This week’s fleet news including senior appointments at Fleet Logistics, December’s figures for the German fleet sector, manufacturer fleet statistics and VW makes final push for MAN.
Fleet Logistics looks for regional growth
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Fleet management firm Fleet Logistics is aiming to double the size of its pan-European operation and has appointed four chief regional officers to manage the growth.
The company has targeted a managed fleet of 200,000 vehicles, up from 100,000, within the next three years and hopes the greater regional autonomy within its European businesses will help generate the growth.
Stuart Donnelly, previously the company’s commercial director, has taken responsibility for Northern Europe which includes the UK and Nordics.
Business development director Philippe Bottequin has taken over the running of the Western Europe region, responsible for France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Gianni Granata, formerly operations manager of Fleet Logistics Italy, has been appointed CRO for southern Europe, comprising Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece.
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By GlobalDataArnd Martin, formerly managing director of German sister fleet business Fleet Company, becomes CRO for central and eastern Europe, incorporating Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Russia.
The regional heads will report to Fleet Logistics chief executive Rainer Laber.
German fleet market declines again in December 2012
With a total of 54,278 passenger car registrations, the German fleet market suffered a decline of 13.7 % in December 2012 compared to the same month last year, according to market research Dataforce.
Taking into account December 2012 had two working days less then December 2011, the statistics still shows a loss of 4.6 %, continuing the negative trend of recent months.
Across 2012 as a whole, the German fleet market dropped by 3% compared to 2011, with 697,840 new passenger car registrations in total. Considering the 3,082,504 new passenger car registrations throughout Germany, the fleet market’s volume amounted to 22.6%.
Mercedes-Benz UK finance levels
Mercedes-Benz Financial Services in the UK has reported a 24% year-on-year growth in finance by volume, including 37% growth in lending on commercial vehicles, in 2012. This includes a 60% penetration rate across all passenger cars and 40% penetration rate across vans, trucks and canter.
According to figures from the company, there were 2,201 new registrations of the 18-tonne-plus Actros model while year-on-year new registrations of the Sprinter rose by 7.8% and the Vito by 15.1%.
Manufacturers’ UK fleet sales
Year-on-year fleet sales of Citroën rose by 10% to 40,162 units, yielding a 3.6% market share, with LCV registrations up by 6.39% to 18,379 units; Škoda fleet registrations rose by 7.4% to 23,524 units; Hyundai fleet registrations rose by 40%, Toyota by 8.2% and Peugeot by 7.4%. Vauxhall registered a 16% growth in commercial vehicles.
Fleet sales of Nissan rose by 5% to 57,382 units and car fleet by 6.5% to 50,990 units, including 10,421 Juke units (up 114%) and 582 Leaf units (up 168%).
Volkswagen gets its MAN
Volkswagen is in talks with board of commercial vehicles manufacturer MAN to conclude a domination profit and loss transfer agreement.
Volkswagen currently controls 75% of the voting rights on the MAN board and this step would be the latest towards creating an integrated commercial vehicles group since Volkswagen first purchased 55.9% of MAN’s shares in 2011.
Volkswagen Group said MAN’s business activities would continue, as would its brand-specific characteristics and business areas, adding the Group was committed to MAN’s workforce.
Tusker appoints Nott as head of vehicle operations
Fleet management firm Tusker has appointed Brian Nott to the new role of head of vehicle operations.
Nott joins the company from the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), where he was assistant asset manager for the committee’s fleet of 4,500 vehicles. He has over 25 years fleet experience at companies including Godfrey Davis, Bank of Scotland Vehicle Finance and Lex Vehicle Leasing.
In his new role he will be responsible for all vehicle operations in the contract hire and salary sacrifice fleets, including servicing, maintenance and fleet administration such as fines and authorisations.
Nott said: “I’m very excited to be joining Tusker at this stage in its development. Tusker is a young, innovative and forward thinking company that is definitely heading in the right direction, and I hope to play my part in helping the company fulfil its objectives”.
BCA: LCV values up in December
Average fleet and lease LCV prices rose sharply to £5,383 in December 2012, according to statistics provided by British Car Auctions (BCA).
The values increased by £270, or 5.2%, on November’s average, with average ages remaining static and mileage decreasing slightly. Compared to December 2011, values were up £385, a 7.7% increase, with age falling but mileage rising slightly.
The increases reflect a general rise in LCV values, with the numbers for all vans up to £4,736, £486 higher than November.
Duncan Ward, BCA’s general manager for commercial vehicles, said: “With decent levels of demand and a shorter trading period, it should come as no surprise that December 2012 would establish a new benchmark value, particularly when factoring in the general lack of stock in the marketplace. This became more acute as some vendors chose to hold stock over for the New Year. Sellers who participated in the market in the run-up to Christmas certainly enjoyed good conversions and strong average values as a result.”
By Richard Brown, Grant Collinson and Peter Johnstone
