Member Article

JCT600 continues to outperform the market

Family-owned Yorkshire car retailer JCT600 has delivered another strong trading performance despite uncertainties in the UK economy with turnover growing to £669m in the year to 31 December 2012 (up 7.4% per cent from £623m in 2011) according to the firm’s annual results.

The £46m increase in turnover was driven by a 17.8% rise in new car turnover and a 6% rise in used car turnover.

The Bradford-based company increased new retail registrations by 16.3%, once again staying ahead of the national average (12.9%).

While the total UK used car market declined for the sixth successive year falling by a further 0.4%, JCT600 continued to buck the trend with unit sales increasing by 7.4%.

Despite pressures on consumer spending, the firm made a pre tax profit of £12.5m on ordinary activities (up from £8.5m in the previous year) as a result of the group’s tight cost controls, enhanced buying team and strong sales process.

The group also made strategic property investments of £3.8m during the year.

Said JCT600 group chief executive John Tordoff: “Whilst 2012 has seen on going economic uncertainty, we have continued to weather the storm.

“We expect the improved customer confidence we’ve seen over the last year to continue and already we’ve experienced a strong start to the year with new and used car sales ahead of the market as they were last year.

“Although competition remains strong, our continual investment in people, facilities and systems enables us to lead the way in implementing new industry-leading initiatives which keep the customer at the centre of our business.”

JCT600 also saw aftersales turnover increase by 0.8% in 2012, supported by an improved customer contact system and electronic vehicle health check service.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Mark Lane .