The History of Arnold Clark

Sir Arnold Clark received a knighthood in the 2003 New Year Honours List, for services to the automotive industry and to the community in Scotland. Born in Glasgow, Arnold Clark joined the Royal Air Force as soon as he was old enough at age 17. He quickly rose in rank as he developed the education, self-discipline and leadership qualities which were to lay the foundations for his future career. He left the RAF in the early 50s as an NCO Motor Mechanics Instructor, the perfect preparation for a career in the motor trade.

Sir Arnold opened his first showroom at Park Road, Glasgow in 1954, a showroom which remains trading under the Arnold Clark banner to this day. Quickly making a name for himself as an honest and reputable trader, he was awarded his first franchise (Morris) in 1959. Expansion continued into the early sixties, with the purchase of another half dozen garages in and around the Glasgow area.

The group's impressive track record was further enhanced in 1963, when Arnold Clark Vehicle Management was established. Set up specifically to lend money on hire purchase to the groups best customers, its operations were widened the following year when daily car and van rental were added to the companies trading activities.

 

Pioneers in Contract Hire

The expertise won in that field was to make the group a highly attractive contender for its next development - contract hire, when in 1967, the company won its first contract hire customer. During the next 10 years or so, Arnold Clark Vehicle Management established itself as pioneers in the fleet industry, and managed to grow its contract fleet at a time when local authorities and major companies throughout the United Kingdom were divesting themselves of internal fleet operations.

Further retail expansion and innovation continued through the eighties and nineties, which brought along a clutch of new car franchises and saw the company expand from its West of Scotland base to have a presence in every major centre of population in Scotland. Indeed, the new millennium began with a triumphant flurry of activity as the company established 15 major retail facilities in England, as far south as the West Midlands.

 

Taking it to the next level

Today, the group now represents 20 different new car franchises and continues to provide quality automotive service across the full spectrum of motoring activity. Sir Arnold Clark, as Chairman and Chief Executive, is still at the helm of the company which he built and is now supported by a young and energetic Board of Directors, ready to take Arnold Clark Automobiles to the next level of performance and customer service.

A man who is a great believer in the personal touch and attention to detail, also believes in a straight-forward approach to business. He doesn't favour advertising gimmicks, or high pressure salesmanship, or some of the more technicoloured fireworks of others. ‘There's nothing fancy about what we do, but we do the simple things, very well indeed’.

‘Promises delivered’ is the company motto, and delivering on promises is what makes the Arnold Clark Organisation the unique success story it is today.

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