A car dealership giant that makes most of its turnover from its Liverpool bases has recorded the strongest financial performance in its 38-year history.
Peoples Ford, the largest independent Ford dealer in the 海角视频 and Europe, said turnover for the year ended July 31 increased by almost 20% up to £289.5m, while profit before tax and preference share dividends were up 165% from £3.01m to £7.98m.
The firm, which has bases in Liverpool and Scotland, said its Merseyside sites accounted for 63.35% - £183.4m - of its turnover.
READ MORE: HyNet green energy project set for major Government carbon capture funding
Chairman Brian Gilda said the Liverpool business is "deeply significant" to the firm's overall achievement.
He said: “Our success in Liverpool has centred on ensuring the local store infrastructure, along with technology and exceptional customer service are at the core of our delivery to help continue to drive success.
"Peoples is a growth company with a long history in Liverpool and we look forward to continuing to grow here.”
Mr Gilda added that motivated staff and loyal customers were "key" to delivering the record figures in a "challenging climate".
Most Read
He added: “Delivering these results in the face of the pandemic, fierce competition and diminishing volumes in certain sections of the market is testament to the determination of my directors, management and staff and the outstanding loyalty of our customers.
Don't miss a thing - sign up for your free North West newsletter - and follow us on LinkedIn
Email newsletters
BusinessLive is your home for business news from around the North West- and you can stay in touch with all the latest news from Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, Cheshire, Lancashire and Cumbria through our email alerts.
You can sign up to receive daily morning news bulletins from every region we cover and to weekly email bulletins covering key economic sectors from manufacturing to technology and enterprise. And we'll send out breaking news alerts for any stories we think you can't miss.
Visit our email preference centre to sign up to all the latest news from BusinessLive.
For all the latest stories, views, polls and more - and the news as it breaks - .
“This time last year we had just reopened our six dealerships after lockdown and our figures were predictably impacted, however we remained confident we had a robust plan in place, and this year’s figures are testament to that as we surpass our pre-lockdown performance.
"We are also pleased to have avoided making any redundancies during the year by utilising the job retention scheme, and all staff with the exception of directors were awarded a £400 bonus as a thank you for their commitment and dedication."
The firm was founded in 1983 and has six dealerships – three in central Scotland in Edinburgh, Falkirk and Livingston and three in Liverpool.
It employs 363 people - 57% of whom are based in Liverpool at Bootle, Prescot and Speke.
Mr Gilda said the firm "closely monitors" changing consumer attitudes and behaviours - and its omnichannel approach has been a "crucial element of its success".
Don’t miss
He added: “Our online offering has been a game changer for the company as it has widened our customer base considerably. However, we recognise that people like dealing with people, particularly when making a sizeable purchase, so the ability to visit our dealerships to speak to a trusted adviser remains an important part of the sales journey.”
He did caution that the company "would not take its foot off the gas" - and acknowledged challenges remain ahead, particularly in relation to the semiconductor shortages which have affected manufacturers across the industry.
Mr Gilda predicted "normality" may not return until early next year.
He also pointed to the "plethora" of new to market online used car traders, adding: “Time will tell whether they are all still here at this time next year.”