Lookers has acquired Volkswagen Van Centre Glasgow from KPMG, the administrators appointed to former owner, Verve Limited, for an undisclosed sum.

The deal secures the employment of almost all of the 36 staff who had worked in the division, which is located at Baillieston, around seven miles east of the city centre.

Lookers said the acquisition cements its growing presence in Scotland – where it employs more than 400 staff – and positions it for further expansion in Glasgow and the surrounding area.

Scottish-born Andy Bruce (pictured), Lookers' chief operating officer and incoming chief executive, said: "We are delighted to have the opportunity to add to our growing dealership portfolio in Scotland through the acquisition of Volkswagen Van Centre Glasgow, which underlines our commitment to further growing our relationship with the wider Volkswagen Group.

“The range of commercial vehicles available under the Volkswagen brand is outstanding and we are really looking forward to investing in the future of this important business.

“We are also pleased that we have managed to successfully secure a future for the majority of the talented workforce previously employed at the site – many of whom have several years of valuable collective experience and understanding of the local marketplace and customer needs.”

Lookers has already made several investments in Scotland with the acquisition last year of the Lomond Audi businesses in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling and Ayr, as well as a large VW Group parts business.

In May of this year, the company acquired the former Shields Land Rover business in south Glasgow.

This has been rebranded as Taggarts to fall in line with Lookers' other Land Rover and Jaguar dealerships in Glasgow and Motherwell.

Verve went into administration at the end of November.

The Glasgow-based company operated three dealerships across central Scotland, as well as a body shop and a van centre.

Blair Nimmo, Tony Friar, and David Standish, of KPMG Restructuring, were appointed joint administrators.

They said the Verve's inability to meet debts owed to car stock funders led to funders repossessing their vehicles and, separately, franchise agreements had also been terminated.