It has been trading for 246 years but is continuing to demonstrate a drive for success.

North Norfolk-based C T Baker Group this week unveiled a new fleet of vehicles for its builders merchants division which has branches in Aylsham, Holt, North Walsham and Stalham.

The near £250,000 investment includes five new JCB pickups, a 26 tonne Volvo HGV, 7.5 tonne crane offload trucks, and new pickup vehicles.

C T Baker Group's Managing Director Michael Baker said it was testament to their strategy for continued growth.

And the family firm, which also has a department store based in Holt and two C T Baker Budgens supermarkets in Holt and Aylsham, confirmed it has plans to expand the business further by opening a fifth branch of its builders merchants division - north of the A47.

C T Baker Group's Managing Director Michael Baker said: 'We pride ourself on customer service; if we tell a customer they are going to get a delivery they will get it and we've invested in the delivery trucks to make sure we can do this.

'Over the last 18 to 24 months we've invested nearly half a million pounds in equipment. We're partciularly pleased with the JCBs because it is British engineering, made in Britain, and we should be supporting our country.

'Over the last 40 years our main policy has been to reinvest a minimum of one third of the annual profits every year back into the business. Quite often it has been more than that. And we have the family shareholders who are quite happy to have their money reinvested into what is a successful business.

'We've built it up from 17 staff in 1973 with a turnover of £175,000 to just under 300 staff with a turnover approaching £25 million.'

And he added: 'We have as part of our plans, plans to open a fifth builders merchant branch, the position of which is currently under wraps. And we are not averse to looking at additional supermarket stores.'

Representatives from JCB and the Builders Merchants Federation attended the vehicle showcase at the builders merchants on Hempstead Road Industrial Estate, Holt.

Richard Ellithorne, membership services director at the Builders Merchants Federation, said: 'Construction is always the weather vane of the economy and we have released sales data from members which shows that sales at builders merchants are up and they have the confidence to invest in kit for their business.'

And he added: 'If houses are being built then builders merchants are busy and that's a good sign for the local economy.'