Founded on the 1st of August 2001, this year sees Mazda Motors UK Ltd celebrate its 25th Anniversary. The idea for the company came about in the late 1990s as Mazda Motor Corporation took the decision to connect the European region more closely with the core business in Japan. At the time there were just two national sales companies in Europe, with all the other markets including the UK, served by independent importers.
The story of Mazda in Europe started with the first cars being imported in 1967 followed by Mazda establishing Mazda Logistics Europe (MLE) in Willebroek, Belgium in 1968 as a central hub for the distribution of cars and parts. In 1972 Mazda Motor Deutschland was established to directly control operations in the key German market. However, it was in the late 1980s that Mazda Corporation really ramped up investment in Europe with the founding of Mazda Motor Europe (MME) and the creation of a European headquarters in Leverkusen, Germany. This was followed in 1990 with the opening of Mazda Research Europe (MRE) in Oberursel, Germany, which provided Mazda with a R&D and design centre for the crucial European market.
With this kind of investment in the European market, it was not surprising that Mazda Corporation and MME looked to connect more closely with key European markets via wholly owned national sales companies rather than independent distributors, and, as the second biggest sales market in Europe, the UK was at the top of that list.
Mazda’s story in the UK started on a small scale in 1967 with Industria (London) Ltd officially launching the Mazda marque on the 30th September 1969 at the British Motorshow, then in 1972 Industria (London) Ltd was renamed Mazda Car Imports (GB) Ltd. In the early days the relatively limited recognition of the Mazda brand in the UK and import restrictions on Japanese made cars meant sales were small, but from a few hundred cars a year in the late 1960s, by the end of 1973 sales were at 7,000 per year. Mazda Car Imports (GB) became Mazda Cars UK Ltd in 1975 and then in 1978 Tunbridge Wells based MCL Group Ltd took over distribution rights for Mazda in the UK until 2001.
Mazda Motors UK Ltd (MMUK) was founded on the 1st August 2001. As part of the process more than 40 staff from MCL Group transferred to the new entity, which from October 2001 was based in Dartford, Kent. The location was chosen as it was roughly equidistant between Tunbridge Wells based MCL Group and Ford Motor Company in Essex, where thanks to the early 2000s Ford share-holding in Mazda Corporation, five directors were sent on assignment from Ford UK to the new Mazda Motors UK Ltd.
Today six members of the founding MMUK staff of 54 remain at Mazda UK, including now Managing Director, Jeremy Thomson. Commenting on the 25th Anniversary of Mazda UK, he said: “joining the company on its first day of operation 25 years ago, I am hugely proud of the business that every one of us has crafted, and the amazing culture that exists here. It’s a tribute to every single member of staff and not just the leadership team or any single person. Our shared commitment to the Brand, our valued dealer network partners and the over 900,000 new car buyers over those years is our passion and our strength, and I would like to sincerely thank all those who have been part of that journey and continue to craft the exciting years ahead.”
In 2001 the Mazda range featured the Mazda 323, Mazda 626, Mazda Demio, Mazda Premacy, Mazda MPV, Mazda Tribute and Mazda MX-5 . During the 2001 transition year Mazda sold just 14,298 cars in the UK, but with the launch of the first-generation Mazda6 in 2002, Mazda Motors UK sold 27,820 cars in its first full year as a company – including 6,315 of the new Mazda6. With the early days of Mazda UK coinciding with a global revitalisation of the Mazda product line-up, the sales growth continued – by 2004 with the new Mazda3 and Mazda2 on sale, plus the rotary powered RX-8 joining the range as a halo sports car – annual sales had reached 47,739. By 2007, sales peaked at 50,947 and the launch of the Mazda CX-7 established Mazda in the developing SUV market, something cemented by the huge success of the subsequent CX-5, which went on sale in 2012.
Having served as both Marketing Director and Sales Director, Jeremy Thomson took the Managing Director role in 2008, which coincided with Ford selling the majority of its stake in Mazda Corporation. “In the early years of MMUK, Mazda was the fastest growing brand in the UK for five consecutive years, and in 2008 with the reduction of Ford’s input, the MMUK structure changed quickly with Ford employees either returning or resigning to stay with Mazda. Since then, we’ve seen the business develop and evolve alongside the launch of key global elements like Skyactiv Technology, Kodo Design and ever more premium oriented products. With the increase in SUV sales at the start of the 2010s, cars like the Mazda CX-5 have been crucial in our success story, as has our icon the Mazda MX-5, and in recent years our multi-solution approach to the product line-up in the UK”, commented Jeremy.
One of the staff who transferred from MCL Group to the new Mazda Motors UK Ltd in 2001 and one of the six who still work for MMUK today, Mazda UK, Sales Director, Laura Brailey, said: “reaching our 25th anniversary is a remarkable achievement and a proud moment for everyone associated with our business. It represents 25 years of hard work, resilience, and commitment to our customers. I would like to thank our employees, customers, and partners for their invaluable contribution to our success. Having been with the organization for that entire length of time, I am hugely grateful for being part of this journey and I look forward to the next milestone with as much excitement as we felt 25 years ago”.
Now a 39-year veteran of Mazda, MMUK Parts and Accessories Manager, David Elphick, said: “having started my career fresh out of college with Mazda in 1987 as a vehicle technician at Tunbridge Wells Mazda – the retail dealership owned by MCL Group, I was delighted to get the opportunity to be part of an exciting new future for Mazda in the UK with the new MMUK company. I can remember the early days of Mazda UK were great because of the drive for results, passion and can-do attitude across the company – something that remains at MMUK today, which is what makes it such a great place to work”.
Moving into a new headquarters building in 2015, Mazda UK has in recent years faced the challenges of Brexit and Covid, plus the huge changes to the nature of the UK market. “But throughout all of this I have been convinced by the strength of the Mazda brand, our products, our great dealers and the team at Mazda UK”, commented Jeremy Thomson.
Today Mazda UK has 112 employees and a network of 105 dealers, while the 25th Anniversary year of the business will be one of the busiest in the firm’s history with the launch of three all-new cars: the all-new Mazda6e, the all-new Mazda CX-5, and later this year, the all-new Mazda CX-6e.
Since 2002 MMUK has sold a total of 933,906 passenger cars in the UK, but looking firmly towards an exciting future for Mazda in the UK, Jeremy Thomson, said “this is a great time to thank all our customers, dealer partners and staff for the success of MMUK over the last 25 years and for Mazda UK I’m sure the next quarter of a century will be even more exciting than the last.”
