Consolidation of global ute market
Transcription
Consolidation of global ute market
GoAutoNews Premium EDITION 15 JULY 15, 2016 THE BUSINESS PAGES OF GOAUTONEWS Consolidation of global ute market One size fits all as manufacturers choose badge engineering over developing new commercial vehicles Barbagallo’s premium showroom investment How fleets can save millions WA government ‘gouging’ attacked Lavish Perth showroom delivers the finest for Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, Maserati and Aston Martin KPMG says electronic logbooks cut fringe benefit tax liability after the statutory formula was tightened Stamp duty ‘an election issue’ as WA dealers lose sales to eastern states GoAutoNews Premium EDITION 15 | JULY 15, 2016 Barbagallo’s premium showroom investment Consolidation of global ute market One size fits all as manufacturers choose badge engineering over developing new commercial vehicles Lavish Perth showroom delivers the finest for Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, Maserati and Aston Martin Page 3 Page 6 How fleets can save millions Western Australia government ‘gouging’ attacked Stamp duty ‘an election issue’ as WA dealers lose sales to eastern states KPMG says electronic logbooks cut fringe benefit tax liability after the statutory formula was tightened Page 8 Page 10 GoAutoNews Premium PUBLISHER: John Mellor EDITOR: Neil Dowling JOURNALISTS: Tim Nicholson, Daniel Gardner, Ron Hammerton, Ian Porter, Terry Martin, Byron Mathioudakis, Tung Nguyen 75 YEARS OF JEEP Off-road icon battled war, multiple owners, erratic sales and ever-stringent road rules The business pages of GoAutoNews FACEBOOK BOOSTS MANHEIM AUDIENCE AND SALES Auction house uses social media to lift turnover and grow audiences COMPETITION TO TURN A VITO VAN INSIDE OUT Mercedes-Benz launches Hack My Van competition for small businesses and entrpreneurs WWW.PREMIUM.GOAUTO.COM.AU SUBSCRIBE PRODUCTION: Luc Britten, William Vicente PRODUCED BY GoAutoMedia EMAIL: [email protected] CONTENTS PREV. PAGE NEXT PAGE 2 GoAutoNews Premium EDITION 15 | JULY 15, 2016 TO READ THIS STORY ONLINE CLICK HERE Consolidation of global ute market One size fits all as manufacturers choose badge engineering over developing new commercial vehicles Mazda would source its THE sudden contraction next BT-50 ute from Isuzu, is similar to the of ute manufacturers consolidation of the and the rebranding van market where of one model will Fiat’s Ducato van is see Australian the basis for similar dealers potentially vehicles badged as selling virtually the either a Peugeot, same vehicle across Citroen or Ram. competing dealerships. The Mazda joint venture The “badge engineering” with Isuzu will see a of utes, highlighted by this week’s announcement that common ute made in By NEIL DOWLING n The business pages of GoAutoNews Thailand, replicating the Mazda BT-50 and Ford Ranger venture that has now been terminated. Isuzu will produce nextgeneration pick-up trucks for Mazda, based on Isuzu’s pick-up truck model sold as the D-Max in Australia. The collaboration is expected to see its first product in 2019. Currently, Isuzu also shares its ute platform and body panels with the Holden Colorado. The Mazda deal makes three branded utes off that one platform. Nissan’s alliance with Renault has already forged an agreement to rebadge the Navara ute as the Renault Alaskan. More recently, Mercedes-Benz has announced it would WWW.PREMIUM.GOAUTO.COM.AU SUBSCRIBE CONTENTS collaborate with Nissan to make its own ute based on the Navara. Last month, Nissan bought a controlling share in Mitsubishi, suggesting there will be a further retraction in the manufacture of utes, with the next-generation Triton likely to be based on the Navara as well. Continued next page PREV. PAGE NEXT PAGE 3 GoAutoNews Premium EDITION 15 | JULY 15, 2016 Isuzu D-Max Continued from previous page Though there are differences between the brands – some as subtle as grille and trim changes, others as extensive as a unique drivetrain in the Mercedes ute – the over-riding benefit is avoiding big investments in unique platforms as well as economies of scale where volume at the factory door diminishes the development cost per unit. Ultimately, for the retailers, this can lead to lower – or more competitive – pricing. A company