Testwood celebrates success at St Mary's

The dinner dance celebrated the phenomenal expansion of what is now one of Hampshire's largest vehicle dealership groups.

Since it was established under its current board in 1989 the group has seen turnover increase from £8m to £50m and employee numbers grow from 75 to 224. The football stadium was the only venue in Southampton large enough to accommodate staff from all seven Testwood divisions - Testwood Volkswagen, Southampton Audi, Testwood Van, Testwood MAN Truck, Testwood Parts Centre, Testwood Fleet and Testwood Accident and Repair.

During his speech, managing director Ed Oakley highlighted the merits of holding dealerships for major brands such as Audi, Volkswagen, Volkswagen Van and MAN trucks: "All four brands are quality products in their respective markets and this, along with excellent teamwork, first-class facilities and a commitment to personal service, has been a major factor in the substantial growth of the Testwood Motor Group over the last 13 years."

Ed went on to attribute the success of Testwood to more than just a credible brand: "It's clear when we all get together for events like this, that it's the 'team spirit' that helps us provide first-rate customer care - it's only those companies that really look after their customers that will survive and prosper. We believe it's crucial not only to meet our customer's needs, but to exceed them."

The dinner dance represented a celebration of hard work and accomplishment including gaining a finalist position for the 'Motor Trade Dealer Group of the Year' twice in the last four years. He concluded: "Increasing profits and sales are a direct result of the commitment and drive generated by our staff to provide a second-to-none service for our customers. We are constantly looking for ways to improve the way we work and if things continue as they are, it looks as though this growth will continue for the foreseeable future."