JCT600 reports record revenue of £1.25bn

The Bradford-head quartered company posted revenues of £1.251 billion in 2017, two per cent up from £1.226 billion the previous year.

Together with the growth in sales, the group also saw an improvement in its group’s operating profit before exceptional items to £19.1m.

John Tordoff, the company’s chief executive, told The Yorkshire Post that the success was “ a real team effort” and that a concentration on used car sales and matching the changing demands of consumers were behind the success

“In 2016 we chose very deliberately to focus on used cars and after sales as the real growth areas and ones that would be a great opportunity for us.

“That has really come to fruition with the momentum carrying over into this year.

“Consumer behaviour is definitely changing. We are seeing fewer customers but the ones we are seeing have a higher propensity to purchase.

“More and more, customers are researching online before coming in. They have been doing that for the last five to 10 years and that is only going to continue moving forward.

“It used to be people visited 10 dealerships when looking for a car but now they will visit two or three or most. That said you still have to have the right stock and the right structure of price.”

Part of the key to dealing with this evolution in customer preference has been to massively up its game digitally, with the company continuing to develop online platform for customers as e a priority.

JCT600 saw its total visitors to its website and social media channels increasing significantly once again.

Despite falling demand for new vehicles in the UK car market, JCT600’s strong performance in the retail sector showed only a modest decline and Mr Tordoff said that demand for the higher end of the motor trade spectrum remained good and that the new car market had been overinflated for some time, leading to a correction.

When asked about the firm’s image as a family-owned northern firm Mr Tordoff said: “Without a doubt it has huge advantages being based in the North of England, where so much of our customer base is. Certainly in comparison to other parts of the country, where things can be a little bit more boom and bust, it is great. Our name has been in the industry for 73 years and a good reputation counts for a lot.”

Mr Tordoff, the second generation to run the company founded by his father Jack in 1946, said customer confidence was resilient in spite of wider economic uncertainty.

JCT600 also invested £7m into its operational footprint.

This included the opening of a brand new Porsche Centre in Teesside as well as major refurbishments at Mercedes-Benz Sheffield and Peugeot Bradford.

Nigel Shaw, group finance director at JCT600, said: “Despite strong competition both from other physical retailers and from the internet-based dealers, our ongoing investment in people, dealerships and systems is enabling us to retain our competitive advantage.”