BREAKING: WALKOUT AT EURO CAR PARTS

by Will Rimell

Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia and Martin Gray have reportedly quit Euro Car Parts amid concerns that parent company LKQ is planning to axe hundreds of jobs. CFO Steve Horne has also reportedly left his post.

Sources close to CAT suggested that 400 jobs are to be axed. The news comes just days after LKQ announced the appointment of Ard Franz as COO of LKQ Europe.

In October we spoke to Mr. Ahluwalia and Mr. Gray about the future of the business, particularly now its main competitors are no longer local independent factor groups, but are other similar stock-market listed businesses with North American parent companies.

NASDAQ-listed LKQ's share prices have dropped significantly compared with the previous period.

Gray, Ahluwalia and LKQ have been contacted for comment.

More on this breaking story as it develops

[caption id="attachment_3714" align="alignright" width="300"] ECP's 75th branch[/caption]

 

 

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  1. Looks like the beginning of the end for yet another 'national`. Go back decades - they have all failed. Same old format - hundreds of depots, a big warehouse, regional staff that just don't add any value. High distribution and stock costs. Clearly the founder has done very well and rightly gained the rewards from building a terrific business. I cannot see the Americans getting to grips and integrating the various businesses across Europe. Nobody is `hands on` and driving it. Now being run by a German with an OE manufacture background but no experience of aftermarket distribution. Its a bit like Andrew Page but on a bigger scale. I can see the same thing happening to the other two `wannabe` nationals. The UK has failed to sustain one successful national - ever. They have all failed!
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  2. I am not surprised they are in trouble, taking the experience I have had with my local branch, I have never experienced a more useless, incompetent and incapable motor factor in my 40 years in the trade.
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  3. Does not surprise me my local branch Thanet is rubbish i have to drive 40mins to canterbury to get any service thats any good area manager does not listen to your concerns as a customer just fobs you off. i now use other local motor factors they know about the products they sell and are just as competitive ecp have just got to big customer service sucks
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  4. Really they can’t lose too much money lol they not giving breaks to the workers in a few branch’s like “ Truro “ in cornwall I was a Driver co-ordinator for them and I was working 6 days a week. My drivers didn’t aloud take a break or even talk with each other. And everyone was aloud 40 minutes per day token of from their wages even we didn’t stop 5 minutes. I worked there for over 2 years and you get treated like shit and some of the management are racist. Thanks
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  5. it not the company it the pepole that get jobs that they haven't got a clue on what they are doing regionals managers should have more than 10 years experiance before given that job in 10 years they seen everything and have some good knowledge on what is expected, they drive all day from branch to banch walke in don't speek to the staff only the manager leave without say good buy wake up without good happy staff around you you would not have a job happy staff sells product
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  6. I ordered an outer CV joint over the phone and it was put behind the counter for me. When I got there next morning to pick it up. They didn’t have it! Last time I used them! Idiots! I’ve since looked online and their parts seem to have sky rocketed and yet the brands they use are not known for quality. Then there’s all this sale code nonsense. It’s a company in regression.
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