Celebrating 10 Years: This Is The GasanZammit Motors Ltd Story
A decade ago, GasanZammit Motors Ltd was born out of Gasan Group and Zammit Group joining forces and coming up with this new venture.
Reflecting on the past ten years, Joe Gasan and Joe Zammit speak about what a great commercial move this has been for both of the companies. They even said that ‘maybe the only real regret was not having done this earlier!’.
The founding members of GasanZammit Motors Ltd. are firmly rooted in the local automotive industry. With experience dating back to 1902, they’ve usually seen a solid performance history and financial standing.
Since the age of 15, Mr Gasan was part of his family’s business and he followed in his father’s footsteps, who was also a successful business pioneer in Malta. Mr Gasan was the key driver in the expansion of the Gasan Group’s portfolio.
He was also responsible for Gasan being awarded the Mazda, Yamaha and, later on, Volvo franchises during the 1980s, while maintaining a successful concessionaire for Ford Motors.
On the other hand, Mr Zammit started his career at the age of 16 when he joined his grandfather’s thriving business which started in Barriera Wharf Valletta.
In 1956, when a Japanese floating exhibition vessel visited Malta, Mr Zammit’s father was able to expand the family business and expand into car importation. This meant that brands like Isuzu and Honda could be sold from our seas.
During these periods, both Mr Gasan and Mr Zammit played critical roles in the diversification and expansion of their respective family businesses.
New beginnings
Since November 2012, GasanZammit Motors Ltd. has been operating from a hub in Malta’s Central Business District. Today the company represents a strong portfolio of world-renowned brands under one roof.
GasanZammit Motors Ltd. now offers one of the largest ranges of vehicles, motorcycles and marine products on the island.
The synergies created by the merger brought new and exciting opportunities, especially for customers. The newly formed company started its operations on November 1st of 2012 and since then, has followed a strategic plan to position GasanZammit Motors Ltd. as a bullet-proof leading automotive and marine distributor in Malta.
The power of strategic thinking
Initially, this merger had its challenges, it was unusual to have competing brands, such as Yamaha (represented by Gasan Group) and Honda (represented by Zammit Group) under one roof.
“In the early stages, we had to make a strong business case with these main competitor brands in Japan and worldwide, explaining why this merger was advantageous. Additionally, we also had to persuade our international partners, that having notable and competing brands together, incorporated under the same roof, would be a bold and forward-looking strategic move for everyone. In fact, ten years on since the birth of this merger, the sales of both brands in Malta have increased and today everyone is satisfied with the results we have managed to attain,” said Mr Zammit.
“I strongly believe that in the past decade, our winning philosophy and management style allowed us to achieve solid success, both in sales and also in aftersales. Moreover, we are privileged and proud to have great people around us who keep us looking at the future with confidence,” added Mr Gasan.
It’s no secret that business communication is key for any business’s success. The key to a successful organization is to have a culture based on a strongly held and widely shared set of beliefs that are supported by strategy and structure. This type of attitude, according to Mr Zammit, paves the way for any business to reach its strategic goals.
Happy Anniversary to GasanZammit Motors Ltd.!
Article by MPS Ltd.