Trade Centre Wales
| File:Trade Centre Wales Logo.PNG | |
| Industry | Automotive |
|---|---|
| Genre | Used Car Sales |
| Founder | Mark Bailey |
| Headquarters | Neath, Wales |
|
Number of locations
|
Neath, Merthyr Tydfil |
|
Area served
|
South Wales |
|
Key people
|
Mark Bailey (Chairman), Andy Coulthurst (CEO) |
| Products | Used Cars |
|
Number of employees
|
155+ |
| Website | Thetradecentrewales.co.uk |
The Trade Centre Wales is Wales' largest used car sales company, their headquarters is based in Neath, Wales just off the M4.
Contents
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'.[1] These advertisements won an award in the Commercial Radio Station Creative category at the annual Arqiva Commercial Radio Awards.[2] 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.[3]
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. Supplying over 350 cars from £1999 or just £10 per week as their latest weekly offer states.
Cardiff North
The Trade Centre Wales acquired land just North of Cardiff off the A470,[4] spanning 7 acres of sales pitch. It's the largest used car pitch in Wales.
Largest Workshop in Wales
As well as housing state of the art technology, the new workshop also houses a brand new customer care centre, building on The Trade Centre Wales’ already outstanding reputation for customer service. Open 7 days a week, the workshop is also designed to act as a distribution centre to service the current 2 sites at Merthyr Tydfil and Neath.
The Trade Centre Wales have recently 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, state of the art 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.
NSPCC Donation
In October 2014, chairman Mark Bailey and wife Rhianon Bailey, agreed to give £50 to the NSPCC for every car sold, as a result £50,000 was raised for the NSPCC in Wales. The campaign was voiced by Peter Andre.
October 2015 was also another great month for their chosen charity as through the Barclays Drive for Good Campaign, which raised £5,280.
It followed with a further donation, again Mr & Mrs Bailey led the campaign to donate £50 for every vehicle sold in October 2015, and raised a further £50,000 for the NSPCC, taking the total raised in two years to £105,280.[5]
Over the years The Trade Centre Wales has supported numerous NSPCC campaigns, the total sum of monies helped raised is near £250,000. Campaigns have feature ‘Beefy Botham’[6] ‘Peter Andre’.
The Trade Centre Wales plans to launch the £50 donation campaign again in October 2016, it is rumoured that ‘Ruth Jones’ will voice the radio campaign this year.
German Car Clearance
Taken advantage of the German Emissions Scandal, the team at The Trade Centre Wales followed with their controversial advertising style and pushed an innovative campaign out within five days of the scandal hitting the air.
The campaign, which strapline read “up to £2000 off all German cars” was a massive success, posting record days and weeks for October 2015. Andy Coulthurst, CEO, was invited on to BBC [TALK SHOW] to give industry insight into the scandal, and whether it was likely to affect consumers.
Profit Track 100
The Trade Centre Wales is ranked 30th out of 100 on the Sunday Times BDO Profit Track 100, one of only three Welsh companies.
F&I Award
The Trade Centre Wales collected two awards at the Prestigious ‘F&I Conference and Awards dinner’.
One award was for Chairman, Mark Bailey, the “Annual F&I Achievement Award”, another of which was the “Sub Prime F&I Performance of the Year” award.
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.
References
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