Thursday, March 28, 2024

Retail Automobile Sector

Retail Automobile Sector

The automobile retail sub sector comprises over twelve companies which are authorized distributors for a number of global brands.

The 12 companies include PHC Motors, Rana Motors, Toyota Ghana, Auto Parts, Japan Motors Trading Limited, CFAO, Silver Star, Mechanical Lloyd, Universal Autos and Honda Place.

PHC Motors

Located on the Ring Road, in the South Industrial area of Accra, PHC Motors deals in Automobile and Motorcycle , repairs and servicing.

PHC Motors Limited has been at the heart of the motor industry in Ghana since 1968.

Over the years the company has operated under the names of Leyland Motors, Leyland Daf and Land Rover Ghana.

In 1998 the company’s minority shareholders, the Peperas, entered into share purchaser negotiations with the majority shareholders – Leyland Daf of Einhover, Holland.

These negotiations were successful and by 1993 the Peperas acquired the majority shares in the company and renamed it PHC Motors Limited.

The company became one of the few motor companies in Ghana to be solely owned and operated by Ghanaians.

The company sells cars like Tata, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Land Rover and BMC trucks.

Source: PHC Motors Ghana

Rana Motors

Rana Motors & Metal Works Eng. Co. Ltd. was incorporated 28 years ago by the Chairman Mr. Mohammed Ahmed Odaymat in Accra, Ghana.

The company started as a workshop for servicing and repairing various kinds of automotive brands in Accra, Ghana in 1976.

In 1986 and after ten years of experience the company was appointed the Authorized distributors for Kia Motors till date.

The company as at 2016 had four branches across the country (Accra, Tema, Kumasi and Takoradi).

Kia global started as a bicycle parts maker in Seoul, Korea in 1944.

Kia quickly grew to become Korea’s oldest motor vehicle manufacturer and the world’s maker of quality vehicles for the young-at-heart.

Today, Rana Motors is the leading distributor of Kia vehicles in Ghana.

Rana Motors is located on the Graphic road, South Industrial area.

Source: Rana Motors Ghana

Toyota Ghana

Toyota Ghana Company Ltd was incorporated in Ghana in January 1998 by the investment of Marubeni Corporation, Japan and Marubeni Auto Europe S.A., Belgium and started operations in April 1998.

In 2008, Marubeni Corporation, Japan became the sole shareholder of the company.

Toyota Ghana Company Limited is the sole representative of Toyota Motor Corporation of Japan (TMC).

Consequently, its principal activity is the sale and distribution of new Toyota vehicles and Spare Parts and the provision of After-Sales support for the vehicles.

In late 2013, the company became the sole representative of HINO Trucks, selling HINO trucks and providing after sales support for its customers.

Currently, the company has five branches in Ghana —Accra, Kumasi, Accra Body and Paint Shop, Tema and Tarkwa with two Liaison offices in Tamale and Takoradi and staff strength of about 470.

Source: Toyota Ghana

Auto Parts

Auto Parts Limited commenced business in Ghana in the automobile industry in 1938 and was incorporated in 1941.

In 1960, Auto Parts Limited attained the license to distribute Nissan vehicles in Ghana.

In 1965, Auto Parts went on to establish an Assembly Plant in Accra which was producing buses, pick-ups, saloon cars, etc.

This was however replaced in 1979 by the importation of fully built Nissan vehicles from Japan, Spain and South Africa.

Auto Parts Limited has one of the biggest workshops in West Africa, equipped with professional tools and equipment.

The Workshop has 74 bays including 4 pits and 20 lifts.

Japan Motors Trading Limited

In 1965 the corporate identity called Japan Motors Trading Company Limited, (Japan Motors for short) a private company limited by shares, was established.

It grew out of a family motor vehicle spare parts and transport business, Kalmoni & Sons, started in 1920 by the late Salem Kalmoni who, eight years before, in 1912, had arrived in the then Gold Coast with his brother Sobhi from their native Lebanon.

The transport activity of the business was exceptionally vibrant in the 1930’s, servicing the country’s cocoa industry by trucking the beans from the hinterland to the coast, for onward shipment to Europe and North America.

