Digitization has reached all types of business, and the automotive sector is no exception. In this sense Clicars has been able to find its place as one of the most successful online car sales companiesachieving a turnover of more than €500M since its foundation in 2016.
It is because of that the automobile group Stellantis (FIAT, Lancia, Citröen, Chrysler), through its subsidiary Aramis Group, has decided to buy Clicarsand although the amount of the operation has not been officially communicated, sources close to the transaction that the sale may exceed 100 million euros.
The Spanish startup for the reconditioning and online sale of used vehicles that has grown in triple digits
The company founded in 2016 by Carlos Rivera and Pablo Fernández from Madridhad a strategic and capital alliance with Aramis Group since 2017.
Except in 2019, the company has shown triple-digit annual growth, and has been profitable since its third year. Of the , almost 250 million euros correspond to the 2021 financial year, the year in which Clicars managed to multiply its results from the previous year by 2.7, that is, 175% more than in 2020 when it entered 91 million euros.
With these figures it is not difficult to imagine the reason why Clicars has managed to establish itself as one of the largest online car sales companies in Spainespecially after the boost it had during confinement in which one in 10 pre-owned cars sold passed through its hands.
Of course, this unstoppable growth has also been reflected in the number of Clicars employees who multiplied by 2.5% in the last year, currently exceeding 600 employees.
This great growth led the company to be awarded with several recognitions, among them, the year in which it was a finalist as the most innovative startup of the year. Clicars was also a finalist in the category of Best eCommerce in the , while it won the award for Best Startup at our award ceremony that preceded Best Webshop Startup, which it won at the .
Clicars plans to maintain its brand and independence
Since last year the company began an expansion at its plant in Villaverde Bajo, Madrid, with what happened from 40,000 square meters available to 90,000 with capacity for more than 3,000 cars.
This extension will allow it to prepare more than 25,000 cars annually before delivery to consumers, who 85% request to receive the car at home or at their place of workwhile at its plant it will also be able to serve customers in a space of 1,000 meters with 100 parking spaces.
In addition, Clicars’ plans for 2022 also include a commitment to the circular economy and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, as it will continue to advocate for reconditioning, which offers a second useful life to cars.
The sale of the company will mean increasing the weight of Clicars in the Stellantis strategy. Once the operation has been completed, Clicars plans to maintain its brand and operational independence as a Spanish company.
Clicars will be directed by José Carlos del Valle, who was appointed CEO last April, and will have the support of a steering committee with profiles such as Alba Manzanero (CMO) and Iván Velasco (CTO) who have joined the project since its beginnings in 2016. Regarding its founders, both will maintain “advisory and support functions” but without executive capacity.
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