This interview with Bradford entrepreneur Jack Tordoff was first published in June last year when his JCT600 motors empire celebrated its 70th anniversary. We are republishing it to mark him being named as Bradford's richest man in the latest Sunday Times Rich List.

RELATED STORY: JCT600 boss named Bradford's richest man

JACK Tordoff says he is a very contented man.

And it's easy to see why.

The humble garage he took over from his father has become the largest independent family-run motors business in the UK and Yorkshire's largest privately owned company, employing 2,500 people at the Bradford head office and 50 dealerships across the North and Midlands.

It sells 18 makes of cars from Minis and other mainstream marques to prestige brands such as Maserati, Bentley and Porsche - the latter playing a key role in Jack's success both as a businessman and as a renowned rally driver.

Last year JCT600 became a £1billion turnover operation and its latest results unveiled last week showed that sales grew by 12 per cent to nearly £1.2 billion with profits of £18.1 million in 2015.

Self-made millionaire he may be, but Jack, 81, remains a down-to-earth man who admits to sometimes pinching himself when thinking about how far he and the business have come.

And, even though he is no longer in day-to-day charge, JCT600 is always in his thoughts.

"It's a hell of a success story. When I stop to think back to when I was a motor mechanic working in a grubby little garage and see what we have now I'm both amazed and tremendously proud," said Jack.

The story began in 1946 when Jack's father Edward "Ned" Tordoff and two other partners established Tordoff Motors Ltd, trading as ‘Brooklands Garage’ on Sticker Lane, Bradford,  in premises which had been used as a wool store during the war.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: ORIGINS: The original Tordoff Motors site on Sticker Lane

Following his father's sudden death at the age of 47, Jack joined the business as an apprentice motor mechanic in 1950. After National Service in the army with REME - where he maintained the major's Hillman car - Jack rejoined the business in 1958.

The return nearly didn't happen. The major urged him to stay in the army with the promise of a commission.

"I was the sort of soldier they liked. I enjoyed the life and culture; obeyed the rules, was clean and smart and always on time. It was tempting but after my dad died I felt obliged to come home and help out my mother," he said.

Jack is close to tears when recalling how his mother gladly loaned him the £1,000 needed to buy out his late father's two business partners. Instead of paying her interest, he bought her the TV set she had been wanting.

A silent partner in the Brooklands Garage business had been Willie Jowett, boss of Jowett cars, whose factory was at Five Lane Ends where Morrisons is now and where Ned Tordoff had worked for 25 years before setting up on his own in 1946.

He encouraged the young Jack to expand into buying and selling used cars.

Jack recalled: "We were going nowhere as we were and I knew we had to branch out. I knew nothing about the motor trade but with help from various people learned quickly, including about getting accredited to use Glass's Guide of trade and retail car prices. "

Jack carried on the army tradition and smartness and cleanliness in his business, ensuring car bodies were valeted along with the engine compartment. He also stole a march on competitors by opening at weekends - unusual in those days.

The business continued as Tordoff Motors and was awarded a sub-franchise for Standard and Triumph cars from the Farnell family, the oldest Land Rover dealers in the country. A new dealership was built in 1960 to accommodate the operation alongside the original garage.

The following year Jack bought a Mercedes 600 with the registration number JCT600 -his full name being Jack Crossley Tordoff. It was the dawn of a new era for the business which sparked off a remarkable success story.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: ORIGINS: Jack Tordoff with the Mercedes car  whose  registration plate gave his company its name

In January JCT600 kicked off its 70th anniversary year with a conference and celebration for around 2,000 staff, suppliers and business contacts.

The theme of the conference was overcoming challenges with Falklands war veteran Simon Weston as guest speaker alongside chief executive John Tordoff.

Delegates heard that the first vehicle sold was a Bradford-built Jowett van priced at £175. Since then, the company has sold more than a one million vehicles and currently sells around 825 vehicles a week.

John said: “Overcoming challenges was certainly an appropriate theme. It has not been an easy journey, to have survived so long in business is an achievement in itself. We attribute our success to hard work, Yorkshire thrift and a straight forward approach to doing business - we are immensely proud of the JCT600 family we have created.”

Family is a key word in the JCT600 story. Three generations of the Tordoff family, including Jack's sons and grandsons, work in the business. There's no silver spoon. They all have to learn the ropes and work their way up.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Jack Tordoff, centre, with sons Ian and John

It's an aspect of his success that gives Jack particular pleasure and he refers to it throughout our conversation.

"It's a great source of pleasure and pride to me that we remain a true family business and that the family is involved. Although we now employ so many people, we still regard our staff as a wider family.

“Having spent 65 years working, I’ve seen some huge changes in the motor industry, but it still all comes down to people. We’ve worked hard to maintain our strong family values as we’ve grown, recruiting and training like-minded people who want to put the customer first.

“As a result, we’ve established a loyal following with satisfied customers coming back to us time and time again over the years. I have thoroughly enjoyed building the business and as a proud Yorkshireman, I’m particularly delighted that it is the largest family company in the region.”

For the past few years Jack has been JCT600 chairman after handing over the day-to-day management of the company to youngest son John.

"John agreed to take over the reins - on the one condition that I wasn't always on his back. I've tried to stick to that, although we do cross swords occasionally," said Jack.

Away from the motor trade Jack's two passions have been rally driving in his younger days and his long association with Bradford City where he is life president.

He got into rally driving through a friend after buying his first Porsche car - which led to JCT600 winning the marque's Yorkshire franchise, enabling it to make a profit of £2,000 on a sale rather than the usual £50.

In 1973 he won the Circuit of Ireland Rally in a Porsche Carrera bearing the JCT600 registration plate. He retired from the sport two years later but his grandson Sam Tordoff has been making a name for himself in motorsport whilst competing in the British Touring Car Championship in cars sponsored by JCT600.

Jack who was awarded an MBE in 2007 for services to business and sport, says he has held every position at Bradford City "except team manager". In 1983 he stepped in to secure the club's future - and is optimistic about the new German owners who recently took over the Valley Parade operation.

The company has also sponsored Bradford Bulls, the Bradford & Bingley rugby union team and the Bradford Cricket League.

Supporting charities is a big commitment for JCT600 whose staff are enthusiastic fundraisers for its annual chosen charity and last year raised more than £62,000 for the Alzheimer's Society.

JCT600 recently became a patron of The Prince's Trust and, in addition to fundraising, is using the link to provide work experience and training opportunities for disadvantaged youngsters.

The company has been included in the Sunday Times Best 100 Companies to Work For list in recognition of its employee engagement record.

"It's been a long and eventful journey from when I took over the business. Then we had a turnover of £18,000. Now it's over £1 billion. Although I was ambitious and wanted to grow the business, I could never have imagined that at the beginning. I know my father would be amazed if he could see it," said Jack.