such as Nissan, producing out of Thailand, could double production to sell a tangible difference between the same vehicle in competing showrooms where no difference exists. The difference may not be the tangible product but on “A company such as Nissan, producing out of Thailand, could double production their ability to present one as being more cost-effective as to supply its associates while gaining significant cost reductions its rebadged clone. in all aspects of the manufacturing process” Meanwhile, on the supply its associates while pressure on rivals which Volkswagen’s Amarok and Australian market, such a gaining significant cost have chosen the go it alone. Ford’s Ranger – to match contraction in models would reductions in all aspects of the With these seven brands costs. give the core manufacturers manufacturing process, from poised to come out of two The downside for the a significant bonus. better utilising existing plant production clusters and dealers will be trying to Continued next page The business pages of GoAutoNews and equipment, to design and component procurement as well as administration and distribution. It may also increase with potentially reduced price points, it may make it more difficult for the three main stand-alone entries – Toyota’s Hilux, WWW.PREMIUM.GOAUTO.COM.AU SUBSCRIBE CONTENTS PREV. PAGE NEXT PAGE 4 GoAutoNews Premium EDITION 15 | JULY 15, 2016 Holden Colorado Continued from previous page The combined sales for a Mazda-Isuzu-Holden ute, in year-to-date (YTD) June figures, is 25,074 units – bigger than the sales of the current ute leader, the Toyota Hilux, at 21,171. The combined NissanMitsubishi sales YTD – at 21,187 units – are also more than the Hilux. A potential for Mercedes and Renault to net an additional 3000 sales each for their respective Navara-based utes could see Nissan as the core ute market leader with the equivalent six-monthly sales of more than 27,000 vehicles. Such arrangements are not new and, while history shows that it can work, badge engineering is perhaps not long-lived. One of the more successful arrangements was between Nissan and Ford, which saw the Japanese car-maker share its Patrol 4WD with the Blue Oval who sold it as the Maverick. The combined volume at times threatened the grip the Toyota LandCruiser had on the 4WD market to the point where proposals were put to Japan to make the Patrol/Maverick in Australia. Nissan Australia made its Pintara sedan badged as a Ford Corsair which was exported to Japan but flopped. Ford sold Nissan its Falcon ute in 1988 which was also The business pages of GoAutoNews Mazda BT-50 a flop and Nissan made the Holden Astra as a rebadged Pulsar which was a success. Holden made the Commodore for Toyota as the Lexcen and Toyota made the Camry and Corolla available to Holden as the Apollo and Nova respectively but the arrangement hardly set the house on fire. Mazda’s 323 became the Ford Laser which was assembled in the Homebush plant in Sydney and sold very well for Ford which lacked a small car from its own portfolio of models. The Mazda 626 became the Ford Telstar but was less successful. Footnote: It is not the first relationship between Mazda and Isuzu. Mazda has a 10year relationship with Isuzu resulting in Isuzu’s Elf truck being badged as a Mazda Titan in Japan. HELPING DEALERS SINCE 1992 DIGITAL STRATEGY WEBSITES INVENTORY MANAGEMENT 1300 66 11 33 dealersolutions.com.au WWW.PREMIUM.GOAUTO.COM.AU LEAD MANAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY DEALERSHIP SOFTWARE CLICK TO FIND OUT MORE SUBSCRIBE CONTENTS PREV. PAGE NEXT PAGE 5 GoAutoNews Premium EDITION 15 | JULY 15, 2016 TO READ THIS STORY ONLINE CLICK HERE Barbagallo’s premium showroom investment Lavish Perth showroom delivers the finest for Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, Maserati and Aston Martin By NEIL DOWLING FOUR of the world’s finest automobile brands have a new multi-million dollar home with the opening today of Barbagallo Group’s huge new showroom in the Perth suburb of Osborne Park. It provides a substantial increase in showroom space for each marque – Rollsn Royce, Ferrari, Maserati and Aston Martin – and, despite some slowdown of car sales because of the quiet Western Australian economy, indicates a strong belief by the company in a strengthening