A ROADSIDE rescue firm based in Huddersfield has landed a major deal with supermarket giant Asda.

Britannia Rescue, with offices at the railway station in St George’s Square, will offer a range of road rescue products – including vehicle breakdown cover – to millions of Asda’s customers.

And Britannia said the new deal could lead it to recruit more staff to add to its 70-strong workforce later this year.

The contract with Leeds-based Asda will begin later this month and will run for an initial three-year period. The sum involved has not been disclosed.

The products will be co-branded and sold in Asda’s 337 retail stores across the UK and online.

Britannia Rescue is the UK’s fourth largest road rescue provider – operating an independent network of more than 500 garages.

It is part of Liverpool-based insurance and investment group LV=Group.

Andrew Beard, business development director of Britannia Rescue, said: “We are delighted to announce this partnership. We have ambitious growth plans for Britannia Rescue and we believe prestigious commercial partnerships of this nature will play a key part in our future expansion.”

He added: “The deal is really good news for us at Britannia Rescue. Asda is a household name.

“By working in partnership with the team there, we will be able to grow the number of breakdown sales significantly.

“It is great news for the garages on our network as it means they can be guaranteed a certain regularity of work, at a time when things maybe tight elsewhere in the business.

Mr Beard said: “Britannia Rescue is in an exciting growth period and this latest deal means our team will be busier than ever.

“So depending on growth, there is every chance we may need to start recruiting again later in the year.

“We already expanded the business by 25% last year to enable us to handle commercial partnerships like this one with Asda and are aiming to sign up more partnership of this nature over the rest of 2009.”Š

Britannia Rescue already provides rescue products for partners including the Civil Service Motoring Organisation, trades unions UNISON and NUT and the Royal Air Force Association.

LV= Group employs more than 3,400 people and manages about £7bn on behalf of more than 3.5m customers and members.