Another year of record sales and increasing profits for Yorkshire motor retailer

4:53 am, June 7, 2018

BRADFORD-based car retailer JCT600 is marking another year of record turnover with revenues reaching £1.251 billion, a two per cent rise on the previous year’s figure.

The family business’s strong performance comes in the face of challenging market conditions with fierce competition continuing.

Despite falling demand for new vehicles in the UK car market, JCT600’s strong performance in the retail sector showed only a modest decline, significantly outperforming the overall market. A strategic focus on the sales of used vehicles and aftersales provided another year of growth in those key areas.

Together with the growth in sales, the group also saw an improvement in its gross profits and that factor, together with a tight control of expenses, provided an increase in the group’s operating profit before exceptional items to £19.1 million.

Throughout the year, JCT600 continued to invest in its programme of new premises and redevelopments with a further £7 million being spent. This included the opening of a new Porsche Centre in Teesside as well as major refurbishments at Mercedes-Benz Sheffield and Peugeot Bradford.

John Tordoff, chief executive of JCT600, pictured, said: ‘Whilst there was definitely a degree of uncertainty in the UK economy last year which made trading conditions a challenge, the confidence of our customers appears to be resilient.

‘Given the strength and longevity of the JCT600 name, the company is continuing to outperform the market as we stick to our core value of being a trusted partner for our colleagues, customers and brand partners.’

JCT600 saw the total number of visitors to its website and social media channels increase significantly once again.

Founded in 1946 as Brooklands Garage on Sticker Lane, Bradford, by current chairman Jack Tordoff, JCT600 has grown from a single dealership into the largest privately owned business in Yorkshire.

With 50 dealerships from Yorkshire and the North East to Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, the group represents 18 of the world’s leading car marques and has a team of 2,200 people.

MORE: Fraudulent car dealer jailed for three years

MORE: You ignore the power of social media at your peril!