Harratts adds Dacia in Wakefield to take brand portfolio to eight

The Harratts Group is a family-owned and run business with 12 dealerships across Yorkshire, with the franchises for Honda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, Renault and Volvo, plus its most recent venture, Part Exchange Direct and its Car Clinic. It sells used cars and to fleets.

2010 turnover was £181 million (2009: £152m) on total car sales of 8,871 and LCVs 156.

The Harratt family started the company in 1966 in Ossett, acquiring land and businesses and building showrooms as it took on franchises, beginning with Volvo.

Its most recent additions are Honda in 2009, which was placed alongside Volvo at its Barnsley Road site in Wakefield, and Peugeot in 2010 in Leeds.

Discussions are taking place to add the Kia franchise. MD Shaun Harratt wants to expand with Honda also.

The business is also changing dealer management system from Kalamazoo Elite to Pinewood’s Pinnacle.

£3m is being spent on a new showroom and headquarters at Calder Park, Wakefield, the largest construction project in the group’s history, due for opening at the end of 2011.

Recently all senior staff have been put through a self-development programme and customer-facing staff and all involved in sales have been through a customer service training programme.

The group has spent £200,000, including government grants, on training since 2009.

Staff turnover in 2010 was 10.2%.

In March 2013 Andrew Venn was appointed head of operations. The former Pendragon franchise director has 25 years industry experience. His role was put as evolving the organisation from a "thriving family business to a class leading motor retailer".

The Harratts Group is a family-owned and run business with 12 dealerships across Yorkshire, with the franchises for Honda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, Renault and Volvo, plus its most recent venture, Part Exchange Direct and its Car Clinic. It sells used cars and to fleets.

2010 turnover was £181 million (2009: £152m) on total car sales of 8,871 and LCVs 156.

The Harratt family started the company in 1966 in Ossett, acquiring land and businesses and building showrooms as it took on franchises, beginning with Volvo.

Its most recent additions are Honda in 2009, which was placed alongside Volvo at its Barnsley Road site in Wakefield, and Peugeot in 2010 in Leeds.

Discussions are taking place to add the Kia franchise. MD Shaun Harratt wants to expand with Honda also.

The business is also changing dealer management system from Kalamazoo Elite to Pinewood’s Pinnacle.

£3m is being spent on a new showroom and headquarters at Calder Park, Wakefield, the largest construction project in the group’s history, due for opening at the end of 2011.

Recently all senior staff have been put through a self-development programme and customer-facing staff and all involved in sales have been through a customer service training programme.

The group has spent £200,000, including government grants, on training since 2009.

Staff turnover in 2010 was 10.2%.

In March 2013 Andrew Venn was appointed head of operations. The former Pendragon franchise director has 25 years industry experience. His role was put as evolving the organisation from a "thriving family business to a class leading motor retailer".