“ There has been a lot of interest, but not much information”
At the recent Tucker Rocky / Biker’ s Choice Dealer and Brand Expo in Texas( February 9-10) AMD Magazine met with MAG CEO Andy Graves to discuss some of the tough issues that have faced the group since the merger in May 2014. We found Graves to be ready and willing to face the issues, discuss the strengths that the combined group can build on, and the opportunities it is now looking to develop …
Words by Robin Bradley robin @ dealer-world. com
T he 58-year-old Graves joined MAG in January 2015, some seven months after news of Tucker Rocky owner Lacy Diversified Industries’ audacious acquisition of Motorsport Aftermarket Group had sent shockwaves around the industry. At the time, I remember describing it as being like someone dropping a very large rock into our humble pond, and it doesn’ t seem like a single month has gone by since then without some kind of news( negative or otherwise) about LDI’ s struggle to get their arms around the behemoth they created. Lacy acquired MAG, and then merged it with TR into a new combined group holding company in a growth market – one that has stalled since the deal was done. Frustratingly for everybody, it has done so following a period of initial, if fragile, recovery from the impacts of the 2008-2012 financial crisis. Graves’ background in the boat and marine leisure industry has parallels with the powersports aftermarket, and his reputation as a consolidator preceded him into a 24 month-cycle of creating an entirely new management structure and rationale for the combined business – a process that has certainly had its downs as well as ups.“ The similarities are a big part of what attracted me to the role with MAG” said Graves.“ I had been involved in specialty markets that were driven by leisure dollar spending, where the major items were engineered and manufactured goods. I also
spent time in distributive environments, logistics, and with brand development and management, understanding and seeing how brand values can be evolved.“ So I felt quite comfortable in terms of being able to come to terms with, and understand, the issues and the opportunities quite quickly – and it is very much about the opportunities. Just like the
“ there is a good platform being built” marine and boating industry, powersports is passion and lifestyle led. In markets like that there are always going to be opportunities thanks to the enthusiasm of the market’ s consumers.“ The one thing that I was clear about straight away was to understand the group as being essentially three different but compatible and mutually supportive businesses; with each helping dealers’ customers enjoy powersports as the common denominator.“ Number One- Tucker Rocky and Biker’ s Choice are leading distribution businesses that have their own set of requirements in terms of capabilities, capital and relationships.
www. AMDchampionship. com AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER- APRIL 2017 19