Ron Brooks Group celebrates record profits ahead of 60th anniversary year

Ron Brooks Group has celebrated a record annual financial performance which saw turnover up 15.3% and pre-tax profits surge 67% ahead of its 60th anniversary year.

The car retail group, based at Ilkeston, Derbyshire, highlighted its minimal use of Government COVID-19 support as it navigated its way through a trading period to June 30, 2021, without making any redundancies.

And the business was in celebratory mood as the outcome revealed a £34.2 million turnover (2019/20: £29.7m) and profit before tax of £1.2m (2019/20: £739,552) – representing a return on sales of 3.6%.

Kevin Slack, managing director of the group which represents the Toyota and Suzuki franchises in Mansfield and Toyota in Ilkeston, said: “During the year, the group sold 2,202 new and used cars, an increase of 19.5% from the 1,843 in 2020.

“Service hours also increased by 10.7% to 27,158 from 24,538 in 2020.

“Our consolidated financial results reflect this strong performance.”

In 2022 the Ron Brooks Group will celebrate its 60th year of business.

The business also believes it is the UK’s longest standing Toyota franchisee. Next year be its 50th in partnership with the Japanese brand.

Toyota’s 2018 Retailer of the Year, Ron Brooks Group highlighted the efforts it had made to maintain a consistent customer service throughout the various COVID-19 lockdowns in its reporting period.

Slack said the business had “made use of the government’s job retention scheme to avoid redundancies and retain staff”.

He said that, in addition to rates relief, this had supported the group and enabled it to reopen quickly once the lockdown periods had ended.

“We firmly believe our consistent performance is representative of the reputation and established customer focused culture of the business”, he added.

Ron Brooks Group said in a statement issued to AM that it was positioned financially with “no debt” and almost £5m in cash reserves.

It added: “The group is well positioned to capitalise on any new business opportunities should they arise.”