[European Atlas]Overview of Benelux

Image

Through Doyen*, Parts Holding Europe acquired Geevers Auto Parts B.V. in spring 2018. Established in the Netherlands, the organisation is the leading independent retailer of car body parts in the accident and repair markets in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Generating average growth of more than 10% per year, the firm (and its 200 employees) reported €67 million euros of turnover in 2017. In addition to its Dutch central platform in Veldhoven, Geveers stocks more than 100,000 parts, either manufacturers’ originals of equivalent quality, for 35 vehicle makes, delivering them throughout the Benelux countries in 24 hours. With Cora in France and Geveers in Benelux, PHE is reinforcing its geographical position in Western Europe and becoming the leading independent retailer of body parts in Europe, according to the group. There was another acquisition in the autumn for Doyen when it bought Verviers Freins, one of its Belgian members, a multi-brand and multi-activity distributors and an active member of API (running 20 1,2,3 Autoservice garages). Established in the Liège region and in the eastern Belgian cantons, Verviers Freins has eight sales outlets and generated €21 million in 2017. PHE is evidently continuing to expand in Belgium to mount a challenge to the unrivalled LKQ Europe. This is a battle of the giants for an overall replacement parts markets ten times smaller than in Germany… but also a way for the French leader of opening up an eastern front.* Doyen reports €200 million turnover and has 168 distributors in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and France.Caroline Ridet

Image

By selling ADB to Doyen (PHE) in 2017, the Dutch firm Parts Point Group (a member of AD Nederland) gained the financial capacity to fund the external growth of Brezan Autoparts. The movement accelerated in 2018. Fifteen sites bolstered their positions through successive acquisitions of Brezan franchisees: Van Looy, Cees Straetemans, Vink Automaterialen, Dabeko (a specialist in tyre retail) and in December 2018, its franchisee Rob Mastwijk. Today, the market number 3, which reports that it doubled its turnover in the space of four years, has 20 establishments in Belgium and 115 of its 124 points of sale in the Netherlands.

Image

In the past five years since its acquisition by the American LKQ, Sator has been busy with acquisitions. It now owns nearly 300 sites in the Netherlands and approximately 150 in Belgium by incorporating the organisations run by Van Heck Interpièces. But to become a real group, this heterogeneous collection needs to be integrated. The first sign of change is the brand switch from VHI to LKQ Belgium on the shopfronts of integrated facilities. The independents who are members of VHI could soon follow suit. With regard to network deployment (notwithstanding any unnoticed acquisitions) in 2018, Sator mainly hit the headlines through its diversification. During the summer, it bought out Vanesch Verf Groep, the leading Dutch importer of paint products - Cromax, Lesonal, Standox, Valspar and its Perfect Line private label – headquartered in Tilburg (Netherlands) and in Erembodegem (Belgium). Finally, in September it was the turn of the Dutch firm MPM Oil Company, the major lubricant supplier, to go over to LKQ Europe. The company works in more than 50 countries, selling a range of products comprising more than 350 lubricants and liquids.