Coutts Prize for Family Business 2007/8 – Regional Winner

JCT600 Ltd
Winner Best Family Business
Turnover Category £25m+ Northern England Region

JCT600 Ltd based in Rawden, Leeds has been named ‘Best UK Family Business, Northern Region’, in the £25m+ turnover category of the Coutts Prize for Family Business 2007/8. The company will now go on to compete in the £25M+ category at the national finals to be held in central London on Thursday 5 June 2008. JCT600 Ltd were nominated for the award by Sir Ken Morrison of WM Morrison Supermarkets.

JCT600 was established in 1946 as Tordoff Motors from a single garage site in Bradford. In 1961, after an acquisition of a Mercedes 600 with the registration plate “JCT600”, the new company name was born. Between 2000 and 2006, turnover has more than doubled to £538m, whilst net profits have more than quadrupled to £15.6m. The company is now the largest privately owned motor group in England.

Lucy Armstrong, Regional Chairman of the evaluation committee commented:
“JCT600 is a highly successful third generation family business and retail motor group. The things that impressed the evaluation committee about JCT600 included:

  • their ability to clearly separate management from ownership. A two-tier board structure and the active use of non-family management and non-executive directors marked this business out;
  • the strength of the families values and ethos permeate the operation. Many committed long-term employees describe themselves as feeling part of the ‘extended family’;
  • the strong financial and operational performance of the business. This family has built a strong and innovative brand in a complex and competitive market; and
  • donations to charity by JCT600 exceed £500,000 per annum. The focus on local initiatives and involvement of staff has resulted in organisations like Bradford Cancer Support and the British Indian Society working with thecompany over many years.