sales and had 55 employees.
Kverneland Bil's main office is in Stavanger, representing Ford, Volvo, Polestar, Mazda, MG, Jaguar, Land Rover, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, and Jeep, among other brands. The company has offices in Oslo, Bryne, Bergen, Haugesund, and Stavanger/Sandnes. In 2021, the company made $2.7 billion in sales and had 270 employees.
