Belgian industrial entrepreneur Guido Dumarey has acquired the former Woodall Nicholson group companies and sees a strong future and synergies with existing businesses
Bus manufacturers Mellor and Treka, along with sister companies within the WN VTech (formerly Woodall Nicholson) group Coleman Milne, VCS Police & Special Projects, Promech Technologies, and JM Engineering have been acquired by Belgian industrial entrepreneur Guido Dumarey. The businesses are now consolidated into new companies under the umbrella of Woodall Nicholson, a new holding reflecting the heritage of the group as a specialist vehicle manufacturer.
Guido Dumarey is the owner of the Dumarey Group, which has significant interests in the European automotive sector, with operations and subsidiaries in Belgium, France, Italy, China, and the UK. The acquisition will take the group’s combined workforce to around 3,000 people at the start of 2024.
Since 2009, Guido Dumarey has focused on the automotive industry, including the development and production of automotive components such as automatic transmissions, injectors, flywheels, kinetic energy recovery systems, and e-mobility applications. The group has also been actively investing in hydrogen powertrain solutions, including internal combustion engines powered by hydrogen, aligning with the industry’s shift towards sustainable mobility.
Guido Dumarey said of the acquisition: “This is an exciting acquisition for us. The Woodall Nicholson businesses have a strong market position and a disruptive product portfolio, as is evident in their robust order book. We’re eager to collaborate with their talented teams to continue delivering innovative mobility solutions. This marks a significant step towards our commitment to shaping a future where environmentally conscious transportation is accessible to all.”
The Dumarey Group says that Woodall Nicholson’s acquisition and development signifies a crucial opportunity for its companies to synergise their strengths, expand market presence, and enhance overall capabilities, and that it will be supporting the existing management team to further develop the business, enhance its current operational capability, and continue to develop new and innovative products.
The WN VTech Group appointed administrators in late November, despite strong order books, having doubled its spending on research and development in the run up to the launch of group company Mellor’s Sigma range of electric buses.
