One of the truck and bus industry’s leading crash repairers, the Sydney based Wales Group, has been acquired by the publicly listed company AMA.
The acquisition of the Wales Group was confirmed this week by the company’s managing director, Darren Wales, who told Truck and Bus News that the deal will give Wales the resources and the backing of a publicly listed company and will ensure it will continue to service its many loyal and long term customers with continuity.
“It’s a great opportunity to join the AMA Group which is an extremely strong and progressive company and I can assure our customers and staff this is a very positive move that will deliver an even better Wales Group,’ said Darren Wales.
Wales said that AMA has offered him role of head of its heavy vehicle division and that he will also oversee acquisition and growth opportunities in the heavy vehicle repair industry.
“I believe it is a very good fit for us,” Darren explained.
“We have an awful lot of work in front of us but I am looking looking forward to the challenge,” said Darren.
“We’ve contacted all of our customers and informed them of the acquisition and all that is happening and also let our staff know that it is business as usual,” he added.
It is likely that Wales will retain its brand but with a tag line stating that it is a division of AMA.
Wales counts most major Sydney and NSW bus operators and major truck fleets amongst its clients at its specialty repair operations at Smithfield in Sydney’s West, including Transit Systems, Transdev, NSW Transport, Interline and Busways.
Wales was established in 1984 by Barry Wales, initially as a car and light commercial repair operation. However having worked as a driver for a major baker Barry branched out into truck repairs after asking his former employer if there was any truck repair work.
It soon became apparent that they were very good at it and it was a specialist niche that was far removed from the cut and thrust of the car repair industry. As a result the company grew and Barry’s son Darren, who had an accounting background. joined the operation in the late 1980s, working on the shop floor, getting hands on experience and learning the business inside and out.
Darren eventually took over the reins of Wales from his Dad about 15 years ago and by then it was well established as one of the best truck crash repair operations in the business adding a bus repair. division along the way.
Wales has grown from a small smash repair operation with around four employees to employ more than 100 across both its truck and bus operations.
Truck and Bus News will have further details on the Wales acquisition as they come to hand
