News

A well-known Angus car dealership will soon boast two new big-name manufacturers.

Forfar’s Glenford site, home to Ford for almost 40 years, has now secured both Jeep and Leapmotor franchises.

Bosses hope the new vehicles will arrive in the coming weeks and the showroom will be open by the start of the new year.

Angus firm AM Phillip Trucktech, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary, acquired the Glenford dealership – which will keep its name – last year.

Glenford’s 20 staff will be retained, and a new sales person has been recruited this month.

Managing director Rob McWilliam revealed the new franchises are a key part of the firm’s continued growth plans.

The Jeep and Leap brands are a good fit for AM Phillip Trucktech.

The nearest Jeep and Leapmotor dealerships are currently in Perth and Aberdeen, so AM Phillip spotted a “gap in the market”.

Rob, who joined AM Phillip as managing director in 2019, said: “The two new car franchises coming to Glenford will serve the local demographic well.

“Jeep and Leap are popular brands but the nearest dealerships are a good way away.

“We are proud to have kept Glenford open and retained the staff.

“We have since taken on a new salesperson and we hope that there will be more staff to come.”

In early 2026, AM Phillip will move its Ford Transit centre to Glenford.

AM Phillip operates throughout Scotland has its main base at Muiryfaulds, between Forfar and Dundee.

In 2023, it took over the former Forfar Mart, which it uses as a pre-delivery inspection and preparation centre.

However, the Mart site will become AM Phillip’s new headquarters and IVECO base.

Rob revealed AM Phillip, which specialises in vans and articulated tractor units, was celebrating a successful year after a difficult 2024.

He said last year was akin to the 2008 credit crunch in terms of customer behaviour.

Individuals and businesses are keeping their vehicles for longer periods and the used vehicle market has increased.

However, Rob, who has grown AM Phillip’s reach and opened a new site in Glasgow since he took the helm, has further expansion plans.

He said: “I wanted to modernise the company but keep the family feel.

“Some of the systems and processes have been updated and streamlined but employee numbers have increased.  When I came on board, we had just over 200 staff, now the number is closer to 250.

“It is important to me to provide jobs and to safeguard the business for the future.

“Last year was difficult but this year we have seen a bounce back and an increase in profitability.”

Rob is particularly proud of AM Phillip’s servicing contracts with Tesco’s state-of-the-art IVECO gas lorry fleet, which operate across Scotland.

The firm also provides servicing and roadside assistance for the Scottish Ambulance Service.

This year the IVECO S-Way has been its biggest “success story”, with good sales at its commercial vehicle dealerships in Forfar, Dundee, Glenrothes, Edinburgh, Conon Bridge and Glasgow.

This article appeared in The Courier on 1 December 2025