FLEET Alliance has grown its influence in the broker market with the purchase of East Sussex-based Neva Consultants for a seven figure sum.
The buy out will consolidate Fleet Alliance’s position as the leading UK fleet broker with a combined size of 25,000 vehicles – placing it at number 14 in a national league table of leading contract hire and leasing companies.
Under the terms of the deal, Martin Brown will oversee a new Fleet Alliance Group with current Neva directors, Graham Prince and Nick Collinson, continuing to lead Neva as a standalone brand under the Fleet Alliance Group banner.
The new Fleet Alliance Group
- Fleet Alliance
- Neva Consultants
- Intelligent Car Leasing
- Fleet Alliance recently announced a fifth successive record year in terms of fleet size, revenue and profitability and has seen growth on three fronts – in its traditional direct business, its corporate sales division and its personal leasing operation, Intelligent Car Leasing
- Neva has grown 40% over the last three years and has added Neva Direct to its portfolio to focus on the growing personal leasing market
While Fleet Alliance has taken a majority shareholding in Neva, Prince and Collinson will continue to have a shareholding in the business, which they formed in 1992. Integration should be seamless as both companies have shared the same IT platform and back office systems for the last 10 years.
“Over that time we have come to recognise them as a thoroughly professional, well-run business with a culture very similar to our own,” commented managing director Martin Brown. “They made the perfect fit for us.”
While acknowledging that Fleet Alliance buying Neva Consultants was a significant acquisition, Brown said further acquisitions were potentially on the cards.
However, Brown was keen to add: “This new acquisition does not in any way alter our commitment to providing our customers with the very highest levels of service. Indeed, it reinforces that commitment.
“Customer service is at the heart of everything we do and we try our utmost to ensure that all customers are provided with a gold standard customer service – one of the reasons, we believe, for our continued success. This same mantra will apply across the new enlarged Fleet Alliance Group.”
Neva director, Graham Prince, commented:
“We are delighted to be part of the new enlarged Fleet Alliance Group and look forward to working closely with our new colleagues, backed by the greater resources that they can offer.
“We know that we are joining an excellent and professionally run operation that is held in high regard throughout the UK fleet industry.”
Co-director Nick Collinson added: “This is an exciting opportunity for both businesses to expand and develop in their chosen marketplaces and share more fully the wealth of expertise within both organisations.”
Fleet Alliance & Neva Consultants: award-winning companies
Last year, fleet decision-makers voted Fleet Alliance the UK’s top vehicle leasing and fleet management company for service to customers in the 2016 Experteye awards – for the second successive year.
Meanwhile, Neva had successes at the British Chamber of Commerce Awards and the High Potential Business Awards, and then scooped awards for Best Company and Best Customer Service at the Leasing Broker Federation Awards in December.
