The Retail Automotive Alliance (RAA) enjoyed another record year of growth in 2016 with a rise in turnover of 7% to £3.1 billion and an increase in its footprint to over 240 sales and service outlets across the UK.

The year also saw two of the RAA’s larger Members become one when Hendy Group acquired the Kent-based Lifestyle Group in June taking their turnover to over £500 million.

With over 7,500 employees, RAA Members increased their new and used vehicle sales by over 4% to 244,000 across 25 motor franchises and the Group is now the 5^th largest automotive retailing organisation in the UK.

Following Chambers, Gates Ford, and Hartwell earlier in the year, December saw L’Derry based Desmond Motors become the latest Dealer Group of 2016 to join the RAA. The joint venture initiative was formed in 2005 by a small group of entrepreneurial automotive retailers and now has 23 Shareholder Members across the UK.

John Matthews, the RAA’s Business Development Director said,

“The RAA is as strong as its Members and in the past year, almost all of them grew their businesses significantly which has added to the value we can deliver through our wide range of procurement programmes and also to the value we bring to our supplier partners.”

“2017 will see continued growth in our membership which is based on contributing not only to the scale and quality of our venture but also on the cultural fit into a well-established and highly effective group.”