Following approval from the European Commission, Drivalia has completed the acquisition of ALD Automotive in Ireland.

The vehicle leasing company has also acquired the subsidiaries of ALD Automotive in Norway and of LeasePlan in the Czech Republic and Finland. The joint operations of which represent 70,000 vehicles and approximately 430 employees.

The sale of the subsidiaries was part of a commitment made by ALD to receive clearance by the European Commission for the acquisition of LeasePlan. 

The addition of four new European countries, brings the CA Auto Bank group-owned company’s total markets to 13 where it is operational with its rental, leasing and mobility solutions.

In Ireland, the activities of the subsidiary, led by David Wilkinson, will continue to focus on contract hire and fleet management.

In the future, it says that the offering will be expanded to include the full spectrum of Drivalia's ‘Planet Mobility’ solutions, such as electric car sharing, car subscriptions and rentals.  

 

Paolo Manfreddi, CEO of Drivalia, said: “This acquisition marks a turning point for Drivalia's project in Europe.

“With the launch of new subsidiaries in Ireland, we are moving ever closer to our goal of becoming a top pan-European player in the mobility of tomorrow.

“We will work to firm up and improve the quality of services offered and the level of satisfaction of current customers, thanks to the union of the great know-how of the new teams and ours.

“Our strategy, based on our nature as an independent and multi-brand operator in a group with almost one century of automotive experience, enables us to offer the best mobility solutions available on the market.”

Wilkinson, CEO of the Irish subsidiary of Drivalia, said he was excited about joining Drivalia and becoming part of a bank with the scale of the Crédit Agricole Group.

“Drivalia’s financial strength, strong values and innovative mobility products strengthens our ability to grow and support all our customer’s fleet and mobility requirements now and into the future,” he added.

CA Auto Bank is a universal bank, wholly owned by Crédit Agricole Consumer Finance, which operates as an independent and multi-brand player in the vehicle financing and leasing and in the mobility sector.