of the WA economy for the near future. Aston Martin Asia Pacific president Patrik Nilsson said that “Perth is a significant The business pages of GoAutoNews market for Aston Martin in Australia and this multimillion dollar investment by Barbagallos is a testament to the brand’s strong presence and growth in Western Australia”. The official opening today coincides with the Perth unveiling of the latest model, the DB11, which is the first product launched under Aston Martin’s Second Century plan and the new showroom has been designed to meet increasing demand for the marque in WA. Showroom space includes a dedicated Aston Martin lounge and private rooms where customers can tailor their new car through the Q by Aston Martin WWW.PREMIUM.GOAUTO.COM.AU SUBSCRIBE CONTENTS personalisation service. Barbagallo Group director and Aston Martin Perth dealer principal Vince Barbagallo said that “our investment in the new, state-of-the-art showroom truly reflects the demands of our customers, who have a strong affinity with Aston Martin”. Continued next page PREV. PAGE NEXT PAGE 6 GoAutoNews Premium Continued from previous page Rolls-Royce Motor Cars also officially opened its showrooms in the same building, centering the event on the new Rolls-Royce Dawn. The opening of the showroom and display of the Dawn was attended by RollsRoyce Motor Cars’ Asia Pacific product manager Sven Grunwald. EDITION 15 | JULY 15, 2016 Barbagallo Group – which started as a mechanical workshop in 1967 by brothers Alf and Tony Barbagallo – was appointed WA’s RollsRoyce dealer three years ago. At the official opening of the showroom today, the fourth for Rolls-Royce in Australia, Barbagallo Group director and son of Tony, Vince Barbagallo, said “today marks a milestone The business pages of GoAutoNews for Barbagallo Group, a sign of our confidence in the WA market, three years after we have already started commissioning RollsRoyces with our customers. “With Dawn, one can enjoy the vast expanse of beautiful WA scenery in the most social Rolls-Royce ever built.” Mr Grunwald added that he would “like to congratulate Barbagallo Group on the opening of this beautiful new showroom. I thank them for their commitment to the brand since we appointed them in 2013”. The new 327 square-metre showroom for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Perth houses three Rolls-Royce motor cars with a lounge that allows customers to configure their car using colour, wood WWW.PREMIUM.GOAUTO.COM.AU SUBSCRIBE CONTENTS and leather samples from the manufacturing plant at Goodwood, West Sussex. Strategically positioned in Perth city with easy access to the Mitchell Freeway, the new showroom will also incorporate a service facility which is fully supported by the Rolls-Royce plant in Goodwood and equipped with the latest technology to service Rolls-Royce cars. PREV. PAGE NEXT PAGE 7 GoAutoNews Premium EDITION 15 | JULY 15, 2016 TO READ THIS STORY ONLINE CLICK HERE Western Australia government ‘gouging’ attacked Stamp duty ‘an election issue’ as WA dealers lose sales to eastern states By NEIL DOWLING WESTERN Australia’s high stamp duty rates are leading to tens of thousands of vehicles being bought in east-Australian states and diminished revenue for Perth dealers annually. The powerful Motor Trade Association (MTA) has hit out at the WA Government’s high vehicle stamp duty rate, calling it a “gouge on consumers” and n is poised to take the issue to from other states. wanted to save money. the voters ahead of the March He said that a survey by WA’s stamp duty is variable, 2017 state election. the MTA about two years ago starting at 2.75 per cent for MTA WA CEO Stephen Moir found that 30,000 used and new vehicles up to $25,000, but said the stamp duty that percentage “We’re mindful of the WA government’s parlous rate was a “rip off” rises on a sliding for people buying financial position but we can’t let consumers scale for vehicles used and new cars up to $50,000 and business be ripped off in this way” in WA and was and peaks at an counterproductive because cars were being purchased in eye-watering 6.5 per cent for it provided an incentive for the eastern states and brought vehicles more than $50,000. buyers to source their cars back to WA because buyers Under this scheme, vehicles The business pages