This move comes during a turbulent time for the importer, which has failed to make the impact it expected in the UK. According to the SMMT, SYUK's sales were down 26 per cent to 1,249 in the first 10 months of the year. The company's dealer network is also faltering, with just 52 sites in the UK – over 20 short of the target set last year by managing director Ken Forbes. In February 2006, Forbes told Motor Trader that it was “the number one priority” to increase SYUK's dealer network from 50 to 75 outlets. This ambition was stated after the network had already lost three UK sites in 2005. In Scotland five of the six original SYUK sites have broken away from the network. According to one former SYUK dealer in Scotland, many of the original sites left after Forbes took over as managing director and David Coop joined the group in 2005. “When they took over that's when I and other dealers left,” he said. “Scottish managers couldn't agree terms with them. I didn't like their way of marketing or promoting the product. “It wasn't worth having the franchise because you didn't have an orderly network anymore – I didn't see a future in it.” He also voiced concerns with sourcing parts within the UK. The former franchise holder, who still sells some SsangYong vehicles as an independent, said he had been forced to source parts from the Republic of Ireland, due to a lack of cooperation from the UK distributor. “We can't get routine service parts,” he said. SYUK?declined to say why Coop, who llike Forbes joined the brand from Citroen, had left the company and where he had gone. Forbes was unavailable for comment.