D'Ieteren
Encyclopedia
D'Ieteren SA is a company, based in Belgium
that is engaged in the automobile distribution, short-term car rental, and vehicle glass repair and replacement businesses.
– D'Ieteren Auto distributes Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, Seat, Porsche, Bentley, Lamborghini, Bugatti and Yamaha vehicles across Belgium. It is the country's number one car dealer, with a market share of nearly 20% and more than one million vehicles of the distributed makes on the road. Sales in 2009: 2.4 billion euro.
– Belron (92.7% owned) is the worldwide leader in vehicle glass repair and replacement. 1,900 branches and 9,400 mobile vans, trading under 15 different brands including Carglass, Autoglass
and Safelite, serve customers in 34 countries. Sales in 2009: 2.4 billion euro.
– Avis Europe
(59.6% owned, listed on the London Stock Exchange) is a leading short-term car rental company. With its Avis and Budget brands, it operates through more than 3,900 locations in Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia. Rental income in 2009: 1.2 billion euro.
The company started to manufacture car bodies at the beginning of the 20th century, with production being exported. Later, it moved into the assembly and importing of cars and trucks.
After the Second World War, D'Ieteren obtained the exclusive import rights for Studebaker
(1945), Volkswagen
(1948) and Porsche
(1950). The car rental business commenced in 1956, with the hire of Volkswagen Beetle
s on the Belgian market. In 1958, D'Ieteren obtained the Avis licence for Belgium.
In 1956, D'Ieteren took on the production of the Piatti scooter
, but with the small car market beginning to boom in the mid 1950s, scooter sales were on the decline, so the Piatti came a few years too late.
The company imports and distributes other makes of the Volkswagen
group : Audi
(1974), SEAT
(1984), Skoda
(1992), Bentley
(2000) and Lamborghini
(2001), as well as Yamaha
products (1975).
D'Ieteren acquired Belron in 1999. Belron is the world leader in the vehicle glass repair and replacement market. The company operates in Europe and Brazil
under the brand names Carglass and Autoglass
(Ireland, United Kingdom, Poland), in North America (Canada, United States) as Belron, in Australia under the brand name O'Brien and in New Zealand under the brand name Smith & Smith.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
that is engaged in the automobile distribution, short-term car rental, and vehicle glass repair and replacement businesses.
Activities
D'Ieteren is a group of services to the motorist founded in 1805, serving over 19 million customers in 120 countries in three areas:– D'Ieteren Auto distributes Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, Seat, Porsche, Bentley, Lamborghini, Bugatti and Yamaha vehicles across Belgium. It is the country's number one car dealer, with a market share of nearly 20% and more than one million vehicles of the distributed makes on the road. Sales in 2009: 2.4 billion euro.
– Belron (92.7% owned) is the worldwide leader in vehicle glass repair and replacement. 1,900 branches and 9,400 mobile vans, trading under 15 different brands including Carglass, Autoglass
Autoglass
Autoglass is a car-windscreen repair company based in Bedford, Bedfordshire, England.-History:In 1971, Windshields was formed in Bedford, and operated across southern England doing mobile repairs. In 1973 the Doulton Group launched Autoglass, which operated across northern England...
and Safelite, serve customers in 34 countries. Sales in 2009: 2.4 billion euro.
– Avis Europe
Avis Europe
Avis Europe plc is a United Kingdom-based company which holds the licence to operate the two main vehicle rental brands of Avis Budget Group in Europe, the Middle East and Africa as well as Asia in the case of Avis...
(59.6% owned, listed on the London Stock Exchange) is a leading short-term car rental company. With its Avis and Budget brands, it operates through more than 3,900 locations in Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia. Rental income in 2009: 1.2 billion euro.
History
The D'Ieteren venture started in the 19th century when it was founded by master coachbuilder Joseph-Jean D'Ieteren. The D'Ieteren company kept pace with the evolution of the transport industry, developing from a craft business to an industrial and commercial operation.The company started to manufacture car bodies at the beginning of the 20th century, with production being exported. Later, it moved into the assembly and importing of cars and trucks.
After the Second World War, D'Ieteren obtained the exclusive import rights for Studebaker
Studebaker
Studebaker Corporation was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 under the name of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the company was originally a producer of wagons for farmers, miners, and the...
(1945), Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
(1948) and Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
(1950). The car rental business commenced in 1956, with the hire of Volkswagen Beetle
Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...
s on the Belgian market. In 1958, D'Ieteren obtained the Avis licence for Belgium.
In 1956, D'Ieteren took on the production of the Piatti scooter
The Piatti scooter
Despite its Italian name, the Piatti scooter was of Belgian manufacture, being originally produced in 1954 in Belgium by D'Ieteren. Its name came from its designer, Vincent Piatti....
, but with the small car market beginning to boom in the mid 1950s, scooter sales were on the decline, so the Piatti came a few years too late.
The company imports and distributes other makes of the Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
group : Audi
Audi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
(1974), SEAT
SEAT
SEAT, S.A. is a Spanish automobile manufacturer founded on May 9, 1950 by the Instituto Nacional de Industria , a state-owned industrial holding company....
(1984), Skoda
Škoda Auto
Škoda Auto , more commonly known as Škoda, is an automobile manufacturer based in the Czech Republic. Škoda became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group in 2000, positioned as the entry brand to the group...
(1992), Bentley
Bentley
Bentley Motors Limited is a British manufacturer of automobiles founded on 18 January 1919 by Walter Owen Bentley known as W.O. Bentley or just "W O". Bentley had been previously known for his range of rotary aero-engines in World War I, the most famous being the Bentley BR1 as used in later...
(2000) and Lamborghini
Lamborghini
Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., commonly referred to as Lamborghini , is an Italian car manufacturer. The company was founded by manufacturing magnate Ferruccio Lamborghini in 1963, with the objective of producing a refined grand touring car to compete with established offerings from marques like...
(2001), as well as Yamaha
Yamaha
Yamaha may refer to:* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services** Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company...
products (1975).
D'Ieteren acquired Belron in 1999. Belron is the world leader in the vehicle glass repair and replacement market. The company operates in Europe and Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
under the brand names Carglass and Autoglass
Autoglass
Autoglass is a car-windscreen repair company based in Bedford, Bedfordshire, England.-History:In 1971, Windshields was formed in Bedford, and operated across southern England doing mobile repairs. In 1973 the Doulton Group launched Autoglass, which operated across northern England...
(Ireland, United Kingdom, Poland), in North America (Canada, United States) as Belron, in Australia under the brand name O'Brien and in New Zealand under the brand name Smith & Smith.