5 minute read
BUSINESS HOUR
Chris Eccles is overseeing a new partnership that is bringing global brand INEOS and the impressive new 4x4 Grenadier to Lancashire, writes
Chris Eccles was born to work in the motor industry. In fact, his date of birth, 1st March, just happens to fall on new car ‘registration plate change’ day!
“Every year I always fancy taking a day off to celebrate, but let’s just say that would be a tad difficult to justify,” smiles Chris.
Especially this year as Chris is overseeing a new investment which has expanded the family-owned Bowker Motor Group’s brand portfolio.
Bowker, you see, has partnered up with global manufacturer INEOS Automotive as the sole agent for Lancashire for the impressive new Grenadier – a built-for-purpose, ready-for-anything 4x4 which is causing something of a storm.
The INEOS Grenadier is the brainchild of Sir Jim Ratcliffe who, at the last count, hadn’t many in front of him when it came to listing the country’s richest folk.
Back in 2017, Sir Jim, the INEOS chairman as well as a car enthusiast and experienced adventurer, identified a gap in the market for a stripped back, utilitarian, hard-working 4x4 engineered for modern day compliance and reliability.
It was his idea to develop the Grenadier from scratch and he decided to chew the fat with his friends over a drink or two in their favourite watering hole in London’s affluent Belgravia.
Anyone guess the name of said establishment? Give a prize to the first to shout out ‘Grenadier’!
INEOS Automotive Limited was duly formed and a senior team of automotive professionals assembled to bring the vision to reality with a fresh perspective of 4x4 development and manufacturing.
And when they decided the time was right to go to market, they scoured the land in search of suitable partners. Organisations they felt could meet their demanding criteria.
First up as agent for Lancashire? Bowker Motor Group.
“It’s a great honour and a real opportunity for us,” says Chris. “We are one of 24 UK sites among the first 160 locations to be confirmed in markets around the world.”
The new INEOS Automotive segment of the extensive Bowker Motor Group brand portfolio is based at the company’s existing Ribble Valley dealership on the A59 in Osbaldeston.
New exterior signage is in situ, the showroom environment has been installed –and Bowker are all ready to offer the full INEOS sales and aftersales experience for the Grenadier. This is a vehicle certain to have widespread appeal - particularly suited for farmers, estate managers, builders, joiners and rural vets, to name but a few!
Basically, anyone who needs a workhorse vehicle that can deliver optimum performance day-in-and-day-out, irrespective of weather or ground conditions.
Bowker really are in at the get-go as INEOS Automotive plans to have a 200-strong sales and aftersales network for the Grenadier spanning over 50 countries within the next few months.
Chris, who turned 48 earlier this month, is a proud Lancastrian with many personal and professional connections to the county –east, west and central.
“I’ve lived on the Fylde and Burnley and worked in Preston, St Anne’s, Blackburn and the Ribble Valley, so I have a good knowledge of the area and an understanding of what our customers look for in a motor dealership.
“It’s a straight-talking, do-it-right-first-time approach around these parts and Bowker has a great reputation as a caring, family firm that always delivers on exceeding customers’ expectations.”
Married to Renee, with three children and two French bulldogs, Chris left school at 16, secured a work placement in junior management and then went on to gain NVQs in retail before joining the motor trade full-time at 19, working for Dutton Forshaw Land Rover in Brock.
Bowker gave Chris his big break into automotive management at the age of 26 when he was promoted to MINI Sales and Marketing Manager, coinciding with the launch of this new car in 2001. It’s fair to say he’s never looked back as in 2012, Chris was made a Director of Bowker Motor Group.
“This industry has always been a great fit for me and I genuinely mean it when I say I still get the same enjoyment and excitement from the job as I did on day one.
“Yes, of course there are challenges, but the team here is strong, determined and very capable.
“INEOS will have carried out plenty of due diligence before finally selecting their UK partners for the launch of the Grenadier. That Bowker is among the chosen few, speaks volumes for our reputation within the industry and we will do everything we can to make it a massive success.”
bowkermotorgroup.co.uk
Footnote: An indication of the size of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS Group operation: This global power in the manufacturer of petrochemicals, speciality chemicals and oil products (and a new vehicle), employs 26,000 people across 36 businesses, with a production network spanning 194 manufacturing facilities in 29 countries.
