New Dealership, More Staff As Foray Group Grows Again

LONDON – February 24, 2010: Salisbury-based Foray Motor Group has just acquired another dealership and recruited 13 new sales staff.

Foray was created through a management buy-out of a privately-run business, Edwards Ford, in Salisbury and has since expanded to embrace an area stretching from Andover to Taunton to Dorchester.

Two years ago, the group acquired Dorchester Ford from Pendragon, closely followed by the Pendragon dealership in Poole that has now returned to its historic trading name of English Ford and become Foray’s flagship site.

Going back to its roots, Foray has also now bought Hine Motors, the only new car dealership serving the community around Shaftesbury in Dorset and in doing so has boosted its presence not only in the West Country motor trade but also within the national Ford dealer chain.

“Foray now operates dedicated Ford outlets in Andover, Salisbury, Taunton, Yeovil, Dorchester, Poole and Shaftesbury as well as a Ford service centre in Chard,” said group managing director Chris Yoxon, who led the original buy-out.

“After taking two dealerships from such a major group as Pendragon I still see it as logical to buy a privately-run outlet in Shaftesbury which has been performing strongly for around 30 years, first under the guidance of its founder Gordon Hine and then by its subsequent owner, Roger Booth, who wanted to retire.”

Foray Group sales manager Tom Croft said some people might view it as brave to expand in terms of both dealerships and sales staff as the scrappage incentive ends but both moves made sound business sense.

“The Shaftesbury community is very loyal to its local businesses and Hine Motors has a great customer base we are happy to serve,” he added.

“Hine is a strong business and we can develop it still more using our group facilities to offer local buyers a wider choice from our vast new and used stock. They will still have contact with the original team, although we will be adding to it. We will also be offering more light commercials than Hine Motors has in the past.

“Price and good service levels are vital to success and ensuring that everyone who comes into any of our showrooms or phones us ready to buy a car gets a proper response will, I’m convinced, win us a larger share of the business to be had in 2010 and beyond.

“Our expansion in the nine years since Foray was formed has seen us become a national business with people checking our website offers from all over the country and then buying from us.

“Whether you want one car privately or a whole fleet for a business you need to feel as if you matter as well as getting the best price possible. I can promise we will deliver that five star experience across the whole group.”