Carcraft

Carcraft was an independent British used-car retailer that operated a national network of large vehicle supermarkets. The business was founded in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, in 1951 by Frank McKee and developed around the sale of used cars from multiple manufacturers rather than a single marque. Its inventory reportedly ranged from Alfa Romeo to Volvo, reflecting the broad, high-volume model associated with used-car supermarkets. At its height, Carcraft operated eleven locations across the United Kingdom. The company remained under the McKee family for much of its history. In July 1998, Frank McKee's sons Noel and Darren McKee bought the business in a transaction valued at £50 million. The deal was supported by the Development Capital arm of the Royal Bank of Scotland. Carcraft subsequently expanded through acquisitions. In April 2000, it bought a car supermarket in Newport from Car Group, which was in receivership, for £10 million. It also acquired a former Carland site in Sheffield. Later in 2000, the business was put up for sale with an asking price of £200 million, although the available reference material does not establish that the proposed sale was completed. Carcraft broadened its activities beyond straightforward used-car retailing in December 2005, when it established All in One leasing. The contract-hire operation was designed for companies operating small- and medium-sized fleets. It supplied new leased vehicles, replaced them when contracts ended, and then channelled the returned vehicles into Carcraft's used-car supermarkets. This created a link between fleet leasing and the group's core used-vehicle business. In October 2006, Carcraft acquired four additional sites from Carland, in Chertsey, Enfield, Lakeside and Stockport. The brand received industry recognition in 2011. Experian identified Carcraft's website as the most visited in the UK automotive and dealership category and presented it with a Hitwise Top 10 Award. The company also received a Quality Driven Award for customer service from Easi Drive. In April 2014, an internally led management buyout was headed by chief executive Robin Bridge and backed by Apollo Ventures. The value of the transaction was not disclosed in the available source material. The business entered administration on 30 April 2015 after suffering substantial losses and failing to match the marketing activity of competitors. The reference account states that Carcraft was spending approximately £100,000 per week on marketing while averaging about 200 vehicle sales per week. More than 500 employees were reportedly told about the administration on the same day and were left without redundancy pay or notice. The Carcraft brand was later reported as being owned by brothers Reg and Louis Rix, who also owned Carfinance247. The available material links that wider ownership context to regulatory scrutiny of Carfinance247 by the Information Commissioner's Office, including complaints about unsolicited text messages. That matter concerned the related finance business rather than establishing misconduct by Carcraft itself. Carcraft's operating retail business is defunct, and no current official website or active showroom network is identified in the supplied references.

Carcraft began in 1951 when Frank McKee established a used-car business in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. It was built as an independent, multi-brand retailer rather than as a franchised dealer for one manufacturer. The group sold vehicles from a wide range of marques and developed a supermarket-style format intended to provide customers with a large selection in a single location. In July 1998, ownership passed from Frank McKee to his sons Noel and Darren McKee. The transaction was valued at £50 million and received financial backing from the Development Capital arm of the Royal Bank of Scotland. Under the brothers' ownership, Carcraft pursued expansion through acquisitions. In April 2000, it purchased a Newport car supermarket from Car Group while that company was in receivership, paying £10 million. Carcraft also acquired a former Carland store in Sheffield. By December 2000, the company was being offered for sale at a reported price of £200 million, although the available account does not confirm a completed transaction. The group continued to enlarge its physical network during the 2000s. In October 2006, it acquired four sites from Carland in Chertsey, Enfield, Lakeside and Stockport. These transactions supported a national estate that eventually comprised eleven showrooms. Carcraft's business model centred on moving substantial volumes of used vehicles through large sites, with stock sourced across the automotive market rather than concentrated in a single brand family. Carcraft also added a fleet and leasing dimension. In December 2005, it established All in One leasing, described as the first contract-hire car company created by an independent second-hand vehicle retailer in the United Kingdom. All in One supplied new vehicles to businesses with small and medium-sized fleets. At the end of lease contracts, vehicles could be replaced and later sold through Carcraft's used-car supermarkets. The arrangement connected new-vehicle leasing, fleet turnover and used-car retailing within one commercial model. The company gained external recognition in April 2011, when Experian identified its website as the most visited in the UK automotive and dealership category and awarded it a Hitwise Top 10 Award. Carcraft also received a Quality Driven Award for customer service from Easi Drive. These recognitions reflected the importance of online traffic and customer-service positioning to its retail strategy. In April 2014, a management buyout led by chief executive Robin Bridge was backed by Apollo Ventures. The consideration was not disclosed in the supplied material. The new ownership structure did not restore the business to long-term stability. Carcraft was placed into administration on 30 April 2015 after recording substantial losses and failing to keep pace with competitors' marketing. The reference states that the company was spending approximately £100,000 each week on marketing but achieved average sales of only around 200 cars per week. Administrators reportedly informed staff on the same day, affecting more than 500 employees and leaving them without redundancy pay or notice. After the administration, the Carcraft brand was reported as being owned by Reg and Louis Rix, who also owned the vehicle-finance company Carfinance247. The supplied reference links that company to an Information Commissioner's Office investigation following 912 complaints about text messages and reports that it was found guilty of sending 65,000 unsolicited messages and fined £30,000. Because the matter concerns Carfinance247, it should not be treated as proof of wrongdoing by Carcraft itself. The retail operation described in the historical sources is defunct, and no current operating network or official website is identified.

