A Rontec forecourt store has become the 100th new Spar store supplied by Blakemore Trade Partners since the start of its 2014/15 financial year, while fellow Top 50 Indie Euro Garages is set to become its largest national account customer.

Following the opening of the Rontec forecourt store in Slough, Blakemore Trade Partners managing director Jerry Marwood pointed to the company’s stability, values and culture of innovation as key reasons that customers put forward for working with the business.

Marwood said: “These reasons, along with the increasing profile of the Spar brand, have meant record-breaking recruitment numbers for the last two years.

“We are living in times of great change in our industry, but at AF Blakemore we still share the same stability and values that have been around for 100 years and we believe will be around for 100 more.

“We are a financially secure company and more importantly a family business defined by values and a commitment to growing our business sustainably for the long term.”

In addition to Rontec, Blakemore Trade Partners has also begun to fulfil its Spar contract with Euro Garages, so far servicing eight Euro Garage sites, but by the end of the 2015 calendar year this number will increase to 103, making them Blakemore Trade Partners’ largest national account customer.

Marwood pointed to the relationship that has been created with independent retailer Jay Gohil of Cosford Garage, Albrighton, as an example of what the business is trying to deliver.

He said: "Jay is one of the outstanding retailers of his peer group and joined us bringing two stores into Spar.

“We matched that by enabling him to purchase two more sites. A rebranding and re-launch programme has kicked off and is producing brilliant results for both businesses."

Marwood concluded: “While we see the need for further recruitment, we also have exciting plans for improving customer service and doing things better on behalf of our existing customers as we have no shortage of ideas for further investment in the business.”

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