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Apollo's
Brisbane factory. Inset: Mr Trouchet |
Future looking
even brighter
Bumper
performance as global Apollo forges
ahead
By Dennis Amor
Have your say
APOLLO Tourism & Leisure, whose original foundations lie in a lowly
backyard shed in Brisbane, made a whopping $16 million first-half profit,
over four times its result for the previous corresponding period.
The global company's earnings before interest and tax increased over 255
percent to $28 million.
The effective integration of recent acquisitions had been a key focus
during the half-year ending December 31, Apollo said in its report.
LEADING
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APOLLO'S
RV and caravan rental fleet comprises 4000 vehicles across Australia,
Canada, the United States and New Zealand. Since listing on the
Australian Stock Exchange with $1 shares a little over a year ago, it
has become a leading player in its field and has a market
capitalisation of more than $300 million. Chief executive and managing
director Luke Trouchet, whose parents founded Apollo in 1985, will
give an insight on how to build a company from the ground up when he
addresses a Business News Australia breakfast series at Brisbane's
Customs House tomorrow (March 2). |
Snapping up the Sydney RV, Kratzmann Caravans and George Day Caravans
dealerships supported Apollo's strategy to grow the retail business
through an Australia-wide network of retail sales centres that could
leverage Apollo’s Winnebago, Adria, Talvor and used ex-fleet brands, as
well as selling other leading Australian brands.
Apollo reported that retail dealerships had performed to expectations
during the six months and were expected to continue performing in the
second half of the current financial year.
The Canadian RV rental business, CanaDream, had performed above Apollo's
expectations and significant progress had been made towards consolidating
management
of Apollo's American and Canadian businesses, as well as the integration
of CanaDream into the greater Apollo group.
"CanaDream's management team is now managing the majority of Apollo's
North American operations," it said.
Apollo's Brisbane RV manufacturing facility had moved to its new 12-acre
site, with new capital equipment bought to help create further
efficiencies and streamlining.
The company has a 25 percent investment in Camplify, an online caravan and
RV sharing community that connects caravan and RV owners with people
looking to rent these vehicles.
Camplify had recently launched in the United Kingdom, and Apollo continued
to partner with it on retail vehicle sales initiatives in Australia,
its half-yearly report added.
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Copyright 2005
Dennis Amor All Rights Reserved
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