OWNERS and potential buyers of MG and Rover cars are being reassured that their supply of spare parts is in safe hands even though there is a question mark over the future of the last major British-owned car maker.
The crisis affects not only the workers at Longbridge but also about 300 dealerships nationwide, each employing about 50 staff.
Xpart is the company that owns and operates the entire spare parts business for MG Rover models. A division of Caterpillar Logistics Services, it is largely unaffected by the current difficulties at MG Rover and is running its spare parts distribution operations as normal.
Caterpillar last August paid about £100m to buy the operation from Phoenix Venture Holdings, owners of MG Rover.
MG Rover Group Ltd and Powertrain Ltd last week went into administration.
Xpart chairman John Parkinson said: "With £40m of parts in our warehouse, and strong ongoing partnerships with the 800 companies that supply parts for MG Rover models, we are in an excellent position to maintain uninterrupted supply to MG Rover dealers worldwide.
"Whatever the outcome of the negotiations at MG Rover in the next few days and weeks, it is important that everyone who owns one of the two million-plus MG Rover vehicles on the road today understands that the entire dealer network is supported by a thriving, dedicated and world-class spare parts business."
Similar reassurance, to both owners and dealers, has come from parts wholesaler Harwoods of Chichester which points out that the number of MG Rover vehicles make it the UK's fifth largest brand on the road.
The plight of MG Rover dealers in the light of the car maker's crisis is to be examined by industry and government with the establishment of a Retail Motoring Industry Federation (RMI) sub-committee which will meet on Tuesday.
Matthew Carrington, chief executive of the RMI, and Alan Pulham, RMI franchised dealer director, will be among the industry figures on the committee chaired by Sir Digby Jones, director general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).
FACTFILE:
IN the UK there are 2,396,709 cars of the Rover family, under the following badges:
Rover: 1,935,882
MG: 224,892
Austin: 147,730
Triumph: 42,391
Morris: 35,701
Riley: 4,728
Wolseley: 3,541
Standard: 1,629
Van Den Plas: 215
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article