Alliance Automotive Iberia announces acquisition of Recambios y Accesorios GAUDI

This acquisition confirms Alliance Automotive Iberia's strategic foothold in the automotive aftermarket, previously represented by Lausan (in Spain) and Soulima (in Portugal).

The GAUDI group is one of the leading independent players in this market, with 22 owned-stores operating mainly in the Catalonia and Madrid regions. Founded in 1989 by Antonio Tejada and Lucia Hidalgo, the GAUDI Group has been growing significantly over the past years thanks to a combination of organic growth and numerous opening stores; the group has achieved annual revenues of approximately €100 million. This remarkable performance reflects the expertise of the Group and its 350 employees across all vehicle segments in the transport sector.

By joining Alliance Automotive Group, the GAUDI Group is confident that AAG brings the necessary resources to drive GAUDI’s next phase of growth for the benefit of its employees, customers, and suppliers.

Faced with the challenges of today and tomorrow, the combination of these market leaders becomes an obvious and relevant choice, capable of meeting the requirements of national key accounts and local players.

Franck Baduel, Chief Executive Officer of Alliance Automotive Group, said: "The acquisition of the GAUDI Group is perfectly in line with our strategy and the plan defined several months ago. Our aim is the same as in all the other countries, namely, to offer our customers the best possible service and the most comprehensive offer. The network, know-how and professionalism of the Gaudi team represent a unique opportunity for Alliance Automotive Iberia to become a major leader of the Spanish market ".

According to Nacho Pernas, General Manager of Alliance Automotive Iberia, commented: "The story of Alliance Automotive Iberia began a year ago with the takeover of Lausan and Soulima, but it takes on a new dimension with this acquisition, which gives concrete expression to the group's ambition to become number 1 in the distribution of automotive parts on the Iberian Peninsula. The synergies generated by this merger will enable our respective organizations to grow and enable us to respond even more effectively to the needs of our customers throughout the country".

Antonio Tejada, Managing Director of Recambios y Accesorios Gaudí, S.L., said: "Gaudi is a great story that began in 1989, the same year as the Alliance Automotive group in France. Our destinies were intertwined! We quickly realized that our Groups shared the same values and the same ambition. This union is a wonderful opportunity for all the employees of the Recambios y Accesorios Gaudí, S.L. Group, and we look forward to rapidly developing synergies in terms of resources and expertise, which will serve to satisfy our customers.

About Gaudi

Gaudi is a company specialized in the distribution of spare parts for automobiles, which currently offers, in addition to spare parts, a wide range of services that bring added value to the customer. Gaudi employs approx. 350 people. Further information is available at www.recambiosgaudi.com

About Alliance Automotive Group

Alliance Automotive Group (AAG), is a leading distributor of light and commercial vehicle parts to the independent aftermarket in France, the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Portugal. AAG is doing business under the Groupauto France, Precisium Group and Pièces Auto in France, Groupauto UK and UAN in the UK, Groupauto Ireland in Ireland, Alliance Automotive Group Germany in Germany, Groupauto Poland in Poland and Partspoint, Precisium and Winparts in the Netherlands and Belgium, Groupauto Iberica in Spain and in Portugal. AAG serves approximately 100,000 garages with over 100,000 different parts for repair and maintenance from a network of more than 700 company-owned stores and more than 1,700 affiliated outlets.  The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Company, the largest worldwide automotive parts distributor with activities in North America, Europe, and Australasia. Further information is available at www.allianceautomotivegroup.eu

About Genuine Parts Company

Founded in 1928, Genuine Parts Company is a global service organization engaged in the distribution of automotive and industrial replacement parts. The Company's Automotive Parts Group distributes automotive replacement parts in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australasia, France, the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands and Belgium, Spain and Portugal. The Company's Industrial Parts Group distributes industrial replacement parts in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Australasia. In total, the Company serves its global customers from an extensive network of more than 10,000 locations in 15 countries and has approximately 52,000 employees. Further information is available at www.genpt.com