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S & U Plc is principally engaged in the activity of consumer credit and car finance throughout England, Wales and Scotland. The Company’s segment includes consumer credit, rentals and other retail trading, and car finance. S & U's wholly owned subsidiaries include S D Taylor Limited, which is engaged in consumer credit, rentals and other retail trading, and Advantage Finance Limited, which is engaged in car finance.

A Brief History

S&U was founded in Birmingham in 1938 by Clifford Coombs, a charismatic figure from South Wales who had bicycled to the Midlands with just £1 in his pocket. Fifteen years later, his success was such that he joined the Board of what is now Great Universal Stores at just 32. He founded S&U five years later.

His secret lay in his ability to charm and motivate people, whether they were customers or employees. Indeed so successful was his selling technique that GUS used to pay him not to take part in sales competitions just to give the other Representatives a chance!

S&U originally sold leisure and household goods - hence its name Sports and Utilities. By 1961, the company had developed over 100 offices throughout England and Wales and gained a public quote on the Stock Exchange. By 1975, changing customer tastes and sophistication saw S&U transform its goods based credit business into a home based finance and HP operation. This remains the bedrock of S&U's  business today. In 1998, S&U decided to develop a motor finance business, Advantage Finance, in order to give their customers who might lack access to traditional finance resources the opportunity to own their own cars.

Customer Philosophy

The emphasis on a personal relationship between customer and Representative is as central to S&U's philosophy today as it was to Clifford Coombs' success. Whether it is to S & U's  home-collected customer or their motor finance customers, S&U is the quintessential relationship lending. Many of S&U's 120,000 borrowers have experienced credit or borrowing difficulties in the past or have been rejected by "mainstream" lenders. They therefore need the constant guidance and informal money management that S&U's home collected Representatives and S & U's motor Area Sales Managers can provide on a continuous weekly basis.

Aims

S&U's mission is simply to provide their customers with United Kingdom's best consumer and motor finance service. That means working as a team to be more efficient, respond quickly to their customer's demands, and therefore to maintain the quality of our book debt, and protect our long-term customer relationships. They believe that high quality service will attract customers.

Building For The Future

After a profits increase this year, S&U is building still faster! They don't major on flashy adverts but are very serious about buying business. They will pay equally serious money for good quality book debt, or even for your entire business.

Mr Anthony Coombs, Chairman

Joined S & U in 1975 and was appointed Managing Director in 1999 and became Chairman in 2008. Between 1987 and 1997 served as a Member of Parliament and was a member of the Government. Serves on the Executive of the Consumer Credit Association and chairs its Public Relations Committee and is a director of a number of companies and charities including chairing the trustees of the National Institute for Conductive Education.

Mr Graham Coombs, Deputy Chairman
Joined S&U plc after graduating from London Business School in 1976. He is responsible for the Group’s subsidiary S D Taylor Limited and for property matters. He was appointed Deputy Chairman in 2008.

Mr Guy Thompson, Group Director

Guy joined the group in 1999 as Managing Director of Advantage Finance and has overseen an excellent performance in their first 9 years. Guy has a strong track record in the finance and motor sectors and since his appointment brings these skills to the Board of S&U plc.

Mr Mike Mullins, Group Director

I have overall responsibility for all fifteen branches of S&U plc covering Cornwall to London to the Midlands. I am involved in strategic managerial planning for these branches, concentrating on the areas of debt control, arrears, sales promotion, and cash collection in order to consistently improve business quality. I control staff retention and motivation, striving for the best sales force possible in order to improve profitability within the company.

Mr Chris Redford, Group Finance Director

A Chartered accountant with over 10 years business experience in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods, food and travel sectors prior to his appointment as Finance Director of Advantage Finance in 1999. Following a successful start up period for Advantage he was appointed as Group Finance Director with effect from 1 March 2004.

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