The UMI Group has been a leader in the automotive, service and trade industry in Israel for many decades. The group is guided by the concept of excellence and progress, which sees the key to success in the human qualities and the strength of our team. As a group, we are always looking ahead, with a precise vision and plan of action.
UMI began its journey in the world of American luxury cars, and from there our activities expanded to include additional car brands and auxiliary services. The group’s growth has been accompanied by a process of business development and empowerment while maintaining the unique character of each company: a deep commitment to the value we offer our customers, being attentive to the way they would like to be treated, motivated by professionalism and quality.
In 1944, Yehezkel Iny, holder of the import franchise for GM cars, joined forces with Leo Goldberg, a mechanical engineer and owner of a then state-of-the-art Chevrolet workshop, to set up Ha-Mizrach Automobiles and Trading Co. Ltd. The company was the importer of Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, Buick, Vauxhall and Bedford, becoming the leading automotive importer in Israel.
In September 1999, the new vehicle center in Rishon Lezion – UMI House – was completed. The building was designed from the start to be built with advanced construction standards. The facilities were designed to meet the strictest standards. The new complex included showrooms and shops on the ground floor, spacious parking areas, an office tower and a basement, which houses UMI’s main workshop, the spare parts warehouse and additional parking areas.
The large number of brands represented by the company and the desire to provide a high level of service made the supply of spare parts to the service centers an increasing challenge. The service network included 60 branches – from Nahariya and Kiryat Shmona in the north to Eilat in the south. For the workshops to be able to provide the best response and fast service, an efficient logistics system for the supply of spare parts was required, as well as an advanced computer system and a database in Hebrew. The logistics center was designed as an automated warehouse. When it opened, in June 2004, it was considered state-of-the-art in terms of technology and efficiency in the automotive area, and was one of the largest and most sophisticated distribution and spare parts centers in Israel.
The acquisition of Avis was made in two stages: the first in 2011, when Kardan and Ha-Mizrach Automobiles purchased 68% of Dan Car, the Avis franchisee, for NIS 200 million. The second took place in 2014, when UMI purchased the remaining shares from the public. The Avis acquisition raised some eyebrows in the automotive industry. There were those who queried the business move. Others said it was a necessary step. The addition of Avis’ activity, which is naturally integrated into UMI’s business, creates synergy between the companies and enables the UMI group of 2024 to provide its customers with a comprehensive range of automotive services as a One-Stop-Shop
At the beginning of 2013, the US government sold its complete holding in General Motors. As part of the streamlining process of the company, it was decided to stop the marketing of the Chevrolet brand in Western Europe. In August 2013, UMI bought General Motors’ share in the company for NIS 68.5 million. Following this transaction, each of the partners held 50% of UMI’s shares. Despite General Motors’s divesting itself of its shares, it continued to have a representative at the UMI headquarters in Israel.
After 17 years in the UMI House in Rishon Lezion, the group that had continuously grown, expanded and developed, inaugurated its new home in Lod. The complex includes three buildings on an area of 6.5 hectares. The four-story main building, with a built-up area of approximately 8,000 sq. m., houses the group’s unified headquarters. The nearby welfare building houses the dining hall and the complex’s energy center, and next to it is the operational complex, with an area of approximately 6,000 sq. m., which includes a mechanical workshop, a body shop, warehouses and operational offices.
At the beginning of 2018, Ha-Mizrach Automobiles was fully owned by UMI. Even though the reclamation of ownership was recognized and appreciated by the business world, Ha-Mizrach Automobiles had learned to recognize the benefits of partners. When the opportunity presented itself, it decided to bring in a new partner – Haim Danon, the controlling owner of the Comasco group, which has been operating since 1963 and is the importer of the JCB, Potain, Tesab and Trax construction equipment brands. This reinstated UMI’s 50%-50% ownership structure.
Office Depot was established in 1986 in the United States and has since then become one of the largest office equipment chains in the world. The chain has been operating in Israel since 1993 and specializes in office and home equipment and leisure and technology products for a variety of uses. As a group that always strives to move forward, UMI was looking to develop beyond the automotive world, and in a rapid transaction it entered the new world of Office Depot. Immediately following the purchase, another business opportunity arose – the acquisition of Arta, the leading and longest established company in Israel in the area of the marketing and supply of professional equipment in the fields of art, printing and office equipment.
In February 2024, G1 was purchased by UMI. G1 is the largest and leading group in Israel combining security, safety and security services and operates with approximately 5,500 employees nationwide. G1 has an administrative, engineering and technological set-up that provides physical security, electronic security, monitoring and patrol services, as well as planning, installation and maintenance services for low voltage systems, control systems, multimedia and air conditioning. G1 makes sure to be at the forefront of global technology in these areas.
