page_title: LDV Group
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: LDV Group / History
caption_attribution_description: London Ambulance on Hamilton Terrace
context_page_description: LDV Group Limited, formerly Leyland DAF Vans, was a British van manufacturer based in Washwood Heath, Birmingham. Historically part of Rover Group and Leyland DAF, it was latterly a wholly owned subsidiary of the Russian GAZ Group. Owing to the global recession and a lack of long term investment, production was suspended at the LDV factory in December 2008.
  After a series of failed rescue attempts, the intellectual property rights were sold by administrators PricewaterhouseCoopers to Eco Concept in 2009, who sold them to SAIC Motor in 2010, with its Maxus subsidiary commencing production in China in March 2011.
context_section_description: LDV was formed in April 1993 as Leyland DAF Vans, following a management buyout backed by 3i of DAF NV's Leyland DAF van manufacturing division, following the Dutch company being placed in administration. It was rebranded as LDV in January 1994. 
  Prior to its merger with Leyland Trucks and DAF Trucks in February 1987, it was part of the British Leyland/Rover Group empire, and was latterly the Freight Rover arm of the Land Rover Group division.
  In December 2005, after going into administration, LDV was bought by group Sun Capital Partners, and was subject to a financial restructuring. What Van? reported LDV's commitment to its existing customers, including an assurance from their marketing director that their production target of 1,000 vans per month would put them well above break even point.
  The Russian GAZ Group acquired LDV on 31 July 2006. Former Ford of Europe executive Martin Leach and former AT Kearney executive Steve Young were appointed to run the business and expand production at LDV's Birmingham plant by adding new product lines and entering new markets in Europe and elsewhere.
  GAZ had plans to export LDV technology to Russia, and start producing the Maxus, at the plant of  GAZ Nizhny Novgorod in Russia, with 50,000 as an initial volume. There were also proposals to export the GAZ Maxus to Australia, a traditional market for British Leyland.
  However, GAZ's plans never really showed any increased output, and due to the severe worldwide recession and a lack of long term investment and commitment, production was suspended at the LDV factory in Birmingham in December 2008. After the British Government tried once again to save the company by agreeing to pour in £5 million of grants to enable Malaysia's WestStar Corporation to purchase LDV. WestStar failed to secure financing.
  The intellectual property rights were sold by administrators PricewaterhouseCoopers to Chinese firm Eco Concept on 15 October 2009, who sold them to SAIC Motor in August  2010, with Maxus commencing production in China in March 2011.
caption: High topped LDV Convoy from 2000
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