STRONG demand for commercial vehicle rental combined with more stable pricing of new vehicles saw Northgate Motor Holding's parent Goode Durrant achieve a 14% increase in pre-tax profits. The company posted pre-tax profits of £17.4 million (1996: £15.2m) on a turnover up 36% to £95.5 million (£70.2m) for the six months to October 31, 1997.

The period included the acquisition of Transport Development Group in September 1997 for £27.3 million, which added 2,000 vehicles to the company's fleet, and strengthened its position in Scotland, the M4 corridor and the South Coast. Northgate now operates a fleet of approximately 20,000 vehicles from 27 depots nationwide - an increase of 25% since the beginning of the financial year.