Can anyone please enlighten me as to when BMC/BL etc started using the Unipart brand ?
Many thanks.
Unipart
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morris-miner
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mab01uk
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Re: Unipart
No details on the current Unipart website but found this which may help:
History
Unipart was formed in 1974, when part state-owned car company British Leyland appointed John Egan to be its director of the parts and service division. Egan created a new organisation, independent of the main car company and branded as Unipart. But as losses in BL grew, in 1975 the company was nationalised, and Egan departed in 1976 to join Massey Ferguson.
29 year old John Neill took over running the business, and built Unipart as an independent business unit with the BL group, by offering other car companies UK logistical services. This was enhanced through the traditional route of motorsports sponsorship, from 1978 with the Triumph Dolomite Formula 3 team, and from 1980 in Formula 1, first with Ensign and then with McLaren until 1983.
After further losses at BL and the sale of Jaguar, in 1987 Neill led a management buyout of Unipart, in part financed by a wider employee buy-in. The company returned to Formula1 sponsorship, with Tyrrell and later with Jordan Grand Prix.
Today the company operates as a logistics expert across a series of sectors, using its assets and intellectual property branded as "The Unipart Way" to both deliver and consult for a diversity of clients.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Unipart/1 ... 22?sk=wiki
History
Unipart was formed in 1974, when part state-owned car company British Leyland appointed John Egan to be its director of the parts and service division. Egan created a new organisation, independent of the main car company and branded as Unipart. But as losses in BL grew, in 1975 the company was nationalised, and Egan departed in 1976 to join Massey Ferguson.
29 year old John Neill took over running the business, and built Unipart as an independent business unit with the BL group, by offering other car companies UK logistical services. This was enhanced through the traditional route of motorsports sponsorship, from 1978 with the Triumph Dolomite Formula 3 team, and from 1980 in Formula 1, first with Ensign and then with McLaren until 1983.
After further losses at BL and the sale of Jaguar, in 1987 Neill led a management buyout of Unipart, in part financed by a wider employee buy-in. The company returned to Formula1 sponsorship, with Tyrrell and later with Jordan Grand Prix.
Today the company operates as a logistics expert across a series of sectors, using its assets and intellectual property branded as "The Unipart Way" to both deliver and consult for a diversity of clients.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Unipart/1 ... 22?sk=wiki
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Tim Harber
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Re: Unipart
Funnily enough, someone asked me this recently (and also when Unipart and Rover parted company)
The only evidence I could find quickly was from the back of a parts book (also found in handbooks) where the print date (in the case below of the 10th month of 1970) is next to some plain speaking that Unipart and Leyland were part of the same group. The parts book here is for ADO16 but Mini handbooks have it from 1971 as far as I could see
The only evidence I could find quickly was from the back of a parts book (also found in handbooks) where the print date (in the case below of the 10th month of 1970) is next to some plain speaking that Unipart and Leyland were part of the same group. The parts book here is for ADO16 but Mini handbooks have it from 1971 as far as I could see
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mab01uk
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Re: Unipart
"Parts supplier Unipart Automotive has gone into administration, putting around 1,300 jobs at risk and seeing yet another of the former elements of the BMC/BL/Austin Rover Group slide into the annals of motoring history.
Rover Group, under BMW stewardship, tried to buy back Unipart in 1995 for 300 million pounds, but the deal was rebuffed by Unipart Chief Executive John Neill, who remains Chairman and CEO of the Unipart Group to this day."
http://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/news/un ... istration/
Quote from Unipart Group, Cowley, Oxford:-
"We were saddened to hear that Unipart Automotive, the company we sold in 2011, has gone into administration. Recent press coverage has confused Unipart Automotive with Unipart Group. It is important to note that Unipart Group and Unipart Automotive are different companies.
Unipart Automotive, the branch network which was previously known as Partco, was sold by Unipart Group to H2 Equity Partners in 2011. Unipart Group retained an equity stake, but a condition of the sale was that Unipart Group exercised no control over the business. Unipart Automotive was granted a restricted licence to use the Unipart brand on a limited range of wholesale outlets and a tightly controlled range of automotive car parts."
http://www.unipart.co.uk/
Rover Group, under BMW stewardship, tried to buy back Unipart in 1995 for 300 million pounds, but the deal was rebuffed by Unipart Chief Executive John Neill, who remains Chairman and CEO of the Unipart Group to this day."
http://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/news/un ... istration/
Quote from Unipart Group, Cowley, Oxford:-
"We were saddened to hear that Unipart Automotive, the company we sold in 2011, has gone into administration. Recent press coverage has confused Unipart Automotive with Unipart Group. It is important to note that Unipart Group and Unipart Automotive are different companies.
Unipart Automotive, the branch network which was previously known as Partco, was sold by Unipart Group to H2 Equity Partners in 2011. Unipart Group retained an equity stake, but a condition of the sale was that Unipart Group exercised no control over the business. Unipart Automotive was granted a restricted licence to use the Unipart brand on a limited range of wholesale outlets and a tightly controlled range of automotive car parts."
http://www.unipart.co.uk/
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Spider
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Re: Unipart
Thanks for posting that up, rather interesting to learn about the history of some of these companies.
I did spot an office and warehouse out here not long ago;-
http://www.unipart.com.au/
I also recall reading that in the last year of so of Mini Manufacturing, BMW approached Unipart to provide a 10 year projection on spares that would be needed for our Minis. I think it was Rover who made many of the parts, maybe Unipart got involved in that too when you look at some of the parts packaging, I really don't know, however the contract then went to Caterpillar to hold and distribute the factory spares, they then set up X-parts to do this.
I did spot an office and warehouse out here not long ago;-
http://www.unipart.com.au/
I also recall reading that in the last year of so of Mini Manufacturing, BMW approached Unipart to provide a 10 year projection on spares that would be needed for our Minis. I think it was Rover who made many of the parts, maybe Unipart got involved in that too when you look at some of the parts packaging, I really don't know, however the contract then went to Caterpillar to hold and distribute the factory spares, they then set up X-parts to do this.