New Gateshead facility opens thanks to £20m investment from commercial vehicle giant

Commercial vehicle giant MAN Truck & Bus has opened the doors to its facility on Gateshead’s Team Valley.

Following a £20m investment and 11 months of building work, the 3.3 acre dealership and maintenance facility opened to customers this week at a celebratory launch event.

Featuring a maintenance workshop with 12 workshop bays and a MOT ATF test lane, the new site will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week and offer opening hours during weekends.

Also housing a 24-hour breakdown service area and support vehicle, MAN Truck & Bus customers in the region will now have access to unrivalled round the clock roadside support and breakdown assistance.

Thomas Hemmerich, managing director MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd said: “MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd has operated a wholly-owned dealership in Gateshead for nearly a quarter of a century, since 1996, and throughout this time we’ve both sold vehicles to and supported our customers from our existing facility in Earlsway, Gateshead.

“However, as our business footprint has grown considerably across both the Tyne Valley and the surrounding areas, so has our requirement for a larger premises.

“This considerable investment in a new purpose built state-of-the-art facility clearly demonstrates our long term commitment to both the North East and to our strong customer base in the area.

“The new facility will allow us to continue to grow further across the region and we’re all incredibly excited to have this opportunity.”

The new dealership was purpose developed for MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd by UK Land Estates - the largest commercial property investment and development company in the region.

Tim Witty, development director at UK Land Estates, added: “This is a fantastic investment by an international company in the North East, and a real vote of confidence in the region.

“UK Land estates has partnered with MAN Truck & Bus UK in the Team Valley for more than 23 years and we are delighted to have been able to find a suitable location for the new facility within our large portfolio of development land and quickly provide a solution.”