Rich List 2012: =No.12 - John Bloor (£480m)
The all-new Triumph 800 and 800XC adventure motorbikes have been selling so well in the UK, the production allocation has been increased. In the first four months of 2011, Tigers were flying out of the showrooms, accounting for 21 per cent of all Triumph’s UK sales.
The company’s other new bikes, the Speed Triple and the Street Triple, plus the Speedmaster and America Cruisers have also done well, helping Triumph to an increased profit of £15.1 million to 2010, compared with £2.5 milion the previous year. Turnover rose three per cent to £312.4 million.
Triumph – 100 per cent owned by John Bloor who rescued it from oblivion – has also been running the Triumph Triple Challenge which, as part of the British Superbikes series, aims to find the motorsport riders of tomorrow.
The bike business is part of Bloor Holdings, the other half being the house building business, Bloor Homes. The slump in house sales has hit Bloor Homes hard over the last few years, though things are beginning to turn around. In 2009-10 Bloor Holdings returned a £19.6 million profit on sales of £631 million. The company refinanced its debt through to 2012 with new facilities to see it through the current difficult times.
Meanwhile Measham-based Bloor Homes continues to build at a rate of 2,000 homes a year, with new developments in Melksham, Wednesbury, Yeovil and Droitwich. Homes range from one-bedroom apartments to seven bedroom luxury houses.
