The History of MC Group

30 years history and experience in the vehicle industry to offer the best technical expertise

  • 1987

    1987

    Tony and Simon Dawson relocate from Bedfordshire to Kent and buy the first Volvo truck dealership from Volvo Maidstone Commercials.

    The business joins their Sister company Arrow truck rental and JTS Hire with existing depots in Heathrow, West Thurrock and Toddington.

    Volvo dealership in Aylesford, Kent known as Maidstone Commercials is independently bought marking the beginning of MC Group.

  • 1990

    1990

    MC restore classic vehicles to take part in the London to Brighton historic commercial vehicle run.

  • 1991

    1991

    MC Truck rental formed acquiring the fleet of Arrow truck rental, JTS Hire.

    MC Truck Engineering formed from the acquisition of GEO truck a specialist body builder and exporter of vehicles for humanitarian aid and oil exploration.

  • 1992

    1992

    Second Volvo truck dealership opened at Hythe.

    MC crowned Volvo sales team of the year.

    Simon Dawson (Now MC Group MD) passes his HGV test days after his 21st birthday.

  • 1993

    1993

    MC Truck rental registers the first UK Volvo FH road.

    Maidstone commercials changes name to MC Truck and Bus to reflect growing regional presence and reflect the importance of PSV business.

    MC acquire the business of Landmark commercials and open third Volvo dealership at former Landmark site in West Thurrock taking over the South Essex area for Volvo.

    MC Truck rental acquires fleet of Landmark truck rental.

  • 1994

    1994

    Volvo FH wins truck of the year supplied by MC Group.

  • 1995

    1995

    23rd July: MC Truck and Bus entered one of their Volvo special edition 30th Anniversary trucks in the annual Cart Marketing Ceremony in Guildhall Yard, London.

  • 1996

    1996

    MC Group are finalists for Motor Transports’ Dealer of the Year award.

    MC Group employs 200 employees.

  • 1998

    1998

    MC acquires 3 new Volvo dealerships at Burgess Hill, Portsmouth and Southampton from Volvo.

    MC Truck Rental sold to BRS a Volvo owned company.

  • 1999

    1999

    MC Sets up its first dedicated contracts department.

    MC acquires Dorset commercials in Blandford an ERF dealer and converts to Volvo making the seventh dealership.

  • 2001

    2001

    MC Truck Engineering demerged with MC Group a new business formed with partner Mike Beer called Charlton Bodies.

    MC Truck Finance formed after a 3 year absence from the rental market MC are back.

  • 2002

    2002

    Isuzu product added to MC Truck and Bus franchises.

    New purpose built facility opens at Hythe on 5 acre site including new paint shop and accident repair centre.

    MC Group comes 44th in the top growing companies in Medway Group employs over 300 people.

  • 2003

    2003

    Charlton bodies sold to Thompson Group.

  • 2005

    2005

    MC Group opens new purpose built dealership at Witham completing MC Coverage across the South of England from Suffolk to Devon.

    Simon Dawson becomes youngest ever chairman of the Volvo Truck Dealer Association.

    MC spearheads new customer satisfaction programme.

    Dedicated training school opened at MC Head Office, Maidstone.

  • 2008

    2008

    MC Truck finance changes name to MC Rental to better reflect MC strong presence in vehicle rental.

  • 2009

    2009

    MCG Holdings formed creating new structure after Simon Dawson acquires remaining shares from Tony Dawson and Tony retires as Chairman.

  • 2011

    2011

    MC Truck and Bus Maidstone becomes an ATF- having been one of the first approved MOT testing facilities in the country, carrying out MOT’s for over 20 years.

  • 2012

    2012

    MC Group wins the prestigious Motor transport Dealer of the year award.

  • 2013

    2013

    MC Rental designated new stand-alone Head Office opens at Larkfield.

    MC Rental changes name from MC Truck Rental to communicate growing fleet diversity.

    MC puts the first new release Volvo FH in the UK on the road.

  • 2014

    2014

    MC Rental launches dedicated pre-owned vehicle sales business.

  • 2015

    2015

    State of the art shot blasting bay built at Hythe.

    MC Rental named in top 10 biggest Truck Rental companies by Motor Transport.

    MC team wins Isuzu dealer challenge.

    MC Rental invests over £50 million in fleet.

  • 2016

    2016

    MC Rental fleet rapidly expands doubling in size from 2013 reaching over 3,000 vehicles.

    MC Group employs over 400 people.

  • 2017

    2017

    MC Group recognised by Financial times as one of the fastest 1000 growing companies in Europe.

    MC Trucks and Bus win both Service Excellence and Sales Success awards at Volvo annual conference.

  • 2018

    2018

    MC team makes it to the world final of Volvo Trucks VISTA competition in Brazil.

    MC Rental significantly boost construction based vehicles on rental fleet.

  • 2019

    2019

    MC Completes significant investment at Burgess Hill site in order to meet increased demand.

  • 2020

    2020

    MC Group is named in the Sunday Times PwC Top Track 250 as one of Britain’s leading mid-market private companies with the biggest sales.

  • 2021

    2021

    MC Group launches new division MC Plant and wins franchise to undertake the sales, support service and repairs of SANY excavators and other plant for Kent, Surrey & East Sussex.

     

The history of MC Group begins in 1987 with the acquisition of the first dealership at Maidstone. Since those early days the company has expanded and become a national commercial vehicle service provider and asset management company. It has strong family links across the generations, and the management team has a wealth of experience in the transport sector.

Our history is also one built on independence. Since its first acquisition the group has remained independently owned and over the years has grown to include nine sites across the south of England. MC Group has expanded from being a sales and service provider to become an overall asset management company, trusted by hundreds of customers with their fleet needs, whatever the nature and size of their business.

We are proud of our heritage and history and as an independently owned company with vast experience have the ability to adapt quickly to individual needs, with the added reassurance of a strong background.

From beginning as a single truck franchise there have been significant developments and additions to the business from specialised or purpose built service centres to a modern and diverse fleet of top quality marques.

Today MC Group offers services to truly be a complete provider including purpose built facilities such as a dedicated bodyshop and our own training school. We now have a fleet of over 2,500 vehicles, ranging from 4×4’s, vans and temperature controlled vehicles to the largest HGV’s. Our packages, available on all vehicles, range from daily spot rental to long term and contract hire. All services are available from a 24 hour recovery service to full fleet management.

Our history and experience has seen the Group expand over the years to cover nine strategically placed locations in the south of England with nationwide service support agents to keep our customers on the road: anytime, anywhere.