Mechanical Lloyd To Embark On 2bC Expansion Project

Accra, Aug. 29, - Mechanical Lloyd Company (MLC), distributors of BMW and Honda cars and Massey Ferguson tractors is set to invest about two billion cedis to expand its operations. This follows the appointment of MLC as franchise holder for Land Rover vehicles in Ghana as from October One, this year. Mr Yaw Manu Sarpong, Chairman of the Board of Directors, said at a press conference in Accra today that the money for the project will be raised from rights of issue through the Ghana Stock Exchange. He said the handling capacity of MLC's workshop will be increased to 62 work bases. "This means that 62 vehicles can be serviced at the same time, thus reducing the turn-around of vehicles that report at our workshop". He said sale of Land Rover vehicles will not begin before January 1998 because of ''technical problems''. Mr Terence R. Darko, the Managing Director, said the new franchise follows the purchase of the Rover Group of U. K. by BMW AG of Germany. BMW and Rover are embarking on a programme to have only one distributor to handle their products. "MLC will thus have the sole and exclusive responsibility for the marketing, sales and service of both BMW and Land Rover products in Ghana". Mr Darko said on completion of the expansion project the manpower strength of the workshop for instance will rise to 63 from 45. MLC has been distributing BMW cars in the Ghana since 1971.