Benfield, one of Yorkshire’s largest independent motor groups, has been voted the ‘Dealer group of the Year 2015’ in the UK’s Motor Trader Industry Awards, held in London.
The national industry accolade caps an outstanding period for Benfield who have continued to expand their business through acquisition, organic growth and people development.
The family business, now has 30 dealerships across Yorkshire, Cumbria, North East of England and South West Scotland, representing 12 car brands and employs over 1,500 staff.
Annual turnover grew 13% to £700m for the year to 31 December 2014 and the group recently entered the Sunday Times Top Track 100 league table for the first time in the company’s history.
Tony Mulhall, General Manager, Benfield Ford and Skoda, said:
We are absolutely delighted to be voted ‘Dealer Group of the Year’, the industry’s biggest accolade. This is great news for everyone here at Benfield Ford and Skoda in Harrogate.
We have something very special through our Be Benfield culture and we are continually striving to improve our customer service and experience we offer to all customers here in Harrogate.
Under Chief Executive Mark Squires, the group has been investing heavily in its business and has continued its £20m capital investment programme to provide customers with new and improved customer services and continues to invest volume players across its franchise portfolio including Ford, Toyota, Hyundai and Skoda.
Mark Squires, Chief Executive, Benfield, said:
We are absolutely delighted to be voted ‘Dealer Group of the Year’, the industry’s biggest accolade.
Whilst the scale of investment we are making in new facilities and the recent milestones in our results may be hitting the headlines, it is the fantastic team of people I have at Benfield who are to be celebrated and deserve the recognition through this award.
We have something very special through our Be Benfield culture, the sincere efforts we make to give our customers a great experience and our passion to try and push the frontiers of motor retailing. I couldn’t be prouder to lead such a great team of people on what has been quite a journey in recent years.
Curtis Hutchinson, Editor, Motor Trader, said:
Benfield continues to excel at a local level and is leading the way with ethical business practices at a national level, making it a worthy winner of the Dealer Group of the Year Award.
Through the Benfield Charitable Trust, Benfield donates 5% of its operating profits to local and worthy causes, a factor commended by the Motor Trader Awards judges.
The panel also praised Benfield’s successful brand identity initiative – Enjoy the Journey – which promotes the pleasures of car ownership.
Benfield is an independently owned family business and has been operating in Yorkshire for over 25 years and represents leading car brands Ford, Toyota, Lexus, Hyundai and Skoda. Benfield was founded in Newcastle in 1957 by John Squires Senior and developed by John Squires Junior the present Chairman.
