Importer shifts Kia and Mitsubishi sales from 103-year-old dealer

Yle reports that Aine Oy, a family-run car dealership in Kemi, has stopped selling new cars after the importer transferred northern Finland sales rights for Kia and Mitsubishi to a larger operator.

The change took effect in September, ending the dealership’s new-car sales for the first time in its 103-year history. Director Valtteri Aine said the company wanted to continue selling the brands and had received no complaints about its sales or customer experience.

Aine Oy will focus for now on used-car sales and continue servicing new cars of the brands. Aine said some customers had been disappointed by the change, while others had told him they would buy a used car next time instead of a new one.

New-car demand has recently begun to grow, according to the Auto Information Centre. New-car registrations rose 1.4 percent in January to July compared with the same period last year. Used-car sales through dealerships fell 1.3 percent.

Tero Kallio, chief executive of Autotuojat, an association representing car manufacturers and new-car importers, said the Finnish market for new cars has been considerably smaller in recent years than the sales networks were designed for. He said importers regularly reorganise their dealer networks, but declined to comment on Aine Oy’s case.

Founded in 1923 by Valtteri Aine’s great-grandfather Iikka, the business was reportedly the first automotive company in northern Finland. It initially imported Ford cars from Denmark. Aine said he remained optimistic about the company’s future and saw opportunities in sourcing cars through several channels.

The importer of Kia and Mitsubishi declined Yle’s request to comment publicly on business decisions.