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Europe's largest 4x4 vehicle rental specialist SHB Hire is making moves into the fleet management arena, capitalising on its knowledge of specialist vehicles.
SHB, which has more than 9500 vehicles on its books, is dominated by Land Rover Defender and Toyota Hilux models, but offers everything from Peugeot Bipper light vans through to 3.5t vans, cars, prestige 4x4s and more specialist light commercials such as tippers, dropsides, cherry pickers, gully emptiers and gritters. Business development manager Steve Harris claims that makes the firm unique. "We believe we're the only national hire company that can offer that breadth of vehicle," he told BusinessCar.
It also leaves the company well-placed to move into fleet management. "Because of the experience we have got from running our own division, it's very easy to use that and our systems to offer fleet management," Harris said. "With cars there are considerations such as BIK and CO2, but with specialist stuff there are more service and maintenance requirements, especially with vehicles with a combination of conversions. That's our bread and butter.
"I'm not saying it's easy, but it is more straightforward for us than a fleet management organisation that isn't involved with this type of vehicle," he continued. "We would do a standard car fleet but we are able to handle a more specific fleet, going up to HGVs etc, where some may struggle."
Harris said the interest is coming from existing customers, both those that are moving fleet admin from another provider and those that have previously done it all in-house. The new fleet management division, launched late last year, is headed by Nicky Simpson, formerly fleet services director for Enterprise plc and for Amey plc.
"It's all part of the expansion plan; as the business grows and the fleet expands its volume and vehicle type, we're realising we can do more with the processes that are there and use them elsewhere," said Harris, who said the plans for growth also include new sites in north Scotland and west London to add to the one recently opened in Thetford, Norfolk. There are also moves to expand the non-4x4 element of the business. "Many customers will have historically used us exclusively for 4x4s and we need to show we can meet their requirements for all vehicles - that's our growth strategy, and our strategy is for growth in depots, people and vehicles," he declared.
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