Commercial vehicles giant MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd has invested in a new dealership in Gateshead as part of a £20m investment programme.
Construction work is underway on a 3.3 acre site in Team Valley where a state-of-the-art dealership and maintenance facility will provide support for the complete range of award winning MAN vans, trucks, buses and coaches.
The new dealership is being developed for MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd by UK Land Estates – the largest commercial property investment and development company in the North East.
Mitch Barnes, network business development manager, MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd, said: “MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd have operated a dealership in Gateshead since 1996, some 23 years, and throughout this time we’ve both sold vehicles to and supported our customers from our existing facility in Earlsway.
“However as our business footprint has grown across both the Tyne Valley and the surrounding area, so has our requirement for a larger site.
“This investment shows our long-term commitment to the North East and our strong customer base in the area. The new facility will allow us to grow further across the North East and we’re excited to have this opportunity.
“UK Land Estates helped us find this ideal location, which is well connected to major road links across the North and will serve our business well, well into the future.”
The purpose-built dealership is part of a £20m investment programme across the MAN Truck and Bus UK network.
The new Gateshead facility will be used to sell, support and maintain the full MAN vehicle range – from the TGE starting at 3.0 tonnes, to the 250 tonne TGX heavy haulage tractor, as well as both bus and coach products.
The maintenance workshop will operate six days a week supporting MAN customers.
Vehicle emergency breakdown coverage, through MAN’s Mobile24 24-hour breakdown service, will guarantee 24/7 emergency roadside assistance 365 days of the year.
The building’s steel frame – which uses steel from across the north of England – is already in place.
The main beams for the structure were sourced locally, while sections were fabricated by Durham-based WRAM Fabrications Limited.
Tim Witty, development director at UK Land Estates, added: “This is a fantastic investment by an international company in the North East, and a real vote of confidence in the region.
“MAN has been in Team Valley for more than 23 years but continuous business growth meant they have simply outgrown their existing premises.
“The company is, however, committed to its Gateshead location and came to us with specific needs for the new facility and thanks to our large portfolio of development land we were able to quickly provide a solution.
“We’re looking forward to MAN trading from Team Valley for the next 25 years.”
