In a “surprising” termination of their licensing agreement, Avis Budget will end a 30-year association December 31 with its German licensee Wucherpfennig & Krohn, according to officials from Germany’s oldest vehicle rental company.

Making public the split last December, Avis at the same time also discontinued its license agreement with Autohaus Merkur. Avis has not yet provided a reason for the license termination, said Wucherpfennig & Krohn.

The two largest Avis-Budget licensed partners in Germany, Wucherpfennig & Krohn and Autohaus Merkur operate vehicle rental stations in seven out of 16 German states. The regional car rental companies will operate independently of Avis in the future.

“The termination came as a great surprise to us,” said Dr. Lars Wucherpfennig, co-manager of the company with Matthias Krohn. He noted the successful and mutually beneficial relationship his company had with Avis for the past three decades.

The separation represents an opportunity, said Krohn. Citing the company’s ability to “re-invent” itself over the 125 years, he remarked, “We are no longer bound by Avis budget requirements when choosing locations. We see this as a great advantage.”

Wucherpfennig & Krohn will continue its working relationship with Avis until the agreement’s official end date in December.