Ford Retail HQ opens in Essex

The group, which is wholly owned by the Ford Motor Company, has invested around £8m in the new Colchester premises. Ford said the headquarters would be the centre for its UK and European retail operations, which account for around 100 dealerships across the UK and mainland Europe. Chris Hayden, chairman and chief executive of Ford Retail, said: “Our team at the new headquarters is a central resource for the business management of our UK and European operations. “These encompass not only our Ford brand businesses but also our Mazda and Iveco businesses.” Ford Retail has annual sales of 60,000 new and 45,000 used vehicles with a £1.2bn turnover. It is the largest dedicated Ford vehicle retailing group in Europe and in the UK trades under five different business names.