of GoAutoNews WWW.PREMIUM.GOAUTO.COM.AU SUBSCRIBE CONTENTS priced under $30,000 have similar stamp duty rates in WA, Queensland, NSW and Victoria, but the rate was increasingly more expensive for WA-purchased vehicles valued at more than $50,000. Mr Moir said he is adamant to see the change in stamp duty to bring vehicle prices closer in line to the rest of the country. Continued next page PREV. PAGE NEXT PAGE 8 GoAutoNews Premium Continued from previous page “We’re going in hard before the election,” he said. “We’re mindful of the WA government’s parlous financial position but we can’t let consumers and business be ripped off in this way. “We want to see the high rate changed, even if by one percentage point.” Mr Moir said a lower rate would help bring back buyers to WA and increase vehicle sales, leading to more revenue for the government. “It would be preferable for Australia to adopt a nationally consistent percentage for stamp duty,” he said. By doing this it would provide a level playing field for both consumers and businesses. “I think a 3-4 per cent rate would be acceptable. Applying EDITION 15 | JULY 15, 2016 one figure for all of Australia will also stop buyers moving interstate and disadvantaging local vehicle retail businesses.” Mr Moir said stamp duty was a historic tax that today had little relevance, other than collecting money. “The problem with the tax is that it was introduced early last century, before the internet, when businesses were all localised,” he said. “We now work in a global marketplace where buyers make decisions based on price, not location and on that basis will move to other areas to get the best deal, and that’s exactly what many are doing now. “Stamp duty rates are inconsistent and fail to recognize this change in the marketplace and consumer behaviour,” he said. The business pages of GoAutoNews IN CASE YOU MISSED IT IN CASE YOU MISSED IT IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Exclusive: Alfa Romeo going standalone Industry adopts new air-con gas Holden’s marketing overhaul CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE You’re in good company with the global leaders Thanks to our customers we are the global leaders with nearly 7 million vehicles sold around the globe every year. • Australia’s largest suite of online and offline channels to market • In lane, online and BuyNow • Global best practice • Fully integrated services • Exclusive dealer only lanes Buy and sell at manheim.com.au WWW.PREMIUM.GOAUTO.COM.AU SUBSCRIBE CONTENTS PREV. PAGE NEXT PAGE 9 GoAutoNews Premium EDITION 15 | JULY 15, 2016 TO READ THIS STORY ONLINE CLICK HERE How fleets can save millions KPMG says electronic logbooks cut fringe benefit tax liability after the statutory formula was tightened By IAN PORTER THE advent of electronic logbooks for fleet vehicles has made it much easier for fleet managers to switch away from the now-unsatisfactory statutory formula method for calculating fringe benefit tax (FBT) liabilities, according to a fleet tax expert. If used year-round, these electronic logbooks can also dramatically reduce the FBT liability associated with onn premises parking by accurately tracking the vehicle’s location, said David Sofra, the national employment tax partner with KPMG. Mr Sofra said the tightening of the statutory formula method under the Gillard government had forced fleet managers to switch to the previously ignored logbook method for calculating FBT. Speaking at a professional development forum presented The business pages of GoAutoNews by the Australasian Fleet rate under FBT. Managers Association, Mr This worked to defeat Sofra said the government had the purposes of carbon and changed the statutory formula environmental legislation. “It provided incentives for drivers of vehicles to increase their kilometres so their vehicles were assessed at much lower tax rates,” Mr Sofra said. method because it had been “It was seven per cent if you encouraging drivers to drive drove more than 40,000kms further than they might and then it staggered off. otherwise in order to qualify That’s all been scrapped. for the top concessional tax “Now a car can cover one WWW.PREMIUM.GOAUTO.COM.AU SUBSCRIBE CONTENTS kilometre or a car can drive 200,000kms during the year, and you are still going to be assessed