History of Business Group

A look in the rear-view mirror of time reveals the intriguing history and path which Auto Hrvatska has been on for more than six decades.
The featured years will guide you through the journey we have taken from our founding to today.

2020.

In a year filled with restrictions, marked by the coronavirus pandemic, Auto Hrvatska has shown resilience to times of crisis; it has protected its employees and partners according to the measures of the Civil Protection Headquarters and achieved its main objectives of preserving jobs, financial stability and positive business performance.

The redesigned www.autohrvatska.hr website was launched at the end of the year.

2019.

Investment into business centers at new and existing locations continues. Auto Hrvatska Business Group expands its offer of Dacia and Renault vehicles. As part of the Split Business Center at the address Ivana Pavla II 1a, a new Renault and Dacia sales and service center was officially opened and equipped according to the highest standards of quality and functionality. At the new center, Auto Hrvatska sells Renault and Dacia personal and light commercial vehicles, accessories, spare parts, as well as used vehicles, and is also an authorized service center.

In May, a new sales and service center was officially opened in Osijek at the new address: Sv. Leopolda B. Mandića 31e. The center is equipped with the latest technology in the industry according to technical, energy and environmental standards, with increased service capacity and faster maintenance and repair services for vehicles.

2018.

MAN Truck & Bus and Auto Hrvatska mark 25 years of joint business. The Auto Hrvatska Business Group and MAN offer optimal transport solutions, which has been recognized over the last 25 years by many customers from all transport segments. High-quality products and trained professionals are a guarantee that they will continue to offer the best solutions for all modern transport needs.

For the first time in Croatia, Auto Hrvatska organized the Europa Truck Trial, a competition in the art of driving trucks on rough terrain.

55 years of cooperation with Volkswagen and Audi was celebrated in Zadar.

Auto Hrvatska Business Group expands its offer with Peugeot vehicles. As part of the Heinzelova Business Center, a new Peugeot sales and service center was opened and equipped according to the highest Peugeot quality and functionality standards. Here, Auto Hrvatska sells Peugeot personal and light commercial vehicles, accessories and spare parts, as well as used vehicles, and is also an authorized service center.

The Ford Trucks center in Ljubljana is officially opened.

2017.

Auto Hrvatska Business Group marks a significant milestone – 65 years of successful business. The company, with its long tradition in the sale and maintenance of motor vehicles, has through all of these years proven to be a reliable business partner, which was instrumental in putting it on the list of the most successful companies.

Import agreement signed with Ford Trucks. The entire launch and development of Ford Trucks was given to the newest member of the group, Kam i Bus Importer d.o.o, which organizes the sales and service network across Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and Slovenia. On September 28, 2017, the Ford Trucks sales and service center was officially opened at Radnička cesta 182, Zagreb.

Auto Hrvatska receives the City of Zagreb Award for the third time for contributions to the development of the city and other commercial success.

2016.

Auto Hrvatska Business Group becomes the main importer of MAN trucks for Bosnia and Herzegovina. The group member Man Importer BH d.o.o. is a general importer of commercial vehicles of the renowned manufacturer MAN Truck & Bus SE and is responsible for organizing the sales and service network and providing support to customers and business partners in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

2015.

Members of the business group are listed among the top 1000 largest companies in Croatia. The redesigned www.autohrvatska.hr website is launched.

Auto Hrvatska continues to develop as a socially responsible company and our almost 700 employees want to remain synonymous with mobility, competence and competitivenes in the automotive market for products and services. New challenges and opportunities are on the horizon. It is time to defend what has been achieved and continue at the same pace.

2014.

MAN is the most sold brand of trucks in Croatia 9 years in a row.

Cooperation with the Volkswagen business concern is expanded to authorized sales and maintenance of Škoda personal vehicles.

A sales and service center for personal and light commercial vehicles is built in Rijeka.

In Banja Luka, the second sales and service center is opened in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

2013.

The 50th anniversary of cooperation with the Volkswagen business concern and 20 years of cooperation with the MAN business concern.

Authorized maintenance and sales of personal vehicles and spare parts is expanded to include the Fiat Professional, JEEP, Alfa Romeo and Lancia brands.

Business activities begin in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Kam i Bus becomes the new member of the business group, which opened its first sales and service center for the sale and maintenance of commercial vehicles in Doboj.

2012.

The milestone year of 2012 was marked by a decade of strong investment cycles of all members of the Business Group, expansion into the regional market, and completing a new business center in Heinzelova Street in Zagreb, which spans 32,000 square meters.

2011.

By founding MAN Importer Makedonija and opening the MAN Truck Center in Skopje, the company made its first ever strategic entry into the regional market.

