REMARKETING: Steady as she goes
Date:
12 February 2013
Rui D Ferreira, vice president of fleet remarketing at rental giant Hertz, says the concerns amounted to little - a sentiment echoed by the majority of others in the industry. There were, however specialist exceptions: "In terms of affecting trading, the impact was less pronounced. There were some, albeit very specialised, examples of these events having a knock-on effect.
"For example, immediately before and during the Olympics the market witnessed a real shortage of minibuses as hotels and others prepared for an influx of visitors. This was followed by an absolute glut after the Games."
Davies claims that, as well as the absence of big sporting events and additional bank holidays, the calendar is actually favourable to trading this year: "2013 looks a quiet year compared with 2012."
The knock-on effects of the hard recession in 2008 and 2009 really hit home within the used market throughout 2012. The sharp drop in new car sales from that time made itself felt, with businesses having less ?three- and four-year-old stock to defleet as a result, leaving a big hole in supply. Prices therefore hit the roof, and there was a serious shortage of typical ex-fleet vehicles available.
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