AA DriveTech takes grip on corporate 4X4 market with acquisition of Nationwide 4X4

12 December 2011

AA DriveTech, part of the AA Group, announced today that it has purchased Powys-based Nationwide 4x4 Limited, a leading provider of driver training and events for drivers of off-road vehicles and machinery; the purchase price has not been released.

Nationwide 4x4, formed in 1995, operates in the 4x4, 6x6 and 8x8 vehicle sector which has even more stringent legislation and health and safety requirements than the traditional corporate fleet market. Driven by escalating maintenance costs and the demands of insurance companies, the company offers expert training in a range of heavy duty vehicles and machinery used by a variety of different organisations such as governmental, ‘blue light’ and utilities as well as many commercial organisations.
Courses offered include:

• 4x4 professional off road driving
• 4x4 instructional techniques
• 4x4 off road instructor
• 4x4 off-road Health & Safety

In addition, Nationwide 4x4 is a major organiser of off road motor sporting activities within the UK. 

The company, which is a LANTRA-approved and RoSPA-accredited training provider, will continue to trade as a separate legal entity while becoming a trading operation within the AA DriveTech business. Selwyn Kendrick, Nationwide 4x4’s owner will join AA DriveTech and be active in the integration and expansion of the business.

Commenting on the acquisition, AA DriveTech’s MD Jim Kirkwood said, “This deal is all about great strategic fit and a significant expansion of our specialist driver training portfolio. The introduction of the Corporate Manslaughter Act, and recent bad winters, has highlighted for many organisations that they need to have 4x4 vehicles available, and drivers properly trained to operate them safely, to ensure business and reputational continuity. Nationwide 4x4 therefore enables us to expand the breadth of our portfolio and offer an even more comprehensive “one-stop-shop” to our customers.”

Selwyn Kendrick, owner of Nationwide 4x4 commented, “I’ve had a business relationship with the AA for some time and am truly delighted to be joining the AA family full time. We’re keen to grow the business significantly in the next few years and access to the resources that the AA can provide will help us expand on our leadership position in this developing marketplace.”

Editor’s notes:

Nationwide 4x4

• Founded in 1995 by Owner and Chief Instructor, Selwyn Kendrick.
• Company is based in Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys.
• Nationwide 4x4 is a LANTRA-approved and RoSPA-accredited training provider.
• In addition to 4x4 vehicles, training is provided for land-based, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), lift trucks, tractors and loaders, and dumpers.
• Website at www.nationwide4x4.co.uk

AA DriveTech

• AA DriveTech annually re-trains over 23,000 employees of various organisations who drive for work purposes through its FleetSafe division
• It provides many types of risk management services for business drivers, such as online and in-vehicle driver risk assessments, group workshops, driver licence checking and ‘permit to drive’ programmes
• The company also provides specialist DriverCPC courses for coach, bus and truck drivers as well as motorcycle defensive riding courses
• Through its DriverAware division AA DriveTech provides 39 different driver education programmes for offenders on behalf of 14 different UK police forces
• In total over the past two years well over 300,000 UK drivers have attended some form of AA DriveTech course
• Website at www.aadrivetech.com

Issued by AA DriveTech Communications in association with autoproactive.
Members of the media requiring further information or images to support editorial coverage should contact PR consultant Steve Johnson on T: 01789 205332, M: 07850 123216 or E: steve.johnson@autoproactive.co.uk

DriveTech (UK) Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of AA Corporation Limited, a company registered in England and Wales (Reg. Number 03797747)