In 1958 S. Kalmoni & Sons imported the first Japanese car onto the Ghanaian market.

This car was called Datsun (now Nissan).

There was no turning back after this and in 1962 S. Kalmoni & Sons gave birth to Japan Motors Trading Company which moved on to become a limited liability company in 1965.

Since then Japan Motors has become synonymous with the Nissan brand name. Throughout our history and under the leadership of second generation Kalmoni family members, Japan Motors has remained a private company with a commitment and dedication to its clients, its employees, and its community.

Nissan was the N0. 1 vehicle brand in Ghana,2012, with a market share of 26% of new vehicle sales!(Ghana Automobile Distributers Association) and consistently in the top three position, over the last thirty years.

The company has service branches including workshops and showrooms at strategic locations in Accra, Tema, Tamale, Kumasi and Takoradi.

CFAO

CFAO Motors Ghana was set up in 1909 and is the exclusive Ghanaian distributor for six internationally renowned brands: CitröenMitsubishi MotorsBridgestone and Suzuki.

It sells a broad range of new Citröen and Mitsubishi passenger and commercial vehicles and a range of Bridgestone tires that are especially well-suited to African terrain.

CFAO Motors Ghana covers the whole of the country from its three branches in TakoradiAccra and Kumasi.

Silver Star

Silver Star Auto Ltd (SSAL) was incorporated as a business entity in December 11th, 1996 as a limited liability company.
The company started as the General Distributor of Mercedes-Benz in Ghana.

As a sister company to Japan Motors Trading Company, Silver Star Auto Limited started in its former’ premises with 3 technicians until 1997 when it moved to the premises of Modern Automobile Services, in Accra (MAS).
As a result of the high standards of professionalism and quality services delivery, the company expanded and the lack of adequate space for cars necessitated the movement of the workshop to the ultra- modern service center at Tema, in October 2003.

The showroom, which used to be along the Graphic Road, Accra was relocated to the Silver Star Tower, Airport City as of January 1st, 2008.
Today, SSAL distributes the Mercedes-Benz range of vehicles, spare parts and accessories; Foton Heavy-Duty Trucks; Energizer Automotive Batteries.

 

Mechanical Lloyd

Mechanical Lloyd Company Limited is a fully owned Ghanaian company established in August 1970 and has been listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange since 1994.

It is an automobile company which currently holds franchises for BMW and Ford vehicles as well as Massey Ferguson agricultural machinery.

It has held these franchises for over 10 years.

Mechanical Lloyd has two offices in Accra with its head office located in the South Industrial Area in Accra with branches in the Ashanti Region- Kumasi, Western Region- Takoradi and Northern Region- Tamale.

These branches have been strategically positioned to take care of customers across the country. The company is governed by Board of Directors and has a staff strength of about 180.

Universal Autos

Located on the Dadeban Road, North Industrial Area, Universal Autos is specialized in the dealing of VW vehicles in Ghana.

The company has been the main distributer for brand new VW cars.

The company is also specialized in servicing and repairs.

The company is the hub for accessories and spare-parts of VW vehicles.

 

Honda Place

Honda Place located at 59 Graphic Road, is a specialized distributor of Honda vehicles in Ghana.

The company is the sole distributor of brand new Honda cars in Ghana.

The company is also specialized in servicing and repairs.

Majority of these retail car companies have outlets and showrooms along the Graphic road near the Obetsebi Lamptey roundabout which is a hub for the retail automobile indutry.

Car garages

There is also a growing car dealership subsector run by local individual business owners.

These operators usually retail most car brands but don’t have the license by the global brands to retail their cars.

They are usually scattered across the capital cities across the country.

According to data from the Bank of Ghana vehicles are one of the top ten imported Non-Oil Goods.

Between April-June, 2015 motor vehicles for the transport of goods worth 55.87 million dollars as well as motor vehicles for the transport of persons worth 221.03 million dollars was imported into Ghana.

 

Credit: BoG
Credit: BoG