Diehl Automotive Group is slated to buy a six-store dealership group in eastern Ohio next month, according to The Canton Repository newspaper.
Diehl Automotive of Butler, Pa., in August filed articles of organization on behalf of Diehl Automotive of Massillon and name registrations for six dealerships with the Ohio Secretary of State.
The growing Diehl group, with stores in western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio, is slated in October to buy Waikem Auto Family in Massillon, the newspaper reported Wednesday. Massillon is west of Canton, Ohio.
Diehl Automotive Vice President Matt Diehl and Craig Waikem, a member of the Waikem family and an Automotive News 40 Under 40 honoree in 2013, both declined to comment on the report.
Waikem Auto, a family-owned business that dates back more than 70 years, has Honda, Kia, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, Subaru and Ford dealerships plus a collision center, all located on the same road in Massillon, according to the group’s website.
Diehl filed name registrations for Diehl Ford of Massillon, Diehl Subaru of Massillon, Diehl Honda of Massillon, Diehl Mitsubishi of Massillon, Diehl Kia of Massillon and Diehl Hyundai of Massillon, according to Ohio Secretary of State records.
The acquisition, if closed, would significantly add to Diehl’s holdings of more than a dozen new-vehicle dealerships.
In May and June, Diehl bought Chevrolet, Toyota and Kia stores in Hermitage, Pa., from Matthew Taylor, owner of Taylor Auto Group. Diehl this spring also sold a Mitsubishi store in Butler to Mike Kelly Automotive, Matt Diehl confirmed.
