Halfords has been a household name for many years – even a part of many of our childhoods: our first bike, our first L plates. Today, the company's outstanding story of achievement continues apace. Halfords is more firmly established than ever as one of the most successful retailers in Britain, with over 380 stores nationwide and 9,200 full and part-time employees, both in the Redditch head office and in the stores across the country.

In the 1980s, Halfords was one of the first retailers to migrate from high street stores to the then newly developing retail parks. In 1984, the business was acquired by Ward White Group, which in turn was acquired by Boots in 1989. The car enhancement Ripspeed brand was bought in 1998 at the same time that Halfords introduced its Bikehut concept to broaden the company's cycle offer to cycling enthusiasts. In August 2001, Halfords sold its garage business to the AA and in August 2002 the company commenced an exciting new chapter when it was acquired from Boots by venture capital group CVC.

The most significant measure of Halfords' astonishing development and continual growth was subsequently achieved in June 2004, when the organisation was successfully floated on the London Stock Exchange.

Now, as a recently floated plc, you'll find Halfords much further afield than your local retail park or high street. The company is actively involved in sponsorship and events, ranging from the British Touring Car Championships to Halfords Bike Hut Race Teams, and also provides support to the British Heart Foundation for the London to Brighton bike ride. Most recently it was the retail sponsor for the newly revived Tour of Britain Cycle Race.

One of many reasons for Halfords' phenomenal success is its management and staff's determination to continually develop – with great new products and services, and with a dynamic programme of store refurbishments and new store openings.

Although a number of smaller stores remain on the high street, the majority of Halfords stores are edge of town superstores. Excitingly, the latter are in the process of being upgraded to a format known as “ Arcade ”. These are designed to enlarge the sales area, often with the installation of a mezzanine floor, and therefore introducing even more product area and choice, including dedicated sub-shop areas for Bikehut, Ripspeed and Audio.

This impressive story of achievement underlines the company's current stature as the UK's leading retailer of car parts, bikes and accessories. Today, Halfords is the leading retailer in each of the four product markets in which it operates:
• Car maintenance includes car parts and consumables such as oils, workshop tools and body repair products.
• Car enhancement covers a wide range of in-car entertainment options, accessories, car styling products, car cleaning and specialist items like alloy wheels.
• Travel solutions embraces an equally wide range of products, including roof boxes, child seats and outdoor leisure (in itself a major category with products like tents that are suitable for locations ranging from your back garden to the back of beyond!).
• And finally, there's cycling, including cycling accessories – a product group for which Halfords remains just as renowned as ever.

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