now at a 20 per cent statutory fraction.” He said that, while large proportions of fleets had been assessed at seven per cent, after the changes they were all defaulting to the 20 per cent rate. He said the change had cost one national grocer around $13 million in extra FBT payments. Continued next page PREV. PAGE NEXT PAGE 10 GoAutoNews Premium EDITION 15 | JULY 15, 2016 TO READ THIS STORY ONLINE CLICK HERE Smartgroup fleet acquisitions roll on Continued from previous page Fleet manager buys its 10th business in six years 2011), Tailored Automotive n LISTED fleet management Consultants (acquired in 2013) services and salary packaging and Trinity Management business Smartgroup Group (obtained in 2016). Corporation has bought novated leasing firm Autopia for $36 million. It is Sydney-based Smartgroup’s 10th acquisition In 2015, Smartgroup since 2011 and its fourth since floating on the stock reported revenue of $91.8 million, up 25 per cent on the exchange in 2014. Autopia, also based in previous year, and net profit Sydney, manages more than after tax up 51 per cent to 3000 vehicles in Australia and $26.2 million. This compares with has more than 300 employer clients with strong emphasis fellow novated leasing firm McMillan Shakespeare Ltd at on the corporate market. Smartgroup, which has $389.6 million for the 2014clients including Santos and 2015 full year and net profit of the Department of Defence, $67.5 million, up 22.7 per cent also owns Webfleet (bought on the previous financial year. In a statement, Smartgroup in 2010), Australian Vehicle Consultants (purchased in said Autopia was expected to By NEIL DOWLING The business pages of GoAutoNews contribute about $2.6 million to the group’s earnings before tax and about $1.2 million to net profit after tax in the second half of this calendar year. Smartgroup CEO Deven Billimoria said: “Autopia is a well-managed business and expands our novated leasing capabilities into an adjacent segment. We look forward to working with the Autopia team to leverage our respective strengths.” David Wakeley, CEO of Autopia said: “We are looking forward to working with the Smartgroup team to continue to deliver excellent results for our customers. There is a strong cultural fit between Autopia and Smartgroup and we are excited to be joining Smartgroup.” Many of KPMG’s clients had now switched to the logbook method of calculating FBT liability. The system was previously ignored because it put the onus on the driver who had no real incentive to maintain the logbook as the company was paying the tax. “It also requires fleet managers to capture all the WWW.PREMIUM.GOAUTO.COM.AU operating costs for the vehicle for an FBT year, which runs from 1 April to 31 March,” Mr Sofra said. “But it (the electronic logbook) completely reduces your tax costs. “And no longer does the driver have to keep a paper logbook. We’ve moved into the electronic age and there are a lot of plug and play options,” he told the forum. For how KPMG sees the in-and-outs of FBT on cars, read more online • Where the logbook system breaks even • Resistance by drivers and unions • How electronic logbooks work • What information do they gather? • Tracking FBT liability on parking • Car parking fee data providers • Savings in the tens of millions of dollars READ MORE SUBSCRIBE CONTENTS PREV. PAGE NEXT PAGE 11 GoAutoNews Premium EDITION 15 | JULY 15, 2016 GoAutoNews Premium Latest data: Top 20 selling models: June 2016 Record sales month as private and business buyers take advantage of end of financial year savings CLICK HERE The business pages of GoAutoNews WWW.PREMIUM.GOAUTO.COM.AU SUBSCRIBE CONTENTS PREV. PAGE NEXT PAGE 12 GoAutoNews Premium EDITION 15 | JULY 15, 2016 TO READ THIS STORY ONLINE CLICK HERE 75 years of Jeep Off-road icon battled war, multiple owners, erratic sales and ever-stringent road rules By NEIL DOWLING IT WAS on this day 75 years ago that the US Government handed the first contract for a light all-wheel-drive personnel carrier to small Toledo, Ohio-based vehicle maker Willys-Overland Motor Company and since July 16, 1941, millions of Jeep-badged n vehicles have been produced. More than 660,000 were built during the Second World War by Willys and coproducer Ford, evolving into the Willys CJ (Civilian Jeep) of 1945 with Willys ultimately