Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Services is helping its network of repairers secure new service contracts by enabling them to offer contract hire to their customers financed by the leasing provider.
Anita Damron has been appointed Business Development Manager for Network Members to spearhead the programme, which will provide Hitachi Capital with access to small commercial contracts and, in return, offer repairers a commission fee and ongoing maintenance contract.
Damron’s appointment is part of a sales team restructure being undertaken by Mike MacDougall, who was appointed Head of Commercial Sales in 2008.
“Like many others in the automotive sector, repairers are having a tough time of it at the moment,” said Mike MacDougall. “We see our network strategy as a means of helping them through the current economic times, and providing them with ongoing revenues over the coming years.
“Many smaller businesses may not have considered the potential benefits of contract hire as a means of replacing ageing commercial vehicles, and we believe Hitachi Capital can offer them a competitive proposition through a repairer that they already trust.
Used 4×4 pick-up prices rise by nearly 50% since February
Manheim’s Market Analysis reports that average value of 4×4 pick-ups has hit £6,204, some 48.3% (£2,023) higher than in February 2009. This also represented the highest recorded value for 4×4 pick-ups since Manheim began its monthly reporting on the wholesale used van market in 2006. The previous highest average monthly value recorded was £5,574 set in September 2007. Values in the overall wholesale van market were also up by 21.9% (£589) over the same period.
The significant rise in average values, while influenced in part by an increase in the volumes of late plate, low mileage 4×4 pick-ups in recent months, has been driven primarily by a recovery in values of models over 24 months old.
Alex Wright, Sales Director, Commercial Vehicles, Manheim Auctions said: “This significant recovery in used values in the 4×4 pick-up segment in the past six months is a trend that we have been expecting, following the dramatic fall in used wholesale values in the first half of 2008. Whilst the market did stabilise for the remainder of 2008 it wasn’t until March 2009 that the first signs of significant recovery became evident with a 16.9% (£708) month-on-month increase.
Tags: Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Services, Truck leasing