The Emil Frey Car Distribution Group Acquires the Breton Gabagri Group as Part of the New Holland Network

17 June 2024, France: Founded in 1924, Emil Frey is now France’s leading car distribution group, with 29 brands, 322 dealerships, more than 10,000 employees and sales of €5.9 billion.

First of all, let’s look back at the origins of this group. In 1924, Emil Frey, a trained mechanic, renowned motorbike racer and entrepreneur at heart, opened his first workshop in Zurich devoted to motorbikes and cars. In order to demonstrate the quality of his products, the young garage owner was not afraid to break new ground and successfully took part in motorbike races. Demanding and competent, Emil Frey placed customer satisfaction at the heart of his business vision and quickly built a first-rate reputation as a specialist in efficient and rigorous service. 
The modest workshop of the early days gave way to a major business importing mainly British vehicles.
In 1969, Emil Frey handed over the management of the company to his son Walter, and it has continued to grow to this day through a series of takeovers and the development of distribution platforms.

On 31 May, the Group acquired the Gabagri group, a major player in agricultural machinery in Morbihan (56), Loire-Atlantique (44) and Maine-et-Loire, run by Fabrice and Jacques Gabillet, with a view to expanding into the distribution of agricultural equipment. The Gabagri group includes New Holland dealers Gabillet and MAC. 
A loyal New Holland brand since 1967, Ets Gabillet has five bases in Morbihan (56). 
Matériel Agricole Castelbriantais (M.A.C) was founded in 1951 by the HUARD family, one of the great names in French agricultural machinery. Taken over by Gabagri in 2009, it has four bases in Loire-Atlantique (44) and Maine-et-Loire (49).

The Gabagri Group employs 185 people and will achieve sales of €75 million in 2023. The aim of Jacques and Fabrice, the Group’s directors, has always been to bring competence and modernity to the agricultural sector, values that are totally consistent with those of the Emil Frey Group. 
“The acquisition of Gabagri, a company with strong roots in the local market, strengthens our entry into the agricultural machinery distribution market and confirms our partnership with CNH Industrial, which began with the acquisition of Bretagri in February. We are adding a new brand to our portfolio, and not the least important one: New Holland, a benchmark brand on the sales podium for almost all its product range. This is another decisive step in the development of our Agricultural division. And it’s just as much a human adventure, with the integration of the employees from these various acquisitions,” emphasised Hervé Miralles, Chairman of the Emil Frey France Group.

The Emil Frey Group now has 6 main areas of activity: car and motorbike distribution, commercial vehicle distribution, spare parts design and distribution, car importing, industrial reconditioning of used vehicles, and now agricultural machinery distribution. These diversifications demonstrate the Group’s determination to position itself as a major player in global vehicle distribution.

Olivier le Flohic, Director of New Holland France, also welcomed the agreement: “We are delighted that the Emil Frey Group has joined the New Holland network. It’s a family-run business with a strong commitment to customer service, which fits in perfectly with the DNA of our network. So it seemed appropriate and almost natural to develop this partnership. Emil Frey’s expertise, acquired in other sectors of activity, can only strengthen our distribution and benefit all our New Holland customers in this sector. We would also like to extend our warmest thanks to Fabrice and Jacques Gabillet, who have flown the colours of our brand for many years.

The New Holland dealership network, the largest in France, stands out for the expertise and professionalism of its dealerships. The arrival of the Emil Frey group in western France, with its many years of experience, can only strengthen our primary objective: to make customer relations our driving force for development.

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