being granted the registered trademark name in 1950. The 1945 CJ may not be too The business pages of GoAutoNews dissimilar in appearance to today’s Jeep Wrangler, but the company that started the civilian love affair with off-roading is a completely different matter. Willys-Overland was sold to Kaiser Motors in 1953, which became Kaiser-Jeep in 1963. American Motors Corporation (AMC) then bought Kaiser’s Jeep operations in 1970, allowing AMC to share components with its existing passenger-car range. Renault bought a share of AMC in 1979 as a pathway to the US market but financial troubles in France led to AMC’s sale to Chrysler Corporation in 1987. Chrysler struck up its WWW.PREMIUM.GOAUTO.COM.AU SUBSCRIBE CONTENTS alliance with Daimler AG in 1998 to create DaimlerChrysler. In 2007, the bitter divorce between the Americans and Germans led to a private equity company buying Chrysler in 2007 and operating as Chrysler Group LLC with Jeep as a division. Continued next page PREV. PAGE NEXT PAGE 13 GoAutoNews Premium EDITION 15 | JULY 15, 2016 JEEP COMMERCIAL RANGE JEEP WRANGLER AUSTRALIAN SALES 1944 1944-1945 1945-1949 1949-1953 1953-1968 1954-1983 1955-1975 1997 2000 2015 2016YTD CJ-1 CJ-2 CJ-2A CJ-3A CJ-3B CJ-5 CJ-6 Continued from previous page Chrysler, along with General Motors, sought US government financial assistance during the 20082010 Global Financial Crisis. In 2014, Fiat orchestrated a buy-back and repaid the government loan, absorbing Chrysler to create Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Meanwhile, the Jeep product line has been more predictable than its corporate lineage. Since the war, all models carry a seven-slot grille which was a Willys trademark, while 1976-1986 CJ-7 1981-1985 CJ-8 Scrambler 1981-1985 CJ-10 1987-1995 Wrangler YJ 1997-2006 Wrangler TJ & Unlimited 2007-2016 Wrangler JK & Unlimited the Ford Jeeps featured a nineslot grille. The Jeep lineage, through to the current Wrangler, has always had the war-born simplicity of a ladder-frame construction, petrol engine (diesel engines were an option much later), a part-time fourwheel-drive system and live rear axle. The CJ-2A of 1945 was simply the war Jeep with modifications including better headlights, seats and a tailgate. In 1946, Willys made a Jeepderived station wagon and then 1458 702 2106 679 a single-cab ute version in 1947. It deviated from the original with the forward-control variant in 1957, introduced the Wagoneer – a precursor to the Grand Cherokee – in 1963 and another ute in 1963 called the Gladiator. Jeep will introduce a seven-seat Wagoneer model in 2017 and a Gladiator-style ute by 2018. In Toledo, Ohio, this weekend, thousands of Fiat Chrysler workers will gather for a private company picnic to celebrate the birth of the brand in the same town 75 years ago. GoAutoNews Premium Going further, delving deeper Deep-diving journalism on the issues you need to know about Thought-provoking commentary and opinion from Australia’s leading car industry commentators and analysts Compelling business, management and motor retailing news Gain the competitive edge, become a Premium member today! SUBSCRIBE NOW FOR ONLY $49.90 The business pages of GoAutoNews WWW.PREMIUM.GOAUTO.COM.AU SUBSCRIBE CONTENTS PREV. PAGE NEXT PAGE 14 GoAutoNews Premium EDITION 15 | JULY 15, 2016 TO READ THIS STORY ONLINE CLICK HERE Facebook boosts Manheim audience and sales Auction house uses social media to lift turnover and grow audiences By NEIL DOWLING LEADING automotive auction house Manheim has utilised Facebook to lift online auction registrations by 55 per cent and help accelerate users on its Simulcast online auction system. The company has about 150,000 people following Manheim auctions on Facebook an increase of 130 n per cent from 12 months ago. Manheim Australia spokesman Mathew McAuley told GoAutoNews Premium: “In the past four months alone we have grown our followers by 50 per cent, so we are still maintaining good growth rates with the use of engaging content such as videos and events.” The results reflect how broad The business pages of GoAutoNews industry sectors are profiting from new concepts and how social media offers one of the fastest ways to capture a new audience. However, he said that while it was easy to create a Facebook page, it is not easy to build