Third generation car dealership JC Campbell, which is entering its 80th year of business, has relocated to new purpose-built premises in Newry and is creating a number of new jobs as part of a £2 million investment.
Established in 1945 by Jim Campbell, it was an early dealer of British Leyland, the manufacturer behind brands such as Austin and Morris.
In the 1970s Jim’s son Colin (now 70) entered the business and paved the way for new partnerships with Rover, Citroën and Honda.
And today, the third generation business is managed by Colin’s son Stephen (39), whose stewardship is guiding the family enterprise though the electric revolution in the motor industry.
Originally based in Rostrevor, the dealership, which currently employs 24 staff with several more set to join its sales and servicing departments in the new year, has acquired a two-acre site in Newry where it has constructed a new 1200 square metres dealership and doubled its capacity for new and used stock.
Stephen said: “This is an area we’ve been looking at for the best part of a decade. The local population is growing and the infrastructure means it’s easily accessible to motorway and cross-border traffic. It really expands our territory and opens us up to more business geographically.”
As part of the investment - which has been supported by Ulster Bank - the business has also secured a new contract with MG as one of its premier authorised dealers.
“We’ve real confidence in the future of the MG brand. Sales have been sky-rocketing in recent years. It remains one of the fastest-growing in Europe and that’s down to an excellent mix of electric and hybrid vehicles at different price points to suit a wide range of drivers.”
Ulster Bank senior relationship manager Danny McGivern said: “Over the past 80 years, JC Campbell has seen and adapted to significant change in the automotive industry, not least the rise of the electric car. It has always been a forward thinking family business and its latest investment is a real demonstration of this fact.
“The investment will create and sustain important employment opportunities in the Newry area and it provides the capacity to expand their offering into the future for their loyal and growing customer base. We are proud to support them in this new venture and wish Colin, Stephen and the entire team continued success.”
Alongside its new vehicles, the business also runs JC Certified, a used car division with an inventory of over 60 vehicles across a variety of makes and models.