Bikes and automotive elements retailer Halfords has introduced it’s to recruit 1,000 automotive restore technicians over the subsequent 12 months.
The firm is hoping to draw retirees again into the workforce and to extend the variety of ladies within the technical roles, as competitors for staff brought about issues.
“A competitive labour market has led to capacity constraints,” Halfords mentioned in its interim outcomes announcement for the 2023 monetary 12 months.
The jobs are to be created attributable to a rise in demand for Halfords’ automotive providers.
Service-related gross sales topped £326m and accounted for practically half (round 42.6%) of gross sales throughout the Halfords group, up from £230m final 12 months and greater than service-related gross sales in the entire of the pre-pandemic 2020 monetary 12 months.
All segments of the enterprise grew above pre-COVID-19 ranges – autocentres income grew 30%, retail motoring was up 10% and biking elevated 8.6%.
Higher prices stemming from inflation have been managed by Halfords implementing price and effectivity applications, which can save extra £20m, larger than the £15m goal beforehand set out by the corporate.
In the approaching second half of the 12 months, Halfords mentioned it had “good visibility” on prices and utilities have been bought at costs consistent with final 12 months.
Halfords grew to become the most important business tyre supplier within the UK final month after it purchased Lodge Tyre.
The acquisition will imply service-related gross sales will account for about 48% of group as Lodge Tyre delivers motoring, service and enterprise to enterprise income streams.
Last 12 months Halfords had reported a success to gross sales from provide chain disruption and warned its struggles might take time to beat.
On Tuesday the retailer mentioned these provide chain and lockdown challenges led to by COVID-19 had “almost entirely subsided”.
But it cautioned that the working atmosphere “continues to remain very challenging, with the worst cost of living crisis in a generation”.
Source: information.sky.com”