and keep an engaged audience. “You need to publish interesting and relevant content that keeps your followers engaged with your brand and motivates them to interact with you,” he said. Manheim uses mainly digital advertising for auctions as well as SEO and SEM activities. “Facebook is an effective way to reach a very large audience and has the ability to serve up different information WWW.PREMIUM.GOAUTO.COM.AU SUBSCRIBE CONTENTS to different people,” Mr McAuley said. “It allows us to target specific audiences.” Mr McAuley said the number of people registering online to be able to bid and buy at auction increased 55 per cent in the first six months of this year compared with the same period in 2015. Continued next page PREV. PAGE NEXT PAGE 15 GoAutoNews Premium IMAGE: GOOGLE EDITION 15 | JULY 15, 2016 TO READ THIS STORY ONLINE CLICK HERE VISIT MANHEIM AUSTRALIA FACEBOOK PAGE: CLICK HERE Continued from previous page “While the launch of our new Simulcast online auction system – which allows people to use tablets and smartphones to bid and buy at auction – has increased our online registrations, we also know Facebook has brought in new users,” he said. “When Facebook live was launched, we used it to show people how an auction works. “One of the barriers to people buying at auction is the uncertainty and lack of knowledge around how it works. With Facebook live we were able to show people the live auction and give them some insight into what it is like. “We then followed it up with another live video with a more detailed explanation of what happens here on the Wednesday auctions.” The latest live video reached 27,185 people and had 7921 views, 19 shares, 100 “likes” and generated 16 comments. Facebook actively promotes the use of its services to businesses with simple instructions to create a business page. “We are always looking at ways to make sure the right people see our content, so we can boost Facebook posts to make sure they are seen by the right people and target people with certain interests,” Mr McAuley said. “We share information that we know is of interest to our audience so they will in turn amplify our message by sharing it with their social networks.” The business pages of GoAutoNews Coles-Shell service stations go public Petrol stations around Australia hit the stock market By NEIL DOWLING HUNDREDS of Coles petrol stations will hit the stock market next month as Dutch property and fuel business Vitol offers shares in its $1.5 billion real estate investment trust. The float of Vitol’s Viva Energy Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) and its raising of $911 million will be the second biggest listing in Australia this year. Viva Energy REIT opens with 425 freehold service station sites that are leased to Vitol subsidiary, Viva Energy. All sites operate under an agreement between Viva and Coles Express. n The share price of $2.20 gives the REIT a market capitalisation of $1.5 billion which analysts said represents a yield of 5.94 per cent. Coles and Viva entered the agreement in 2013 to lease the sites as Shell/Coles Express until 2024. The agreement said Viva would deliver the fuel and maintain the properties. But Coles challenged Viva’s plans to list its properties because it was concerned about its lease arrangements. The matter went to court where Coles lost. After the court hearing, Coles said it remained committed to the partnership with Viva, strengthening the WWW.PREMIUM.GOAUTO.COM.AU SUBSCRIBE CONTENTS future of the REIT. However, some analysts warn that the future of service stations could be affected by the growth in alternativefuel vehicles and particularly electric vehicles (EVs). Viva’s interest in owning the service stations is attractive because of the high traffic volume and the Coles alliance that makes each station a mini-supermarket. Viva owner Vitol last year paid $3 billion for Shell Australia's businesses including the Geelong Refinery and 870 retail service stations, of which about 620 stations are leased by Coles Express. Only 425 of those sites form part of the REIT. PREV. PAGE NEXT PAGE 16 GoAutoNews Premium Competition to turn a Vito van inside out Mercedes-Benz launches Hack My Van competition for small businesses and entrpreneurs The business pages of GoAutoNews EDITION 15 | JULY 15, 2016 By