• 2015

  Administration and retail shutdown

  [1]Carcraften.wikipedia.org

  Carcraft entered administration on 30 April after substantial losses and weak performance relative to competitors.

• 2014

  Management buyout

  [1]Carcraften.wikipedia.org

  Robin Bridge led a management buyout backed by Apollo Ventures.

• 2011

  Website and service recognition

  [1]Carcraften.wikipedia.org

  Experian recognized Carcraft's website with a Hitwise award, and the company received an Easi Drive Quality Driven Award.

• 2006

  Four Carland sites acquired

  [1]Carcraften.wikipedia.org

  Carcraft acquired sites in Chertsey, Enfield, Lakeside and Stockport.

• 2005

  All in One leasing established

  [1]Carcraften.wikipedia.org

  Carcraft created a contract-hire business serving small and medium-sized corporate fleets.

• 2000

  Newport and Sheffield expansion

  [1]Carcraften.wikipedia.org

  Carcraft acquired a Newport car supermarket from Car Group and a former Carland store in Sheffield.

• 1998

  McKee family ownership transferred to the founder's sons

  [1]Carcraften.wikipedia.org

  Noel and Darren McKee bought Carcraft from their father in a deal valued at £50 million and backed by Royal Bank of Scotland Development Capital.

• 1951

  Carcraft founded in Rochdale

  [1]Carcraften.wikipedia.org

  Frank McKee established the independent used-car business in Rochdale, Greater Manchester.

A high-volume, multi-brand used-car supermarket group serving consumers and, through its leasing operation, small and medium-sized business fleets.

• Used-car retail · 1951

  Carcraft used-car supermarkets

  Carcraft's core offering was a network of large used-car supermarkets selling vehicles from many manufacturers. The stock was not limited to one marque and reportedly included cars ranging from Alfa Romeo to Volvo. The supermarket format emphasized broad choice and high-volume retail across eleven United Kingdom locations.

• Contract hire and fleet leasing · 2005

  All in One leasing

  Established in 2005, All in One leasing provided new vehicles to businesses with small and medium-sized fleets. Vehicles could be replaced at the end of lease periods and then transferred into Carcraft's used-car retail network, linking fleet contract hire with vehicle remarketing.

• Regulatory action involving associated Carfinance247 business

  The reference material says that Carfinance247, associated with reported Carcraft brand owners Reg and Louis Rix, faced Information Commissioner's Office scrutiny after 912 complaints and was fined £30,000 over 65,000 unsolicited text messages. The available material does not identify this as a Carcraft operating violation.

  Source

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• 2015

  Administration following lossesStrategy

  Background

  The business reportedly struggled to generate sufficient sales from its marketing expenditure and could not keep pace with rival marketing activity.

  Action taken

  Carcraft was placed into administration on 30 April 2015.

  Aftermath

  The retail operation ceased, more than 500 employees were affected, and staff were reportedly informed without redundancy pay or notice.

  Reported weekly marketing spend and average weekly sales. Approximately £100,000 weekly marketing spend; approximately 200 cars sold per week (Before administration in 2015)

  Source

• 2014

  Management buyout backed by Apollo VenturesM&A

  Background

  Carcraft changed ownership after operating as a family-founded independent retailer.

  Action taken

  Chief executive Robin Bridge led a management buyout supported by Apollo Ventures.

  Aftermath

  Carcraft entered administration approximately one year later after substantial losses.

  Source

• 2005

  Launch of All in One leasingStrategy

  Background

  Carcraft sought to extend its used-car supermarket model into corporate fleet services.

  Action taken

  It created All in One leasing to supply new contract-hire vehicles to small and medium-sized business fleets and later remarket returned vehicles through its retail network.

  Aftermath

  The initiative connected new-vehicle leasing with Carcraft's used-vehicle sales operation.

  Source

• 2000

  Acquisition of Newport and Sheffield sitesM&A

  Background

  Carcraft pursued expansion while operating as an independent used-car supermarket group.

  Action taken

  It bought a Newport car supermarket from Car Group during that company's receivership and acquired a former Carland store in Sheffield.

  Aftermath

  The acquisitions expanded Carcraft's physical retail presence; the supplied reference does not provide later performance data for the sites.

  Newport acquisition price. £10 million (April 2000)

  Source

1. 1Carcraften.wikipedia.org