Wheels Partners With Marubeni and Lithia, Enhancing Fleet Management Solutions
Wheels Partners With Marubeni and Lithia, Enhancing Fleet Management Solutions
Wheels, a leading fleet management company in North America, announced that it received a significant minority investment from Marubeni Corporation ("Marubeni") and Lithia & Driveway ("Lithia"). The strategic investment aligns Wheels with notable players in the mobility space as it continues to innovate, building upon its best-in-class product offerings to corporate clients. As the pioneer in fleet leasing and services, Wheels recognizes that the automotive industry is constantly evolving and welcomes the deep industry knowledge that Marubeni and Lithia collectively contribute to our business.
北美領先的車隊管理公司Wheels宣佈，收到了Marubeni Corporation（“Marubeni”）和Lithia & Driveway（“Lithia”）的重大少數投資。這一戰略投資使Wheels與移動領域的知名企業家保持一致，同時繼續創新，構建其面向企業客戶的最佳產品系列。作爲車隊租賃和服務的先驅，Wheels認識到汽車行業在不斷髮展，並歡迎Marubeni和Lithia共同爲我們的業務貢獻深厚的行業知識。
Marubeni has a strong track record of investing in companies across the US automotive value chain, dating back to 1958. Current Marubeni portfolio companies in the mobility sector include businesses focused on consumer auto finance, refrigerated trailer rental & leasing, and short-term commercial vehicle rentals. As an investor in Wheels in partnership with Apollo-managed funds focused on origination platforms and asset-backed finance strategies, Marubeni is aligned with Apollo's long-term vision for Wheels, and in addition to providing expertise in the automotive sector, Marubeni enables further access to diversified funding channels through its longstanding relationships in Japan. Lithia, as one of the largest dealership groups in the US, shares Wheels' commitment to delivering valuable offerings across the vehicle lifecycle, from vehicle acquisition and financing to maintenance and repair.
丸紅有着在美國汽車價值鏈各個領域的投資強大的跟蹤記錄，可以追溯到1958年。目前，丸紅在流動性行業的投資組合公司包括專注於消費者汽車融資、冷藏拖車租賃和短期商用車租賃的業務。作爲在與Apollo管理的基金合作的Wheels投資方，專注於起始平台和資產支持金融策略，丸紅與Apollo爲Wheels的長期願景保持一致，並且除提供在汽車行業中的專業知識外，丸紅還通過其在日本的長期關係提供了進一步獲取多樣化資金渠道的機會。作爲美國最大的經銷商集團之一，Lithia與Wheels共同致力於提供全生命週期的有價值的項目
Shlomo Crandus, the CEO of Wheels, said, "We are excited to receive the backing of two highly sophisticated investors. Our clients are always at the heart of everything we do, and that will continue as we innovate and grow with Marubeni and Lithia. While Wheels operates as a fleet management company today, the legacy business began in 1939 from an auto dealership, so we have a deep appreciation for the world-class business that Lithia has built and its dedication to customer satisfaction. We look forward to the strategic partnership and collaborative thinking with both Marubeni and Lithia."
Wheels的CEO Shlomo Crandus說:"我們很高興獲得兩位高度複雜的投資者的支持。我們始終將客戶放在我們所做的一切的核心，這將繼續隨着Wheels與丸紅和Lithia創新和發展。雖然今天的Wheels作爲一家車隊管理公司，但其傳統業務始於1939年的汽車經銷商，因此我們對Lithia已經建立的世界一流業務和其對客戶滿意度的承諾深表感激。我們期待與丸紅和Lithia建立戰略伙伴關係和協作思維。"
The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of calendar year 2024, subject to customary closing conditions.
交易預計在2024財年第三季度結束，須符合通常的交割條件。