United Garage Limited, Hertz international franchisee for Malta, is celebrating the 60th anniversary of its partnership with Hertz.
The late Charles Gatt Baldacchino first signed the franchise agreement in November 1961 with, at the time, Hertz American Express International Limited. Malta was the 10th European country in which Hertz started operating an international franchise and, today, Hertz Malta is the oldest Hertz franchise holder in Europe.
“We are pleased to be part of a global franchise network that immediately enabled us to be a leading player in the local market,” said Simon Gatt Baldacchino, Managing Director of United Garage Limited. “We enjoy a strong partnership with Hertz, a global organisation, and the strong relationship established 60 years ago with my late father has withstood the test of time. We have emerged stronger and look ahead with confidence to a bright future of mobility.”
He pointed out that each decade presented different challenges, with the company growing in line with the development and growth of tourism, the automotive evolution, and the diversification of the local economy.
“We have seen quite some change, especially in our core business, the automotive field, but there was also change in the different channels in which customers drove the car rental business forward, moving from the traditional element to the digitalisation of the business,” Mr. Gatt Baldacchino added.
Today, United Garage is the franchisee of the Hertz multi-brand portfolio that comprises of Hertz, Thrifty, Dollar and Firefly. United Garage has also been operating Hertz Leasing for the past 25 years, offering both passenger cars and LCVs (light commercial vehicles).
Angela Brav, President Hertz International, said: “We are very proud of our longstanding partnership with United Garage Limited and the great work they do operating our full portfolio of brands. We’re looking forward to continuing to work together to grow the Hertz brands in Malta while offering all our customers a fast and seamless car rental service.”
United Garage has also unveiled a 60th anniversary logo, which incorporates the years 1961-2021 and the Maltese national colours in commemoration of Hertz’s 60 years in Malta. This launch is the kick-off of a series of activities and events to celebrate this prestigious milestone.
