One of Ireland's leading vehicle importers, Gowan Auto, a subsidiary of the larger Gowan Group of companies, has officially opened its new distribution centre located at Citywest in Dublin. The new site has seen €30m of investment ploughed into it so that Gowan Auto can boost the efficiency of its business and help shorten delivery times for customers.
The Citywest site was officially opened by Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, Paschal Donohue TD, and Peugeot Chief Executive Officer and member of the Top Executive Team at Stellantis N.V., Linda Jackson.
Gowan Auto is the importer and distributor for Stellantis passenger car brands Alfa Romeo, Citroen, DS Automobiles, Fiat, Jeep, Opel and Peugeot, as well as the Fiat Professional commercial vehicles division - and also looks after Honda's interests in Ireland.
140 dealers, 10 per cent of the car market
The group covers 140 dealerships across the country, and in 2022 Gowan Auto accounted for 10 per cent of all passenger car registrations in Ireland, as well as 25 per cent of all light commercial vehicle registrations in the same year.
The new Citywest distribution centre features state-of-the-art facilities, including a new warehouse, offices, a training academy and showroom, while 130 employees work at the site. The warehouse has an increased capacity so that more stock can be held and should ensure shorter delivery times, while a new suite of central services has also been introduced. That means the whole of the Gowan dealer network can gain quick access to IT support, enhanced customer care and parts and finance departments.
One major enhancement of the Citywest site is the introduction of 26 EV charging bays, which is the most at any one location in Ireland. This will facilitate Gowan's ability to cater for new EV models from its brands, and means the company is on target to meet 2030 emissions targets.
Opening attended by CEO of Peugeot
Speaking at the grand opening, Michael Dwan, CEO of Gowan Group, commented: "We are pleased to officially open the new Gowan Auto distribution centre, including flagship showroom, training academy and warehouse. It is a really positive step in our story and will result in increased efficiencies and accessibility for our dealer network.
"This investment will play an important role in our growth over the coming years as we target considerable expansion in key areas. One such area where we see a significant opportunity is electric vehicles. This is a major focus for us and our partners as we aim to fully support the government's ambitious climate action targets, as each of our brands fully embraces a move to pure electric, zero local-emissions mobility."
Peugeot CEO Linda Jackson attended the opening in Dublin and added: "The strategic ambition of Gowan Auto is clearly demonstrated by this major investment which has delivered a state-of-the-art facility on a par with anything I've seen across Europe. The foundations and track record of this family business underpin Gowan Auto's growth and development, and we at Peugeot, as part of Stellantis, look forward to continuing our strong commercial relationship with the business."