The company can trace its roots back to
Ellison and Cordingley, a 19th century manufacturer of steam wagons
based at the current Bradford Road site.
In 1924 what had by now become Cleckheaton
Engineering expanded its operations by taking on the Rover and
Morris franchises and the name changed to Cleckheaton Engineering
and Motor Company Ltd.
In 1960 a new company was established,
Cleckheaton Holdings Ltd as the decision was taken to expand the
motor retail side of the business. In 1963 Clemo Motors was
established at Moorside with new purpose-built premises to house
Triumph, Rover and Vauxhall. In 1964 the company purchased the
local Ford business of George Wright Motors. An accident repair
business was subsequently added to the Moorside site.
In the late 1990s the opportunity arose to
expand the Rover business as BMW unveiled its ambitious plans for
the re-birth of the Mini brand and launched the Rover 75. At the
time the decision was taken to re-develop the Bradford Road site.
The Rover franchise was moved into the Bradford Road site and the
Ford franchise was in turn re-located to Moorside.
In 2003 the company took advantage of the new
commercial freedoms available under the E.U. Block Exemption
Regulations to take on the Daihatsu franchise and the Citroen
Authorised Repairer contract at the Bradford Road site. In December
2004 the Company took up the opportunity to represent the Fiat
franchise at the Bradford Road site.
In April 2005 Administrators were appointed to
MG Rover ending the Company’s 61 year partnership with Rover.
After the demise of the Dixons Motor Group the
Company was approached by Citroen to take on the Sale and Parts
contracts for the franchise. In January 2008 the Company started
selling Citroen cars and vans as well as wholesaling its parts.