Just months after slashing its UK dealer and service network, Ineos Automotive is now expanding it once again.
Following a period of consolidation that saw numerous closures and partners exiting the brand, Ineos is now back on the recruitment trail. The company says it is “actively recruiting additional partners” and extending responsibilities for existing ones as it seeks to rebuild in “key growth areas.”
It’s a swift turn of events after the brand’s dramatic pivot from an agency sales model to a franchise dealer structure, which resulted in the loss of several high-profile outlets and left swathes of the country with little or no coverage. Customers in areas such as the south-west and parts of the Midlands voiced concerns about the availability of service points and test drives, with some on owner forums questioning whether they would remain with the brand in the long term.
“Just approaching the time to book the 2nd service on my Grenadier, and it seems that everyone is shutting down,” one owner wrote on The Ineos Forum
, listing Sevenoaks, Colchester, Gloucester, Ribble Valley, and Kidderminster among recently closed sites. “It seems a right mess and hope there is a plan B in the pipeline.”
In the south of England, where many closures have taken place, some drivers report being hours away from the nearest available service centre.
“We were promised initially that we would have independent service (Bosch) agents,” another owner explained. “This has not come to fruition. I know from people I’ve spoken to that this puts them off buying a Grenadier.”
Ineos appears to be addressing those concerns. In Hampshire, 4×4 specialist Keith Gotts has joined the aftersales network to provide servicing support, while Halliwell Jones, which already runs INEOS operations in Chester, is expanding into Wilmslow with a new service point.
Meanwhile, Lloyd Motor Group is strengthening its relationship with Ineos. Already handling retail in Newcastle, Lloyd will now represent the brand across the wider north-east. Test drives, maintenance, and sales will continue at the existing Lloyd Select showroom in Newcastle, but two new Carlisle sites are also in the works. One of them is located next to an agricultural auction site and will specifically serve rural and farming customers. Both locations will operate under the 4×4-oriented Lloyd AllRoad sub-brand.
Tom Johnson, regional director for UK & Ireland at Ineos Automotive, said: “While the network evolves and we continue to introduce new partners over the coming months, we will support both new and existing customers by extending the remits of our existing sites and adding mobile service support where required.”
The company is also in “discussions with mobile service providers” to plug gaps in aftersales coverage while permanent dealers are found. These temporary fixes aim to alleviate concerns among customers in areas hardest hit by the recent restructuring.
Ineos says the move to a dealer franchise model is already paying off. The new approach allows for quicker deliveries, improved finance options, and easier trade-ins — all areas that customers had previously found frustrating.
