The weekly round-up of fleet news.This week featuring VWFS Australia, Chevin, Lex, Burnt Tree Group and Germany. By Jonathan Minter and Brian Cantwell.
Go deeper with GlobalData
VWFS launches Sofico software in down under
Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS) Australia has implemented software provider Sofico’s Miles software.
The implementation project took 11 weeks, the fastest time Miles had ever been installed said Sofico.
Philip Farhart, fleet project manager at VWFS Australia, said VWFS had evaluated three fleet system solution providers, and the "main qualifying standards were that our new supplier had to fit with our existing infrastructure and be in complete alignment with our product and market development road map."
Chevin predicts increased demand for specialist fleet software
Specialist products aimed at organisations that operate in particular sectors are likely to be a key feature of the next generation of fleet management software, said fleet software provider Chevin.
David Gladding, Chevins sales director, said this was as a response to the sheer size and scope of some systems currently available.
He said Chevin was looking into the viability of software that could be bought off the shelf and put into operation quickly.
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By GlobalDataFleets to benefit from company ambitions
A Rise in UK business confidence is due to propel investment in company vehicles, according to lease provider Lex Autolease.
A Lloyds Bank survey of 1,500 businesses found that half of all management teams planned to raise money before the end of the year to support their growth ambitions.
Of these, 10% identified company vehicles as a priority, and Lex said 5% of all businesses were intending investing transport assets.
Andrew Hogsden, senior manager, strategic fleet consultancy at Lex Autolease, said; "Improved trading conditions are helping management teams to look ‘above-the-parapet’ and raise capital to invest in their businesses. It is encouraging that new company vehicles, which we see as a barometer for long-term market confidence, are back on their agenda."
ATD Solutions updates AVS
Leeds based software developer ATD solutions has launched an updated version of its RV forecasting system AVS, adding modelling functionality for forecasting future values for new and used vehicles.
AVS provides vehicle finance companies and fleet operators with a bulk forecasting and re-forecasting tool for vehicles, allowing users to define multiple adjustment factors to create different market scenarios.
ATD Solutions director Ashley Clark said "We have invested several man years working closely with major motor finance companies on the development of AVS and the feedback we get when anyone sees it is always positive."
Burnt Tree Group become environmental ambassadors
Burnt Tree Vehicle Rental has become a Green World ambassador in light of its Revive & Reduce Project at a ceremony in London.
The project, focussing on waste reduction and pollutants released into the air, is to be nominated for UK representation at the Brussels-led European Business Awards for the Environment.
The award judges said: "Burnt Tree’s environmental energies have been spent in the body shop, reducing waste, including steel and plastic, and reducing the volatile organic compounds emitted to air. A policy of repairing instead of replacing body panels resulted in 95% being recycled. Total waste has been reduced by 32% and VOCs are down by more than 37%."
German cars maintain leasing popularity
The Mercedes C-Class, Volkswagen Golf and Audi A3 are the only cars to have retained their position in the top ten contract hire market compared to a decade ago, according to research by contracthireandleasing.com.
A shift in the most popular contract hire cars in the last ten years has seen smaller fuel-efficient vehicles like the Mercedes A-Class, BMW 1 Series and Nissan Qashqai, displace larger and more traditional executive models, like the Land Rover Discovery, BMW 5 Series, and BMW X5.
The Mercedes C-Class tops the searches so far in 2014, moving up from eighth place in 2004.
Dave Timmis, managing director of contracthireandleasing.com, said: "We have seen a shift in the size of the typical car searched for on the website over the last ten years, as consumers look for vehicles which are tax and fuel efficient.New entries such as like the Nissan Qashqai and Ford Fiesta suggests that leasing customers are increasingly looking for vehicles which than are practical and cheaper to run."
