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The Joe Duffy Group has confirmed that it has agreed to acquire Motor Park Athlone, subject to gaining the approval from the Competition Authority. Currently, Motorpark Athlone operates as authorised dealers for Ford and Volvo Cars from its location on the New Tuam Road in Monksland.
Commenting on news of the deal, Gavin Hydes, Group CEO of the Joe Duffy Group, said: "I am delighted to confirm that we have agreed to purchase Motorpark Athlone, subject to the statutory approval of the Competition Authority. We expect to complete the acquisition in late March 2018, and with the addition to our Group, we anticipate another 20 people to join our team. This acquisition, which will be our second Ford and Volvo dealership, further demonstrates our confidence in the Ford and Volvo brands and our ambition to grow the Group and increase our national footprint. Pending approval, I look forward to welcoming the team at Athlone to the Group. I am very excited about the future and what we can achieve together with our latest addition to the Joe Duffy Group".
Speaking about the agreement, Michael Barry, CEO of Motorpark, said: "When selling the business, it was imperative to the Group and me personally, that we found somebody who mirrored our values and culture and would ensure the continuity of our business and continuance of service for our employees. The Joe Duffy Group is Ireland's largest retail motor group. They have strong core values that mirror our own culture, which we believe is crucial to ensuring that our employees and customers continue to experience working with and receiving our excellent customer service in a way that has become synonymous with our brand. For the team, they will benefit from being part of a group with ambitious expansion plans, further opportunity, and career development opportunities. I am incredibly grateful to the team for their commitment and extremely happy that they will be joining an equally as driven and ambitious group."