A ceremony was held for the opening of the Auto Hrvatska PSC branch in Pazin, responsible for MAN and NEOPLAN commercial vehicles.

The Toyota showroom Auto Hrvatska Automobili in Pula welcomed its first customers.

2002.-2009.

In view of its excellent business results, new jobs, and continued investments in the knowledge, skills and specialization of its employees, in 2002 the City of Zagreb Assembly awarded Auto Hrvatska the City of Zagreb Award for business. Auto Hrvatska received recognition from the Croatian Chamber of Economy as well.

The years that followed were marked by a strong investment cycle:

Sales and service centers in the commercial program for support of imported brands MAN and NEOPLAN:
2002 Kamion i Bus PSC Karlovac,
2004 Kamion i Bus PSC Rijeka,
2006 PSC Split,
2007 PSC Zadar
2008 PSC Slavonski Brod and PSC Osijek.
2009 PSC Varaždin and MAN Center Zagreb were opened (the largest capacity for the sale and maintenance of commercial vehicles in Croatia).

In the personal vehicle program:
2006 Acquisition of 17 Dryden workshops,
2007 Business complex in Zadar (VW, Audi)
2008 Multibrand Ford – Fiat showroom in Karlovac,
2009 AH Services begin operations in Zagreb and Zadar.

1999.

From January 1, 1999, Auto Hrvatska was restructured as a holding organization with the umbrella name of Auto Hrvatska Business Group which comprises members 100%-owned by Auto Hrvatska d.d:

MAN Importer Hrvatska
Auto Hrvatska Automobili
AH Gumel
AH Autodijelovi
Auto Hrvatska Krk
AH Trans
AH Zagreb
Auto Hrvatska Karlovac
Rent Auto Hrvatska
AH Domar

1997.

In 1997, Auto Hrvatska relocated to a new business complex in Radnička cesta in Zagreb, which became the joint headquarters of all company programs.

An ambitious investment cycle was planned with the aim of building a network of modern easily accessible sales and service Truck & Bus centers for heavy commercial vehicles. Development of sales and service capacities ran in parallel for the personal vehicles program (Ford, Renault, Volkswagen and Audi). Alongside existing authorized centers, service capacities were expanded for fast service of vehicles outside the warranty period.

By blending tradition and experience with new, youthful energy, Auto Hrvatska always knew how to spot when and how it needed to adjust its business structure to the needs and expectations of the market.

1996.

After trial cooperation and thorough testing, a deal was made in 1996 by which Auto Hrvatska became the main importer of MAN trucks, buses and original spare parts, as well as the organizer for the development of the service network in Croatia and also took responsibility for the growth and development of MAN trucks and buses.

Gaining and maintaining trust through service quality and recognizing the needs of business partners are set as the most important goals. Customers quickly recognized the advantages of doing business with experienced and reliable partners, so business results were quick to follow.

1993.

A year after its corporate restructuring, Auto Hrvatska d.d gained the trust of German company MAN Nutzfahrzeuge AG from Munich, a manufacturer of commercial vehicles, and signed a fixed-term contract.

1992.

Auto Hrvatska strategically decided to restructure its ownership and business after which it became a joint-stock company.
The founding assembly was held on December 19, 1992 at the Intercontinental Hotel.

In difficult market conditions, the company began its search for new suppliers and business partners in Europe. Business was marked by the restructuring of human potential and operations were adapted by program, territory and structure to the new business circumstances.

1991.

With the onset of the Croatian War of Independence, the former state market collapsed. Connections with business partners in the other republics of former Yugoslavia were weakened or severed altogether, and parts of the sales and service capacity, goods, and property were lost or destroyed in the war. The fall in standard decreased transport to low numbers and large commercial entities disappeared from the market.

In these chaotic circumstances, Auto Hrvatska signed a cooperation agreement with commercial vehicle manufacturer Iveco. It became the market leader in heavy and light commercial vehicle sales in Croatia three years in a row.

1988.

With the reputation of a reliable partner, the company promoted itself at important exhibitions abroad. At the Frankfurt Auto Show, products from factories were presented from the then domestic market. Spark plugs from the Enker factory in Tešanj, filters, pumps, brake parts and disk plates from Strojoteks in Varaždin, seals from Tesnila in Trebnje, clutches from Ruen in Kočani, auto electrics from Rudi Čajevec in Banja Luka, batteries from Munja in Zagreb, thermostats from Tehnometal in Zagreb and others.

1987.

Auto Hrvatska was among the largest sponsors of the 14th summer Universiade held in Zagreb. It served as an official rent-a-car agency with 120 cars secured for the needs of the sports teams.

1977.

