Type Private Genre Used Car Sales Products Used Cars Headquarters Neath, United Kingdom | Industry Automotive Area served South Wales Founder Mark Bailey Number of employees 300+ | |
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Key people Mark Bailey (Chairman)
Andy Coulthurst (CEO) Number of locations Neath (Head Office); Abercynon (Cardiff North); Merthyr Tydfil | ||
The Trade Centre Wales is Wales' largest used car sales company, their headquarters is based in Neath, Wales and have showrooms in Merthyr Tydfil & Abercynon. The Trade Centre Wales announced their latest car supermarket will open on April 14th 2017 located in Wednesbury, West Midlands marking the company as the regions largest used car retailer. The Trade Centre Wales branches outside of it's homeland will be known as The Trade Centre UK.
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Advertising
The company are known around South Wales for their advertisements heard on 96.4 The Wave, 102.1 Bay Radio, Real Radio and 106.3 Bridge FM. The adverts are recorded by Mike Doyle and feature fictional characters including 'Trevor' and 'Mario from Maesteg'. One advert featured the fictional character Trevor (voiced by Doyle) repeatedly singing the lyrics "Cars for a pound" over the tune of William Tell. Their adverts have a comedy feel to them. At the end of each advert a jingle is played, with the lyrics 'Trade Centre Wales, We've got the car for you' followed by Trevor saying 'Tell them Trevor sent you'. These advertisements won an award in the Commercial Radio Station Creative category at the annual Arqiva Commercial Radio Awards. The voice of Trevor was created by Swansea Bay Radio which helped to promote the company. The company had negative feedback about their advertisements at first, stating that people felt they were making fun of local accents.
Neath Head Office
The Trade Centre Wales, Neath is the supermarkets Head Office and is home to their £2.8m state-of-the-art workshop facility located on the A465 just 60 seconds from J43 on the M4.
Wales' Largest Workshop Facility
The Trade Centre Wales invested £2.8 million in a new workshop facility, investing both in the business and the local community. Located in Neath Abbey, the new facility is the largest of its kind within Wales. With 32 ramps in total, equipment and a paint shop facility, the new workshop is designed to support and service both The Trade Centre Wales sites in Merthyr Tydfil and Neath, and soon to be opening Cardiff North branch.
The Part Exchange Outlet
The Trade Centre Wales Merthyr Part Exchange Outlet opened in 2010 and is the budget arm of The Trade Centre Wales business. The Part Exchange outlet supply's over 350 cars with prices ranging from as little as £1999 or just £10 per week.
Abercynon (Cardiff North)
The Trade Centre Wales acquired land far to the North of Cardiff, off the A470, closer to Merthyr Tydfil than Cardiff, spanning 7 acres of sales pitch. On the 1st July 2016 Cardiff North opened its doors making it the largest used car pitch in Wales. On the first day of trading The Trade Centre Wales Cardiff North sold 66 cars and over 1,500 units by the end of its first month doubling it's monthly profit record. CEO Andy Coulthurst said this resulted in a 70% increase in group turnover in the month to £11,000,000 and doubling pre-tax profits to £2,000,000. Andy Coulthurst also confirmed the group's plan to open a new site in South Wales by "mid-2017" and expect to expand into England in 2018 with a site in the South West or Midlands.
The Trade Centre UK
In December 2016 it was announced that The Trade Centre Wales would be opening their first car show room outside of Wales in mid-2017 creating 200 new jobs
The chosen site was a former car showroom on Darlaston Road, Wednesbury in the West Midlands which will have up to 1,500 cars on display instantly catapulting The Trade Centre UK as the regions largest used car supermarket.
Profit Track 100 & FastGrowth 50
In 2015, The Trade Centre Wales ranked 30th out of 100 on the Sunday Times BDO Profit Track 100, one of only three Welsh companies.
In 2016, The Trade Centre Wales entered the Fast Growth 50 table for the very first time
Kit Klub
The Trade Centre Wales has sponsored over 100 sports teams over the years. The teams sponsored range from Grass Roots sports teams, up to large teams such as The Ospreys RFC.
Kit Klub launched in 2010 with the promotion being dealt with by Heart FM (Formally Real Radio). Each year through 2010 and 2011, 20 grass roots sports teams were given the chance to win a kit for their team. There was a big presentation evening where local rugby stars such as Adam Jones attended to present the kit.
Since then, the Kit Klub scheme now runs throughout the year, given that The Trade Centre Wales is so heavily involved within the community, the requests for support are overwhelming, they’ve now extended such funds of advertising to various other appeals, such as marathon runners.
The Trade Centre Wales Kit Klub scheme, also maintains a permanent sponsorship with Abergavenny Town and Merthyr Town FC.
On the opening of their Abercynon branch, The Trade Centre Wales completed a deal to sponsor Nelson Cavaliers FC
"On behalf of the players, committee and coaching staff Nelson Cavaliers AFC we would like to thank "The Trade Centre Wales" for their generous sponsorship in supplying a First Team Kit for the forthcoming season.
Nelson Cavaliers AFC is enjoyable and ambitious club to be involved with, both on and off the field and have an enthusiastic committee who are doing their utmost to provide football across all age groups and with The Trade Centre Wales' support hope to progress top the next level of football.
We hope this is only the first step in a long and successful association with The Trade Centre Wales and our thanks must go to Jac Bowen for his support in starting the ball rolling!”
- Keith Downes, Chairman of Nelson Cavaliers FC