World Distributors Buys HWP Cycle Division
World Distributors Ltd. has bought HWP Group’s cycle division assets and while the acquisition will result in six redundancies at HWP Group, World Distributors will be increasing its staff to handle the additional workload.
World Distributors will now be the authorised dealer for Honda and Piaggio motorcycles in Bermuda.
The product line-up will expand to include Honda, Piaggio, Vespa, Aprilia, Derbi and Gilera brands.
In addition, World Distributors will be offering after sales, parts and service for Honda and Piaggio. Currently, World Distributors is the only authorised dealer of Yamaha motor bikes in Bermuda.
“We’re excited to grow our product offering,” said Eugene Bothello, president of World Distributors. “The combination of quality products and stellar service from highly experienced staff will continue to be the cornerstone of our business.”
The cycle division at HWP Group will officially close on March 28 with Piaggio and Honda operations to begin again at World Distributors on April 9.
World Distributors’Eugene Bothello on the left, HWP’s Jonathan Brewin on the right:
“With the loss sustained from last year’s fire, we had to be strategic about our business and decided that we needed to focus on our core business of automotive sales and after sales including parts and service as well as our service stations on St. John’s Road and East Broadway,” said Jonathan Brewin, President & CEO of HWP Group.
“We’ve been in business with Honda motorcycles and Piaggio for over 50 years and it was very important to us that we nominated a successor that would represent these brands well. We’ve been working in conjunction with Eugene to ensure a smooth transition and we are confident that World Distributors will continue to offer the best service and after sales platform for Honda and Piaggio in purpose-built facilities.”
All warranties for customers who purchased a bike at HWP Group will be honoured at World Distributors.
“This is just the beginning for us,” said Mr. Bothello. “In addition to the largest cycle showroom in Bermuda with about 4,000 sq ft of product display, we will be unveiling exciting new plans for retailing.”
As a result of the acquisition, there will be six redundancies at HWP Group while World Distributors will be increasing its staff to handle the additional workload.
“Both companies will be actively working together to help redundant employees secure new employment,” said Mr. Brewin. “I would like to thank these employees for their years of service to HWP Group. Our key priority right now is to assist them in finding alternative employment as swiftly as possible.”
Mr. Bothello added: “Consolidation is key in this shrinking market. Cycle sales have decreased 30 per cent in Bermuda since 2006 and, in order to remain viable, we have had to look at creative strategies to grow our business in the current deteriorating market conditions.
World Distributors is located at 32 North Street in Hamilton across from TCD. For more information, call 295-2329.
I’ll stick with cycleworld and the guys on Union street…..these guys have had their turn.
JUST GREAT! I’m really not sure world distributors owners care much about employing Bermudians. I bet they had an ear to ear smiles when they heard about the HWP fire. I hope their competitors crush them even they won’t have many after this.
Good editing Bernews! I guess, “I’m really not sure” is more appropriate to what I typed. No hard feelings since I realize there’s only so far you can go with what you approve.
Umm aren’t all the employees Bermudian now?
Maybe Eugene is loyal to Bermudians but his attitude still stinks. Got rid of my Yamaha because of the poor service & pulled out of thin air prices for them. I know the other owner is not at all loyal to Bermudians just take a stroll around to his other businesses & you’ll see what I know.
Tommy – this has not been my experience in having work done by WD. They jumped right to it and got it done a couple of times. Great Service.
Maybe service has changed since I had my Yamaha but I will never forget the way Eugene talked to me when I questioned him about charges for services done that I knew did not need to be done. The other owner or at least I think he is still the owner who has the outboard business treated in a similar fashion when he did work on my boat. I was not impressed with their attitude & will not patronize their business again.
Also my complaints about the non bermudians was more to do with the boat business that I thought Eugene owned as well but I guess not. I took my complaint to the mechanic their who I don’t even think understood me & could not explain what I wanted to know. I then took it to the owner who gave me an its not my problem attitude.
I’m not a professional mechanic but I know a bit about engines & took my engine problems elsewhere after being unsatisfied. The professionals at the other shops agreed that in both cases I was right & fixed the problems.
I have had excellent service Everytime I go to WD plus their prices are realistic I believe
World Distributors Ltd. is 100% Bermudian and has been for many years. Even our sister company Bermuda Tire is staffed by Bermudians. We are proud of this fact and our team is very excited to be expanding our business.
As a businessman I could not imagine the feeling I would have over such a catastrophic fire had by HWP but I can assure you no smiles were on any of our faces.
Does your partner share this same vision?
He sure does yes sir!
World Distributors…. hmm the staff there lack personality. Not friendly at all.
