DEALERSHIP, leasing and rental group Sanderson Bramall has reported record half-year profits and revealed plans for steady growth. Group chairman Tony Bramall announced a 14.5% rise in pre-tax profits to £9.2million on a turn-over of £435million - 2.7% up on the same period last year.

The contract hire, leasing and rental business, including the 37.5% stake in Flightform UK which operates Thrifty Car Rental in the UK, contributed 17% of the group's net profit. The falling value of used cars, Bramall said, did have an impact on the division's profitability but it had still managed a 'creditable' performance.

On future growth, he said: 'We have a number of acquisitions due for completion, mainly sites on which to develop our franchised network further. These include sites and developments for Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Honda, Nissan, Vauxhall and Citroen.