Category: Updates

Hertz Malta is celebrating its 20th anniversary in the car leasing sector, providing individual and corporate customers with flexible long term car rental products.

“Hertz has been successfully operating its business in Malta for 55 years, having added its leasing services 20 years ago to ensure customers’ long term car rental needs were also fulfilled. United Garage Ltd., the company that operates Hertz in the country, boasts a longstanding experience in the leasing business, which was certainly instrumental to consolidate our brand portfolio,” explains Ron Scerri, General Manager, Hertz Malta.

Hertz Malta’s leasing business and professional fleet management service offer customers bespoke ,complete leasing packages, totally shaped as per their specific needs.

“Clients want flexibility and a personalized approach through the complete freedom of choosing the model, leasing plans and packages that best suit their requirements. Strengthening our leasing service means putting customers in the driving seat, matching their requests for preferred model, leasing plans and packages and supporting them with additional practicality, convenience and added-value.”

“Our corporate lease offer and professional fleet management service help customers optimise costs and efficiencies while freeing up their time and resources so they can concentrate on running their business,” added Ron Scerri.

M·A·C Cosmetics, the professional choice of make-up artists around the world, and one of the most iconic brands of cosmetics, has just launched its new flagship store on Zachery Street, in Valletta.

The opening of this new M·A·C store marks a very significant step for United Department Stores Ltd., a subsidiary of United Group Ltd, as the outlet is now the biggest in Malta for the world-renowned brand. The store, which welcomed some of Malta’s biggest names in the local fashion, film, music and publishing industries last night, offers an extraordinary collection of make-up products loved and championed by professional make-up artists globally since its inception in 1984.

The brand, which is sold in 120 countries, has also been committed to developing new categories and products, by launching over 60 new collections each year and offering unique high quality in-store experiences. M·A·C has a very strong presence in the beauty and fashion industry, supporting designers and fashion weeks worldwide, including New York Fashion Week and Milano Fashion Week, as well as sharing the latest trends, suggesting products and beauty tips, and offering professional make-up services.

The socially-committed brand also founded the M·A·C Aids Fund in 1994 to support people affected by HIV/AIDS, and to date has raised over $440 million (US) exclusively through the sale of M∙A∙C VIVA GLAM lipstick and lipglass donating 100 per cent of the sale price to fight HIV/AIDS.

Simon Gatt Baldacchino, Managing Director of United Department Stores Limited, said: “M·A·C in Malta has been a success story with both customers and make-up artists from the very beginning. Now, after two years of M·A·C’s presence in Malta, we are extremely proud to be launching a flagship store of this caliber for this much-loved brand. This store, which has a much wider range of products to choose from, some of which weren’t available in the brand’s other two outlets in Sliema and at The Point, also has a training centre which will be imparting the knowledge and experience of both local and international make-up artists.

The M·A·C flagship store in Valletta is conveniently located on Zacchary Street.

Hertz Malta, operated by United Garage Ltd, a subsidiary of the United Group of Companies, has appointed Ron Scerri as General Manager, responsible for its local car rental & Lease operations.

One of the oldest Hertz franchisees in Europe, United Garage Ltd has been operating the leading car rental brand since 1961.

Mr Scerri comes with years of experience in management having worked with some leading international brands both locally and abroad.

Commenting about his new appointment, Mr Scerri said “I am proud to be joining Hertz Malta, at such an important and exciting time for the company. The Hertz brand has a rich legacy in the local car rental and lease sectors with more than half a century of experience in the country.”

Hertz Malta has recently opened its new headquarters in Luqa, just a few minutes away from the Airport.

“These new offices not only helped us reorganise our management and administration teams to be able to function more effectively, but will also allow us to re-assess and strengthen our customer-service approach and more importantly, Hertz’s local presence and visibility.”

“As we gear ourselves up for the approaching busy summer season, Hertz in Malta is in the process of boosting its fleet of rental cars with new and interesting makes and models to continue to fulfill all our customers’ needs and preferences.” concluded Ron Scerri.

The United Group of Companies is celebrating its 90th anniversary from when Carmelo Gatt Baldacchino set up a small transportation company in 1926.

His son Charles took over the business and started offering chauffeur driven services to the NATO mission in Malta. During the swift development of the tourism industry in the 60’s he expanded into the tourism sectors and established long term business relations with major tour operators and entered the car rental sector acquiring the Hertz franchise in 1961.

Later in the 1980’s Charles continued diversifying the company by entering the automotive sector by acquiring the Opel and Saab agencies for Malta.

Today the Group has grown in stature and brand equity and has flourished and expanded into other exciting sectors. The organisation today has investments within the automotive, vehicle rental and lease, retail and real estate sectors.

Edmund and Simon Gatt Baldacchino, Executive Directors of United Group commented,

“The same entrepreneurial guiding principles instilled by our father are still cherished and embraced. Maintaining the same family values and through proper governance and competent leadership and management we ensure that our investments are based on a long term view and in knowledge that all that is done is financially viable and doable.

We have continued to further develop what our father had established within the car rental and dealership businesses. We are proud of our long association of over 55 years with Hertz making us the oldest Hertz franchisee in Europe. We have also maintained a strong leadership in the automotive business by teaming up with other partners to establish Motors Inc. Limited into a multi-brand dealership retailing leading automotive brands such as Kia, Opel, Fiat, Iveco, Hyundai, Jeep and Alfa Romeo.

Over the last decade we have further diversified and established ourselves as leaders in the retail sector representing Debenhams, MAC cosmetics and other fashion brands.

We have entered the real estate sector and teamed up with other entrepreneurs to develop Pendergardens in St Julian’s, one of Malta’s finest residential and commercial developments.

We are confident that in the coming years we will continue to grow in strength by maintaining excellent relations with our principals and business partners. We cherish our relationship with our people at different levels of the organization structure. Customers are our reason for being in business and we will continue to understand their needs to deliver a promise of value and quality. The above ingredients will ensure that we deliver a strong organization for the next generation.”

Pater Holding Co Ltd and Cars International Ltd (a co-owned company between Tum Invest Ltd and United Group Ltd.) have agreed to merge the automotive dealership operations of Cars International Ltd, UCIM Co. Ltd, Meridian Enterprises Co. Ltd. and Waldorf Auto Services Co. Ltd. in a new joint-venture operation.

The new company, which will be equally owned between Pater Holding Co Ltd, Tum Invest Ltd and United Group Ltd will represent a range of brands that include Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Fiat Professional Vehicles, Hyundai, Iveco, Jeep, Kia, Opel, SAAB, DFM and Waxoyl.

The new merged entity will bring together these leading automotive companies that have a heritage and are synonymous with the local car and commercial vehicle market.

A spokesperson for the parties behind this venture said that an application in this sense has been submitted to the Office for Competition for approval. “We are confident that the new company will provide greater customer choice and benefits, as well as provide employees with increased personal and professional growth opportunities, ingredients that are expected to lead to the consolidation and market expansion of the organization”, added the spokesperson.