Well thank GOD that World Distributors Ltd. has bought HWP Group’s cycle division assets ! I own a Honda Scoopy that i brought last year and i wanna let the UNIVERSE know that it was the WORST decision of my life. The bike is great but the SERVICE from HWP that you will definately need at some point in time is PISS POOR and well BELOW average. EVERY OCCASSION that i go to HWP for anything relating to my bike from a servicing to a pick up it is ALWAYS ALWAYS an ISSUE or a PROBLEM or just OUTRIGHT BAD SERVICE. HWP ALWAYS have an EXCUSE or a reason WHY NOT or a reason why THEY CAN”T do all sorts of things. They PROCRASTINATE on EVERYTHING and you as the customer have to be the equivalent to a WATCHDOG or have to get ROWDY to get anything done. They brought in THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of HONDA SCOOPY’s and NO PARTS; YOU HEARD ME ABSOLUTELY NO PARTS! WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS IS THAT! I”M SICK
and tired of HWP’s Bullshyt. If you want to live a STRESS FREE life don’t poke with HWP go find a different car or bike from somewhere else that ACTUALLY HAS PARTS FOR THAT VEHICLE. They keep on wanting to blame the fire for everything!!HOw long ago was that fire? I don’t wanna hear that no more! How come you don’t have any parts? HWP say, “oh de fire”. I say how come there is NEVER ANYONE to help me when i come into this place, HWP say “oh de fire” well let me tell you something people that have brought vehicles from you for thousands of dollars don’t give a F_ _ _ _ about no fire and if you don’t believe me ask them! When we need services for our vehicles we don’t want excuses! And you wonder why everybody is stealing these Bikes cause they can’t legally buy parts from you IDIOTS.
Why don’t you order your parts yourself and fed-ex them in and get someone else to put them on th bike…. I know of people who do this for their cars… -why wait six weeks to six months for parts when you can get them in days….
Totally agree with you – the HWP receptionist even told me to go to Ray-Clan when I called for regular service last month – even gave me Ray-Clan’s phone number and told me to speak to George! I called immediately and George said “come right in! That’s what I did and that’s what I’ll continue to do! Thanks Ray-Clan!
It’s my money – I’ll spend it where I get the best service and treatment!! End of story.
WOW! Someday let us know how you REALLY feel about HWP.
Does Rayclan, bring in windscreens?? I have been calling since before the fire, And no answer. I leave a message and no one returns my calls. They have not had the windscreen in according to my garage (which had to write letters to TCD in order for them to pass the car). I’m now going into year two. Can not order the part out of the US as I can’t find a place that carries this stupid sized windscreen! and Just called to be told to call back after 2!Rayclan Let me know if you can help!
What is the make and model of your vehicle. We at Rayclan will see if we can help in any way.
I’ll stay with Suzuki Cycles, JNT on victoria street great prices and service and always has parts for my old RC and FB100
My experience of buying a Vespa from HWP was so bad I would never trouble them again with my business. Not even an air freshener or furry dice!
Totally disinterested customer service, made worse by failure to get the bike licensed when I needed it and the salesman’s fingernails were the most disgusting things I’ve ever seen.
I have to say World Distributors prices seemed sky high so I went with Cycle Care and got my Raider for $800 less. Good service there too.
I owned a Yamaha for years and always had great service and treatment from World Distributors. A few years ago I went Honda … so am quite pleased to start dealing with World again.
Which jobs are being lost, and, if World Distributors is expanding, will they directly absorb these individuals?
Cycle sales have declined 30% since 2006.
But the financial wizards in the Pee El Pee tell us the Great World Wide Recession that caused all of Bermuda’s problems started in 2008. How can that be?
This is why you should go to PC BIKES Union Street and Dundonald Street. Good bikes, excellent service and always parts for the bikes they sell and fast service. Come and see them
My experiences with HWP have been horrible! My bike had so many problems and they never seemed to fix them but they always charged me with a big service fee!!!! One time my bike was going real slow, I asked them to fix it. They called me to say it was fixed, got there and the mechanic in about a month I will have to change some part but he changed my spark plug for me and charged me $100 just for service!!!!!! I could have changed that damn plug myself! THAT WAS THE LAST TIME I EVER TOOK MY BIKE HWP!!
Now I take my bike to Ambrosio Cycles. Good service, good prices and they don’t procrastinate!
OMG i love this…World distributors is 10000000 times better then hwp. Now i can get better service
What is it about Bermuda & basic vehicle service, especially at the dealerships.
I can stop by at a Walmart supercenter, no appointment, drop my key, go inside to shop, & in a half hour 45 minutes they have changed the oil, done a service check on over 20 items around the truck, given the inside a quick vacuum & page me to come back & pick it up. All for about $100 & done with a smile & great attitude.
Thankfully I’ve always been able to do my own routine servicing here but I have heard plenty of horror stories.
My first bike from WD, great service back then, got one from HWP after that LOUSY everything, to think I have a few friends that work there. No parts, piss poe I don’t give a hoot service, no parts, or calling trying to upsell something you don’t need. At one point got a Daelim from Cycle Care, the sales guys are cool, parts availability was good, but talk about ppl trying to rip you off. Dude wanted me to pay to take off my aftermarket tail pipe for TCD, after I took the bike the year before myself and passed. I told him a few choice words and again took it myself and passed with the aftermarket muffler 3 decibels level below the fail level. I like the Suzukis and the ppl at JTN seems cool, so instead of getting a Yamaha from Canada, I might still buy Bermy. It is all about the service ppl, one would think the “recession” the most beaten to death word for the past 4 years would make ppl improve their service, I guess not in Bermy.