Retail giant Freeman Grattan Holdings (FGH) is on the verge of signing a deal to keep its head office in Bradford.

It will see more than 600 staff transferring from the group’s current UK base in Lidget Green, Bradford, to one of two possible sites – either close to the city centre or on the outskirts .

The move is due to be completed in 2012, which marks Grattan’s centenary, once the new site has been bought and refurbished.

FGH chief executive Koert Tulleners said the German-owned company would invest between £3 and £4 million in the new headquarters. He said: “The negotiations about the new site are close to completion.

“We have a preferred site and a back-up but at this stage I can’t divulge where they are.

“We intend to complete the move this year and I’m delighted that FGH will remain in Bradford where it has a strong heritage.”

He said the company had returned to profits in 2010 and 2011 after 20 years of losses which led to a major restructuring and job losses at a company, which once employed around 5,000 people.

The changes included transferring call centre operations from Bradford to Sheffield, and FGH has awarded a £55 million ten-year contract to Serco, the international service company, to operate the Sheffield centre, which employs 400 staff.

Changes at FGH has also led to a small Bradford company winning one of its biggest orders to design and install a large illuminated sign at the gateway to FGH’s Listerhills site, which is being developed as a base for tenant firms.

New Vision Signs & Graphics, of Ventnor Street, produced a five metre his sign for the 786,000 sq ft sq ft warehousing site.

Tony Stead, New Vision business development manager, said: “The project was challenging due to the scale of the signage and its position on the gatehouse structure.

“The letters house low energy LED light modules, creating a subtle ‘halo’ illumination at night.

“The sign is very imposing and forms an impressive welcome to FGH’s Listerhills site.”

Mr Tulleners said FGH was no longer a mail-order business and was selling more than 60 per cent of its goods online.

Smaller more regular catalogues remained central to its business, along with local agents, but more customers were ordering online from the catalogues.

Specialist operations, such as Swimwear365 launched this week and Curvisaa catering for larger sizes, were online-only and staff were only able to buy discounted goods online. FGH has developed new mobile-enabled websites for use from smartphones.

Mr Tulleners said: “The business is once again profitable and we expect to remain so this year and in the future.

“As we celebrate Grattan's centenary, we’re looking forward to a new era operating from a new Bradford base which will be tailored to meet the needs of the modern business.”