Inchcape to buy Daimler's Mercedes-Benz distribution operations in Colombia

Automotive distributor and retailer Inchcape has agreed to buy Daimler's Mercedes-Benz passenger car and private vans distribution operations in Colombia for an undisclosed sum.

In November, Inchcape said it had agreed to buy Autolider, the distributor of certain Daimler brands such as Mercedes-Benz passenger and commercial vehicles, Freightliner and Fuso in Uruguay and Mercedes-Benz passenger and commercial vehicles in Ecuador.

The company said on Thursday that the acquisition of these businesses represents a "strategic transformation" of its partnership with Daimler to include distribution contracts after a 30-year retail-only partnership.

"Together these acquisitions have enabled us to create a scale regional platform with Daimler," it said.

In Colombia, where Inchcape has operated since 2016, Inchcape will become the Mercedes-Benz distributor of passenger cars and private vans, adding to its Subaru, Hino and JLR operations.

"This acquisition further enhances the LatAm platform which has grown from operating BMW in two markets to now representing BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Hino, Subaru, Suzuki and JLR, as well as Freightliner, Fuso and a range of Chinese OEMs, in eight markets across the region," it said.