On the eve of its 25th anniversary in June 1977, Auto Hrvatska was awarded the Economy Award of the City of Zagreb for the first time. With a total of 1530 employees it was recognized as a leading sales and service organization in the automotive field.

1976.

Auto Hrvatska became an exporter to foreign markets. At fairs abroad it presents and sells goods from domestic manufacturers to foreign entities (Crvena zastava vehicles, domestic tires, batteries, tools and equipment).

By the end of 1976, along with Zastava cars, our streets were filled with over 50,000 Wartburg vehicles. Auto Hrvatska received a charter following the delivery of 50,000 Wartburg vehicles.

1973.

In the first two decades of its existence, Auto Hrvatska delivered 130,000 vehicles from its commercial and personal programs to its partners. Through its business activities in the domestic and foreign markets, it gained the reputation of a reliable business partner. Cultivating a modern business culture became standard.

In the publication “The Largest 200 in Yugoslavia”, published in 1973, Auto Hrvatska is ranked 39th out of 50 of the largest companies in commercial activities. The following year, it climbed to 24th place. In those times, ways were looked for to ”hop over“ the border and allow domestic customers to access high-quality international brand products. After a license to import from foreign markets was attained, cooperation with Wartburg commenced.

1969.

In a time of strong commercial integration, Auto Hrvatska was a leader in consolidation. After merging with Dalmacija-auto, Split (1969), it merged with Auto-servis, Čakovec (1972), Auto-tehnika, Rijeka (1973), Autoslavonija, Osijek and Auto-servis, Zadar. The organization grew to a Complex organization of associated work (SOUR Auto Hrvatska).

The economy had a linear growth trend and Auto Hrvatska grew with its partners. Twenty years after its founding, Auto Hrvatska oversaw 81,500 square meters of business facilities and employed 780 workers. The average age of employees was below 33 years of age.

1963.

In 1963, Auto Moto Servis in Zadar began cooperation with Volkswagen as an authorized partner for vehicle maintenance. A used vehicles facility was opened in Solovljeva 2 the same year. Later, this segment moved to Heinzelova 70, to premises of about 10,000 square meters.

The catastrophe of the 1964 flood in Zagreb seriously threatened the entire city, which included the new central warehouse. Through great effort of all employees, most of the property was saved (vehicles, batteries, shocks, tools and other).

The economic reform of 1965 and the new economic upturn that swept the entire country demanded new and faster adaptability, consolidation, and expansion of business activities.

1962.

In the first ten years of business, Auto Hrvatska grew to be a significant company. It maintained 25,000 sq. m of business space and employed 178 people. Just how important the development of Auto Hrvatska was for the development of the Croatian economy is shown by the fact that even then it mainatined the vehicle fleets of 5,500 companies from the then ”public sector“. To meet their expectations, it did business with 682 suppliers in former Yugoslavia.

1961.

Due to the expanded scope of business, a need arose for investing in a storage area. In the neighborhood of Borongaj in Zagreb, a new tire warehouse was opened and, in 1961, a central warehouse for spare parts in Radnička cesta.

1955.

By the end of 1954, thirty three families of employees were financially secure. The company continued to grow and expand territorially in the entirety of the Republic of Croatia and, in 1955, it attained the name it still carries today: “Auto Hrvatska”.

Other than retail sales, wholesale sales grew as well. Businessmen needed vehicles for work, and the need for personal vehicles, which were a rare luxury, grew. Through great strides and skill, specialized shops dotted Croatian centers: Zagreb, Karlovac, Varaždin, Rijeka, Pula, Split, Šibenik, Zadar, Knin, Slavonski Brod. Branches were opened in Beograd, Sarajevo, Banja Luka and Ljubljana so as to make deliveries to business partners quickly and efficiently. The sale of cars, trucks and buses was connected with the procurement of parts, tires, kits, shop machines and tools.

1953.

After only a year of doing business, the company was entrusted with the construction and equipment of service stations on the completed Zagreb-Beograd freeway. In 1953, Auto-moto servis in Zagreb, as it was officially called, opened offices in Karlovac, Novska and Slavonski Brod.

1952.

A group of eight car and technology enthusiasts, with the permission of the People’s Board of the City of Zagreb, founded the “Automotive service for trade in barely used and new automotive parts and petroleum products” in 1952.

The first headquarters was in the courtyard of Teslina 14, in the heart of Zagreb which developed quickly into a cultural and industrial center. The post-war economy was just beginning and on the rarely travelled and bad roads, goods were most often transported with FAP trucks. Cars were rare and motorcycles were only slightly more prevalent.

In the beginning, “Auto-moto servis“ sold used tires and refurbished parts. After gaining trade experience and funds, it expanded business to a location in Draškovićeva Street and offered TAM and FAP vehicles.