Enterprise Rent-A-Car to open seven new branches in Ireland

North American car rental company Enterprise Rent-A-Car has announced significant expansion plans in its three European markets - Ireland, the UK and Germany.

Over the next 12 months the company will open seven new branches in Ireland bringing the total number to 28 and will recruit 30 further employees, most of whom will be graduates, bringing the total number employed in the country to 160.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car was established in Ireland in 1997.

In the UK, 650 new employees will be recruited this year and a total of 2,000 will be recruited over the next five years.

Over the next five years, Enterprise Rent-A-Car will double the number of branches in Europe, bringing the total number from 300 to 600. European revenues for the year ending July 2003 reached over €4.6bn (2002 €4bn).

Mike Hawkins, General Manager of Enterprise Rent-A-Car in Ireland said that Ireland was one of its best performing markets. “We plan to continue to invest and grow in Ireland this year and over the coming years, so that we can provide a complete nationwide service”.

This year 275 employees will be recruited in Germany with plans for 1,700 new recruits over the next five years. This year Enterprise Rent-A-Car will recruit more graduates in Europe than Price Waterhouse Coopers.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car is the largest car rental company in North America. The company was founded in St. Louis, Missouri in 1957 and today has 5,000 offices and 50,000 employees based in North America, Canada, Germany, UK and Ireland.