The Hammond, from left, back row, Glen Hammond, director, Andy Hammond, parts manager, forecourt manager Louise Hammond and Derek Hammond, director. Front row founders Daisy and Roy Hammond, now retired

In the spring of 1962, husband and wife team Roy and Daisy Hammond took a leap of faith by launching their own motor repair company, Hammonds of Wenhaston. Little did they know that their £1,500 investment would sow the seeds of a successful local business empire, known for the past five years as the Hammond Group

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FIFTY years ago, Roy Hammond, was working in Halesworth as a motor mechanic when he turned his passion for motor vehicles and desire to provide a valued service for his local community into a business.

He started with a modest wooden shed as his workshop, which was only able to hold one and a half cars. Despite these humble beginnings, Roy’s business acumen already showed as his start-up business was the only one in the area to offer a courtesy car, car wash, and recovery truck service.

As the business grew, the Hammonds purchased an adjoining field and then premises in Halesworth as the new site for their Nissan dealership.

Derek Hammond, current managing director, recalls: “The site had originally been a restaurant which meant that vehicles were backed through the building’s double doors and washed on what was the dancefloor!”

This wasn’t the only area in which the business was growing. The company’s recovery arm now has 15 vehicles in its fleet and can recover anything from a motorbike to a coach.

Ambition to be the best, and a desire to provide excellent customer service have been the beating heart of this family business for the past five decades. Its growth and success are testiment to Roy’s vision.

Hammond Group now has six main dealers, a retail arm, a recovery department, a mobile commercial semi-trailer repair business, a rental fleet of over 80 vehicles, a tyre wholesale and trade parts delivery service and a large accident repair centre. The company currently employs 270 people working all across East Anglia.

With firm roots in the local community, the Hammond Group is seen as a pillar within the region’s industry. Michelle Gardner, from Lowestoft and Waveney Chamber of Commerce, says: “We are delighted to be associated with the Hammond Group. The company is a long term member of our Chamber, and a true ambassador for family businesses in our region. It is an award-winning business that supports and invests in the local community through employment, excellent educational links and in its support of local charities.”

Having come such a long way in a relatively short time period, it comes as no surprise that the team at Hammond Group is always looking to improve and grow. In January this year, the Hammond Commercial Centre, part of the Group, became an authorised repairer of Iveco Trucks, ranging from their smaller vans to HGVs. A new purpose-built service reception, parts department, and commerical HGV ramps are in development at the commercial workshop to launch the new service.

Simon Josephs, dealer principal at the new Iveco site, said: “We couldn’t be more excited about this development. The continual growth of the business is testiment to our passion for what we do.

“Hammond Group was built on expertise and excellent customer service, and we’re looking forward to what the future holds.”

In addition to this new department, Hammond Group has just become one of 40 dealerships in the UK to start selling the ‘Great Wall’ pick-up truck from China. Director Glen Hammond, said: “We’re specialist commercial vehicle retailers and this new offering will sit very nicely with our other ranges.”

Over the last five decades, leadership of the company has been passed to the second and third generations, which continues to build upon their previous success and provide an array of award-winning and innovative services. Derek added: “We would like to thank all those who’ve supported and contributed to our success. We look forward to the future.”