NEIL DOWLING MERCEDES-BENZ Vans wants to tap into latent design skills of small business operators and other entrepreneurs by calling on them to come up with a design for the interior of the Vito van in a competition that can see the winner drive away in a new van. In an innovative strategy that encourages strong physical engagement of existing and potential customers of the Vito, competitors are being asked to reimagine the interior of the vehicle. Mercedes-Benz Vans’ Hack My Van competition is calling for entries from small businesses, entrepreneurs and start-ups to develop their ideas. Six teams will then be selected to participate in Hack My Van on Saturday, August 6 in Melbourne. The teams will complete a series of exercises. They will be working alongside a team from Mercedes-Benz Vans, product experts and industrial designers to bring their idea to life by redesigning a Vito van in an innovative and creative way. The results will be judged by a panel of entrepreneurs and business leaders – including n WWW.PREMIUM.GOAUTO.COM.AU SUBSCRIBE CONTENTS Shane Delia (award winning chef and restaurateur), Diane Tarr (managing director of Mercedes-Benz Vans Australia and New Zealand), and Jane Martino (advisor to Unlockd & TRIBE, cofounder of Smiling Mind and board member of LaunchVic). They will select the winner and award a new MercedesBenz Vito. Ms Tarr said that MercedesBenz “believe that the humble Vito has long been underestimated and has simply been used just to get a job done. When we see a van however, we see something different. We see the potential inside. “We are excited by the ideas and possibilities for how the Vito van can be reimagined to transform an existing business, or completely reinvented to create new businesses.” ENTRIES CLOSE AT 5PM ON 27 JULY 2016 PREV. PAGE NEXT PAGE 17 GoAutoNews Premium EDITION 15 | JULY 15, 2016 TO READ THIS STORY ONLINE CLICK HERE Holden clips Magpies’ wings CLICK HERE Auctioneer settles sale Another reason why we are the global leaders Multi-million dollar purchase of previously leased facility By NEIL DOWLING MANHEIM Australia and New Zealand has committed itself to its Moorebank NSW auction site by purchasing the property it has been leasing for the past 22 years. Manheim has been operating from the 35,000 square metre Moorebank property at 144 Moorebank Avenue since 1994. Manheim CEO Campbell Jones said the multi-million dollar acquisition was a sign that the company – one of Australia’s largest automotive and industrial auctioneers – was continuing n its investment in Australia. “The purchase of the site at Moorebank reflects the success of our business and our commitment to our operations in Sydney,” he said. “The purchase gives us certainty in our tenancy and will allow us to invest in upgrading our facility with a strategic, long term view.” Mr Campbell said that with the continued investment of Manheim’s parent company, Cox Automotive, the company would now look forward to the site improvements. Manheim provides The business pages of GoAutoNews auctioneering and logistics services for a wide variety of customers across the state. The growing number of vehicles, trucks, machinery and other assets being auctioned to increasingly larger crowds every week has been cited as the main reason for the acquisition of the property. Manheim’s public vehicle auctions attract more than 400 vehicles each week as well as machinery auctions including earthmoving equipment, trucks and trailers, buses and farm machinery. RealVal is Manheim’s online valuation and wholesale stock management tool streamlining your auction sales process. • Accurate auction valuations based on condition and specification of vehicles • VIN Identification feature • Send to auction process • Integrated transport ordering 1300 REALVAL www.realval.com.au Book a demonstration with your local Manheim business manager. manheim.com.au WWW.PREMIUM.GOAUTO.COM.AU SUBSCRIBE CONTENTS PREV. PAGE NEXT PAGE 18 GoAutoNews Premium EDITION 15 | JULY 15, 2016 GoAutoNews Premium New Feature: Micro & Light Passenger Cars Inspected New resource from GoAutoNews Premium. Is Australia’s micro & light passenger car segment also its smallest in sales? CLICK HERE The business pages of GoAutoNews WWW.PREMIUM.GOAUTO.COM.AU SUBSCRIBE CONTENTS PREV. PAGE NEXT PAGE 19