JCT600 wins family business award
JCT600, the largest privately owned motor group in the country, was named the best UK family business in the North at the Coutts Prize for Family Business awards.
Bradford-based JCT600 won the prize in the companies with turnover of more than £25m category.
The company will now go on to compete in the same category at the bank's national finals which will be held in London on June 5.
The Coutts Prize for Family Business recognises the best run family businesses in England and Wales.
JCT600 was established in 1946 as Tordoff Motors from a single garage site in Bradford by chairman Jack Tordoff.
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 more than doubled to £538m, while net profits more than quadrupled to £15.6m.
Lucy Armstrong, regional chairman of the awards' evaluation committee, said: “JCT600 is a highly successful third generation family business and retail motor group.”
Ms Armstrong said the committee had been impressed by the company's family values, its strong financial and operational performance and its ongoing donations to charity.
JCT600 was nominated for the Coutts Prize for Family Business 2007/ 2008 by Sir Ken Morrison, a close friend of Mr Tordoff who was recently awarded an MBE in the New Years Honours list for his services to business and sport in Bradford.
Mark Evans, head of family business at Coutts & Co, said: “Following the huge success of the awards over the last two years, we're delighted that once again, we are able to help highlight the enormous contribution that family firms make to both the economy and society.
“Up to 75% of businesses in the UK are family owned and I firmly believe that our 300 year history of working with family businesses has enabled Coutts to have a special understanding of the specific challenges that family businesses face, such as business succession.”
The Coutts Prize recognises firms in three categories of turnover: £1m to 5m, £5m to £25m, and more than £25m.
The winner of the turnover of £1m to £5m category was Newbreed Freight. The winner of the turnover of £5m to £25m was Jess Brough Metals International.
